Year: 1872

sunny home away in pleasant France,
where my elegant but lonely castle
awaits only a lovely wife TO keep me
constantly within its grand old walls;
and ia your love L shall be fully COM
pensated for my long sojourn in a for
eign country, far from friends and kim
dred. This night you have rendered me
the happiest Of men, and tomorrow we
will bid farewell to these scenes, which
are but mean compared TO those you
will find in my own dear country. To-
night at twelve meet me here as we
agreed. / shall he punctual. The sig
nal will be the same as this evening
You can manage to slip out unseen.
will have carriage in readiness at the
foot Of the lane, which will bear us to the
depot, where we will take the one o'clock
train for New York. Upon our ar
rival at the city we win be married i'm
mediately, and take the steamer which
sails tomorrow for Europe. Is this sat
isfaetory? Are you willing to trust
your happiness to one whose entire life
shall be spent for your pleasure, my
darling %


THAT which suits you pleases me, for
/ am only happy when near YOU"
sobbed Cordelia.


"-All is then arranged. Come as soon
as you hear the signal. I shall not
speak, for fear we might be overheard
in the still night. Remember, be as
quiet as possible and fear not Trust all
to me-"


81 will be punctual at the appointed
time, and God grant that | may never
have cause TO regret it! That you may
ever prove true is my prayerr' ex-
claimed Cordelia, and she released her
self from his embrace and retraced her
steps the same way she came.


Claude watched her till she was out
Of sight and hastily made his retreat,
little thinking all was known by his
friend Andrew, who had both seen and
overheard all.


As soon as Claude was gone, Andrew
issued from his hiding place and re-
turned to the house, where he found
Blanche anxiously waiting to hear the
particulars.


at is as l suspected. Claude Mon
trose, who is styled my friend, has
planned an elopement with Miss Marsh.
They are to meet at twelve tonight,
when he intends carrying her to New
York, where they ara to be married and
start for Europe Immediately. All is
arranged. \ carriage is to be in wait
ing at the foot of the lane TO convey
them to the cars" said Andrew, as he
he took Blanche one side.


"Can this be possible?" exclaimed
Blanche, while glow of Indignation
mantled her pale cheeks. "Can it be
possible that my cousin can thus be
persuaded to forsake her friends and
that lone mother, whose only remain
ing prop she is, for base, unprincipled
man, who would thus perhaps lure her
to ruin? Oh, COrdelial Cordelial have
you forgotten Gracie's dying words ?n
and she covered her face with her hands
to hide her anguish.


"Grieve not, dear Blanche. IL is not
yet too late to arrest her in her infatu-
uated course. Leave all 10 me and say
nothing about it. 1 will see that the
thoughtless girl is restored in safety to
| her friends before tomorrow morning,
and teach the presumptuous Frenchman
not to NEEDLE with the hearts of our
American bellies without the knowledge
and consent of their friends. I never
liked this man, though we have been
together a great deal and he has choosed
to style me his friend. now believe
him not only to be a rascal, but an ac-
complice and friend to Norman. And
as to his reputed wealth, why, that is
all moOnshine. It Is now ten O'Clock, -
continued Andrew, looking at his
watch. Supper will not be ready fol
an hour yet. will therefore retire i'm
mediately, giving as an excuse for my
absence business with my friend, which
is only the truth, for l will make it my
business to attend to what is none OF
his business" and making his adieus tc
the company, retired.


Blanche's feelings were too much ex.
cited to allow her to offer thanks. Sink
ing into n seat as Andrew left the room
for few moments she gave way to hel
own thoughts.