Morris tribune., 1895-10-16
CHAPTER Nv.

that he felt heartily ashamed at this
the we'll merited rebuke just accorded it
by this beautiful and indignant girl
were putting it mildly.
Jamie sat speechless, with his dark
eyes fairly bullying out of his head.
That mere slip of a girl should have
the audacity to openly insult him-of
course there was no question of insult
in so far as his conduct in relation to
her was concerned-an officer and a gen
tleman-oh, of course, gentleman
and before his subordinates, too-was a
thing so unparalleled in Inspector ia
mic Bounder' s vast experience Tin the
great lone land) that it left him lit
orally incapable of thought or action.
To use one of his own beautiful and
choice expressions, he was 'teetotally
dabbergasted' for the moment. The pri-
vate had risen with the sergeant and
made for the door. But the conduct OF
the little scout was most remarkable,
for, on rising, he had, curiously enough,
kicked his hat into corner OF the room
and appeared to have considerable diff
Guilty in picking it up again. He re-
minded one of an ostrich with its head
stuck in hole and it's huge body grav
itating aim1essly round it. He-Pierre
however, snorted in most peculiar
and suspicious fashion.
But it was the old half breed woman
who took advantage OF the situation to
interfere on behalf of her young mis-
tress and put check to the uncalled
for impertiLence of the gallant officer
Her dark face became sallow; her black,
sharp eyes sparkled ominously; her
high, quavering voice betrayed her ex-
citable Galllc origin as she faced the
somewhat surprised officer and cried,
with determined stamp OF her foot;
''You shall mott say you shall not.
no matter what You are, sit here and
insult my young mistress. If you can
not see you are an unwelcome convle IN
this room, you must be asked to relieve
us of your presence and get out OF it !
We cannot in this storm ask you to
leave the house, but there is one large
room you can have; it is to the right Of
the passage as you come in, with stove
in it. You will be good enough to re-
main in it while you have to stop here.
You are evidently not accustomed to
the society of women. Therefore, as
long as you are in this house do not
dare to enter this room again. You see
this saucepan of water on the fire? Il
will boil in q few seconds. 1t shall re-
main there, and I swear by the Holy
Virgin over your face will throw it
If you as much as show your nose
round the corner of that door, These
gentlemen who are with you may occa-
sionally come in if they want to-but
you-git!' And she literally brought
her teeth together with a snap as she
pronounced these words and pointed to
the door,.
'You demmed she catp' exclaimed
Jamie, sorely amazed and taken aback.
1t was bad break. Jeanette snatched
up billet of wood from heap along
side the stove (the Indian blood was
showing now in addition to the Gallic),
and in another second he would most
assuredly have stopped it in It's project
ed career with his head had not he
.ducked that turnpike growth with
smartness that did him credit and
made bolt for the door. Once in the
little passage ne found the other room,
where Dick Townley and the scout at
once set to work to make a good fire in
the stove. It was a large, comfortable
room, with bed in recess-indeed,
it was Gabriel st. Denis own room,
and was as quantity furnished as the
kitchen. Only on q species of stand
stood the mounted head of that now,
alas extinct monarch of the prairie, the
great American bison. 1t was truly
grand specimen; there was an air of
might and majesty in that. picturesque,
shaggy, fierce front. Jamie took a seat
modify near the stove and awaited an
opportunity of venting his superhuous
spleen on the private or the scout.
In the meantime the sergeant had
gone back into the kitchen and shut the
door gently behind him. He held his
hat in his hands-Jamie had never re-
moved his-and as he stood before the /
two women there was look of unmis- |
taxable pain and humiliation upon his
face.
The girl had gone back to the dress
er and had mechanically taken up her
iron, but somehow she did not seem as
if she cared to meet the eyes of the SER
geant. And now the latter spoke
II cannot tell you how ashamed and
sorry am, he began alphabetically in
rather an unsteady voice, set the an
noyance you have been subjected to.
The fact Of the matter is, the inspector
is hardly himself today. He was subject
ed to some slight annoyance before we
came here
And now the girl stopped her ironing
and looked full upon the face of the
dark, handsome featured trooper. Why
should he lie for such brute?
docs your force produce many such
specimens" she inquired, with all traces
of her former annoyance gone, but with
a touch of irony in her voice.
"Only one or two, thank goodness,
but they do all the mischief, was the
reply. ut is not an edifying subject to
to~,E I,11x, &l,ox,