Year: 1872

Luce, and your sojourn at the little inn,
just before you sailed for the West In
dies"


"Well, madame" cried the Countess de
Rosefont


We all KNOW" continued the baroness,
"about the precious deposit you left
with the landlady. 1t is here in my posses
sion."


'1n your possession ?" cried the count
ess.


"Yes," cried the baroness; "beholdr'


This was the preconcerted signal for the
appearance of Marie. A door was thrown
open, and she rushed into the countess
arms, crying: "Mother-dear mother ~


AS soon as possible, the countess extri-
Gated herself from the embrace.


"What pleasantly is this ?" she exclaim
ed.


pleasantly ?" retorted the baroness,
warmly. "Do you deny your own daugh-
teri"


" My daughter? ?" cried the countess in
infinite disdain. "Inever had daughterl
The deposit left with the inn1eeper's wife
at st. Luce, was collection of political
papers which would have compromised me
with the government. If you have those,
l shall be obliged to you for restoring
them; as for this young lady, know moth
ing at all about herv'


"Then she's only commoner after all r'
said the Duchess de Longuevile, i: in infinite
disgust, "I always thought she had the
air of one."


"And to pass herself off as one of us
what shocking impudence p exclaimed the
Countess de Vautrieu.


"And to endeavor to entangle me into
an alliancew cried Captain Fontaine.
"What infamyp'


"And to impose on my good-natured
credulity 20 shrieked the baroness, as soon
as she could find voice. ait was all
plan of imposture concocted by your low
set at the tavern - she added, addressing
Marie. "But this roof shall not shelter
you another night p'


Pride was the grand defect of Marie's
character; but now, when the firstagony of
of disappointment was over, it did her good
service. Drying hastily her scalding tears,
she returned the glance of the baroness
with one as naughty and imperious as her
own.


"Fear not, madame; nothing could tempt
me to stay another night under your roof.
now see that low and sordid passions are
not the heritage of the poor; and that no
bier hearts beat beneath the coarse gar
ments of the lowly, than the silks and
satins of the higher born. Farewell, mad
anne. will not stoop to question the mo-
tives Of your kindness;I thank you for it
your insinuations and charges / repel with
scorn %


With the air of a duchess, the maid of
the inn swept from the apartment The
lackeys in waiting were astonished to see
her pass into the street in full dress; but no
servant dared, in those days, to question
the caprices of the great. 1t was not till
she was alone in the darkness of the street
alone in that huge, heartless city, that
her courage deserted her, and that she ex-
claimed aloud in the bitterness of her heart:


"Ah who in this wide world will pro-
tect me?"


"one who never will desert youp' re-
piled voice.


1t was that of the faithful Gaspar, who,
while his comrades slept, kept up his hope
less watch over the dwelling-place of
Marie. This night his devotion was des-
tinad IN he rawarded


Taking Marie to place of safety for the
night, he obtained leave of absence, and
the next day conducted her to her former
home, where she was warmly welcomed by
the old landlord, and where she soon learn
ed to look back ON the frivolities of city life
with the contempt which they merited.
And now she for the first time learned the
history of her parentage. 1t seems that
Mrs. Bonneville had young sister who
had when quite young been betrayed. and
who had died in giving birth to Marie.
This child who had thus been thrown upon
the care of her aunt, had been as carefully
brought up as though her own child, and
the secret of her mothers disgrace had been
concealed from the daughter, and was now
told her only to prove to her how vain and
foolish it was to search for happiness out of
the sphere in life TO which she properly be-
longed. 4ls sf


Awakened thus rudely from her ambi-
tious dreams, to find herself founding,
on the ocean of life, her fall had been brok-
en- by the tender sympathy and love Of
Gaspar, who had proved so true under
every trial and the gratitude she owed him,
shortly ripened into love. He therefore
soon managed to leave tho service and re-
turned to the village when the young couple