The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 18??-1882, 1882-03-17
A DAY In TADOUSAC.

A DAY In TADOUSAC.
When the head of the shipping firm
of Freyteau, Wall ct Gle in Montreal
sent young Noel as their agent along
the lower st. Lawrence, the other part
ners grumbled loudly. They were
shrewd Americans--NOel a mere lad,
Canadian-French, gay, crOchety, wOrdy.
He had, too, heavy sums to collect, and
there was an ugly story afiOat that his
father had been a professional gambler.
Pierre Noel now was old and imbecile,
but his son persisted in taking him
with him everywhere, and paid him an
exaggerated respect. Wall ct Gle grew
very uneasy about their money. Blood,
they said, would tell at last. But M.
Freyteau was obstinate in his likings;
he would not recall the lad. All they
could do was to send the younger Wall
TO look him up now and then, and to
take rigid account of his receipts.
1t never occurred to Louis Noel that
he was suspected. Nothing short of a
blow on the face would convince that
careless fellow that anybody was his
enemy. He made his headquarters at
the lonely village of Tadousac for a
reason, and he supposed the same rea-
son brought James Wall there.
The two men one August afternoon
met in, the orchard of an old pension
behind the village. The wind was
frosty, and Noel brought bench out
from under the trees into the open sum
shine for young girl who was with
them. James Wall sat down upon it
beside her. crossed his stout legs COM
fortably, drew out the Quebec paper
and looked at the quotations in lumber.
Noel walked away. He could not come
near Hester Page to-day. She had
dropped a word or two to him last
night, a mere nothing when onerepeat-
ed it, yet very different from the cool,
amused criticism with which she had
met him heretofore. He had repeated
the words thousand times to himself
to-day. Could it beP-
He could not speak to her before
Wall. He felt as if he must cry out
with this sudden madness Of hope that
sent the blood through his body like
flame. He wandered about irresOlute-
ly, climbed a tree for some russell pears
for her. and left them lying on the
grass, lighted cigar, smoked furious
ly and let it 60 out in his mouth, then
began to sing with tremendous dis
sordant clatter.
Mr.. Wall shuddered, then laughed,
sompassionately glancing at Miss Page.
They were both admirable musicians,
and often sang together with that ac-
suracy and neatness of effect which Pc
suliarly marked the words and msve-
ments of both.
These Canadians are restless in body
and mind as grasshOppers." James
Wallis thick tones grew cOmplacent
and intimate with Miss Page. Were
they not both Americans This Noel
and all unfortunate foreigners belong
cd to q great Ultima Thule outside Of
the states. She smiled, looked deliber-
ately at Louis, then at Wall, then
down to the pale blue web she was
netting. What with her deliberation,
the pale blue net, the creamy gown fit-
ting close to her neat, rounded figure,
and her lustreless brown hair and
eyes, she made centre Of calm, Of deli
cate color, which suited the faded hue
Of the autumnal day. MI. Wall scan-
ned her over his paper, pursuing his
thick lips. with gusto. He had been
calculating her merits and defects for
q long time, but his mind was now
made up. True, she had not money
enough to pay her share Of the board
bills, nor brilliant beauty to push them
on sociably iu Montreal. But some
indeHnable latent power in the faint
eOlored little woman had conquered
him. As much of the man as was not
given up to lumber interest or to wor-
ship Of James Wall was genuinely in
love with her. He was poor man.
greedy Of money; yet he meant to mar.
~ this psnniless Baptist ministers
daughter. Why not tell her 80 at
oncef
.Noelp he called; here, Noelp ui
was just as well to lether know Their
relative positions, and that this scamp
ish fellow, whose infatuation for hel
was the talk of the village, was only
the paid servant Of the 6rm.) 4 wisf
you to finish that report. l start fol
home tonight. BY the way, / viii
take all your collections with me.
Noel did not move. Dye hearp Sex
to 1t at once
'Chutl chutl No hurry Louis loung
cd over the low stone wall. looking
down the mountain. Below him wa.
the uneven street of Tadousac Gu
through beetling gray-cliffs; the ole
cottages, perched here and there. eacl
sending out through its steep red O