The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-27
II am whittier than you, you lying, in
famous slanderer!'
Capdau now turned to the company and

II am winter than You, you lying, in
Capdau now turned to the company and
said:
He it is who has poisoned all your minds
against me. What he has said is q liza
holds"
He turned and strobe back to his horse,
mounted and rode away. As he passed
along the veranda. by where Marie stood,
''This vile Spaniard is the fabricator of
all this Islander; he is doing it to set your
father against me and to fill you with doubt
about my honor. You will not be-
ieve his falsehoods, Marie?"
He quickly lifted her hand and kissed it.
him riding away, and then she sank down,
like one stricken with deadly disease.
Don Manuel C0rtinas, after rallying from
the disorder into which Capdau's vigorous
onslaught had thrown him, assumed
stern air and uttered savage threats of
vengeance.
The social pleasures were at an end,
though Chevalier de Beret did all in his
power to rally his guests. Marie, who could
not control her shocked nerves and over
charged heart, was taken to her room, and
refused to see any one.
Among the gentlemen there was talk of a
duel; but Chevalier de Beret ended all this
with single sentence addressed to Don
Manuel,
"You cannot fight him if he is negro"
He is negro-a mnlatto,-I will get the
proofs-I will kill him-the brute. the
beast,v ragged Don Manuel.
every well,' said Chevalier de Beret.
with perfect GOODNESS.
do you d0nbt my word?'
II do not believe that you are correctly
informed, that is all. Louis Capdau is a
gentleman"
~ do if you desire to meet him."
II do not intend to meet him. He is a
negro, and will prove it,"
.varv well.'
So the party was ended and the guests
went home, feeling that they had Witnessed
very strange affair.
From that day forward Don Manuel Cor
tinas thought of nothing but revenge. He
was as willy as he was courageous in his evil
enterprise. Knowing we'll that Chevalier
de Beret was in sympathy with Capdau, and
feeling that before he could hope to win
jured testimony. the charge against her
lovers purity of blood, he set about schem-
ing to accomplish his end.
On the day following the encounter at
the Chateau de Beret, Louis Capdau called
upon Maries father, and presented q casket
were the last of their name, and that they
represented 3 \ oble family which the for
tunes of French politics had ruined. Their
father had died on the scaffold for politi-
cal offense, and they had been forced into
exile. These proofs were so clear and con-
nected that there could be no doubt what
ever of their lsufficiency. Chevalier de Beret
embraced the young man, and, calling
Marie, embraced her also. He joined the
hands of the young people and gave then,
his blessing.
"That villainous Don Manuel" said he,
more to himself than to the happy lovers,
"that villainous Don Manuel has been the
originator and propagation of this rumor. ]
understand his purpose"
"And I, too" said Louis Capdau.
Marie shuddered, and her bushes faded
from her beautiful cheeks.
"Oh, fear him very, very greatly"' she
| murmured.
The evening of beautiful day fell softly
over the river, the moss hung woods and the
rambling, vine-covered mansion. week
had passed since the return of Don Manuel
and his party to New Orleans. Louis Cap
dau had visited Marie every day, and now
they were standing on the veranda, an revoil
for the twentieth time. A slender moon
hung over in the west against brilliant
cloudless sky. The air was deliciously soft
and balmy, just touched with the salt tinRe
of the gulf.
Marie orept close to her lover and sighed