Chapter IV: Part 4

He labored unceasingly toward an enlargement and purification of the county jail, for separate day rooms for the men and women, for decent food and lavatories, and for constant occupation. In all he did Henri was warmly seconded by his true friends, and when at last the summons came that called him from their midst, no one among the villagers was more regretted.

In the short will which was found amid his small effects, he had bequeathed the old chateau to his native town as a home for such discharged prisoners as were friendless and aged, and the closing clause read thus:

“To my more than sister, my earthly savior, Dorcas Townsend, I leave the testimony of my later years, and the contents of my strong-box.”

This contained some valuable silver and household linen bearing a coronet, and a sandalwood casket wherein reposed a yellow muslin cap string.

In the evening following the burial Dorcas sat with her family about her on the moonlit porch. She slid her hand softly into that of her husband, and said:

“George dear, thee has never asked me, but I should like to tell thee, the secret of my peculiar interest in our brother who has passed away.”

Then my grandame told the story, and the accurate memory of my mother gave it unto me as it is written.

At its conclusion her husband kissed her flushed cheek, saying:

“Thine was ever a romantic nature, and were romance always controlled by reason, how many lives might blossom into joy and usefulness, as did that of our beloved Henri.”

THE END.

IN UNIFORM STYLE:

THE PRISONER OF ZENDA:

Being the History of Three Months in the Life of an English Gentleman. By ANTHONY HOPE. 16mo, 75 cents.

“A grand story.... It is dignified, quick in action, thrilling, terrible.... There is everything that is exciting and turbulent, and nothing that is too extravagant to be possible with desperate men fighting for so great an issue as the throne of a ‘powerful province.’... A great writer, and there is no flaw either in the design, execution, or wording of a really most ingenious tale.”--_Chicago Herald._

“The author is a born story-teller, and has, moreover, a very pretty wit of his own.”--_The Outlook._

A SUBURBAN PASTORAL.

And Other Tales. By HENRY A. BEERS. 16mo, 75 cents.

Contents: A Suburban Pastoral--A Midwinter Night’s Dream--A Comedy of Errors--Declaration of Independence--Split Zephyr--A Graveyard Idyl--Edric the Wild and the Witch Wife--The Wine-Flower.

QUAKER IDYLS. By MRS. S. M. H. GARDNER. 16mo, 75 cents.

Contents: Twelfth Street Meeting--A Quaker Wedding--Two Gentlewomen--Our Little Neighbors--Pamelia Tewksbury’s Courtship--Some Ante-Bellum Letters from a Quaker Girl--Uncle Joseph--My Grandame’s Secret.

JOHN INGERFIELD. And Other Stories. By JEROME K. JEROME. 16mo, 75 cents.

Contents: John Ingerfield--The Woman of the Saeter--Variety Patter--Silhouettes--The Lease of the Cross-Keys.

HENRY HOLT & CO.,
Publishers, New York.

Jerome’s John Ingerfield;

=The Woman of the Saeter=, =Silhouettes=, =Variety Patter=, and =The Lease of the Cross-keys=. The title-story (half the book) and the two that follow are in serious vein. With portrait of Jerome and illustrations. Small 16mo. 75 cents.

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“A charming story.”--_Literary World._

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“One of the sweetest, saddest stories we have ever read.”--_Chicago Times._

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“A delightful story.”--_Hartford Post._

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HENRY HOLT & CO.,
29 West 23d Street, New York.

Transcriber’s Notes

Errors in punctuation have been fixed.

Page 32: “henceforth seprate” changed to “henceforth separate”