Page 4 Advertisements Column 1

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1726, 8 September 1873, Page 4

"when, do they Bay, was thiß fearful decree pronounced?" "On the evening before last. A govern • ment courier is believed to have brought the intelligence. The funds have already fallen more than three per cent. Yet it may be only a stock-jobbing repor.." ■'" I fear not. But I have still the means of finding out. btay here, Devaux, till I return. I will be absent no longer than I can help." Monsieur Morin quitted the room. The street-door closed immediately afterwards, and Adelaide wsb left alone with Richard Devaux. It was the firat time that thi3 had ever occurred. For several minutes Mademoiselle Morin remained without speech or motion. At length she sighed heavily, and raised her head. " This is terrible!" she said. " Sad enough, mademoiselle," answered Devaux, " if the news be really true." " They will not dare to execute the sentence," she continued, with flashing eyes. " What have they not dared ?" he returned. " It is true," she said ; " nothing restrains them. O, if there were hands now to strike in the king's defence ! But such hands are far, far away I" " Hands there are," said Devaux, " near enough yet to serve him. They can never be wanting when you deßire their aid." There was something in the speaker's tone which sounded strangely in Adelaide's ears She turned on him a searching glance. Devaux met it without shrinking. "Is there any one," he continued, " who would not give bis life for the cause that interests Adelaide Morin ?" Still her eyea were fixed on his, as if she doubted what she heard. Devaux drew nearer. " Why," he said, " should I refrain from uttering what my heart is bursting to r«veal ? Mademoiselle Morin — Adelaide — I love you ! As man never yet loved wotnin, I love you !" Encouraged by her silence, he attempted to take her hand. She started ba"\, astonished. " Love me 1" Bbc cried. " You lat this hour 1" " From the first moment I saw you. If you will be mine, all I have is yours. Every resource I can command shall be at the service of your king." " There is no traffic, sir, in love," said Adelaide, with dignity ; "were this even a time to speak Af such things, your words would be wholly unavailing." " If," pleaded Devaux, " I have chosen a wrong moment — " " All moments are the same," interrupted Adelaide ,- "your suit is hopeless ; let the subject be no more mentioned." '« Mademoiselle Morin !" cried Bevaux, impttiently ; "you love another ! you are proUd, Mademoiselle Morin, but — " Hia speech was broken short by a violent knocking at the street door. It was Monsieur Morin. He hastened into the room like one distracted, threw an open letter upon the table, and buried his face in his hands. Deep and 1 ng-drawn sobs choked his utterance. " Our kind, good master— come, Adelaide, come to my breast, and weep your heart away — the king is no more !" While Monsieur Morin and his daughter were locked in each other's arms, Richard Devaux read the letter. In a few I'nes it told of the execution of Louis the Sixteenth. There was a settled resolve on Monsieur Morin's brow when he spoke again. " We had hoped," he said, " to avert this blow ; our task must be to avenge it ; not jn hour must be lost ; everything, Devaux, must be realised as soon as possible ; you will kindly excuse us now ; Adelaide and I have a sad day's work to do ; there are dear friends abroad who should learn the news of to-day from none but ourselves." Mademoiselle Morin said nothing. She did not even raise her eyes when Richard Devaux took his leave. Had she done so, she might have marvelled at the singular expression which his features wore. Days of agitation passed for each of the thr. c pf rsons whom this narrative most concerns. Events succeeded each other so rapidly that, within a month from the reception of the news of the king's execution, war against England had been declared by the Convention, and a counter defiance hurled against the regicide government. This furnished full occupation for Monsieur Morin, at whose house meetings were constantly held to Organise the expedition of an emigrant ferce to operate on the coast of Brittany, under the command of the Marquis de Grandme3nil, and his son Henri. In all the business connected with this expedition, Mademoiselle Morin was indefatigable. She acted as her father's secretary, and something more. She had personal motives for desiring the presence of the destined chiefs of the expedition in London, and h r letters to that effect were urgent. R'churd' Devaux, also, had enough to occupy his thoughts. Upon him devolved the supply of the sinews of the proposed warfare, derivable from the funds which Mon- ! sieur Morin had lodged with his louse. This business, however, was not all he had to think about; the scene between Adelaide and himself being never absent from his Memory. ' Undeterred by a first reject : on, he was bent on renewing his proposals. An idea, not yet definitely shaped, bed crossed his mind, which pointed towards success ; but, b» fore he encouraged it, there was a test to which Adelaide Morin mustyet be submitted. He remembered that, when he abruptly charged her with li.-viug another, her coua■t< nance changed ; he also remembered what Monsieur Morin had said in reference to the dear friends who were absent ; and these rr-. ollrctii ns strengthened hi- first suspicion I -Mademoiselle Morin wished her cause t" jnosp. .-, she must be his, and his alone. (To be continued.)