The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-03
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had he said? Blessed Mary! how was
that to be done? Two golden napoleons,
indeed, he had had-scraped and starved
and boarded out of the meager pay
until the pardon of st. Gildas last gone;
and then one of the twain had melted
away. There, had been a kerchief for
Anne, that she might go smart on the
fete day and taper to be burned at the
shrine of the good saint in memory of
his mother, and new felt hat-broad
and sweeping enough to strike defeat into
the hearts of all the other lads-for him
self. And 50 there was but one gold
piece left. Nineteen more to to be got
before he could have Anne! Merciful
Father! How?
And Anne-smiling, teasing, tantalizins
Anne! Would she wait? Would she
wait until the gray began to come in her
tossing black hair and the crows feet
lined her soft cheeks, and the passing
by of years dllled the ardor of his WOO
ing? Would she wait while he hoard
ed these accursed nineteen napoleOns? Or
would she give herself to another? The
tyrant, the worse than tyrant, to make
this devilish condition!-this condition
that he knew hopeless, impossible. A
tyrant look you, whom he had worked
IOI dIl THESE years Will al llAS SbI OIlS III
like a slave! But he would work no
longer.
The Southern birth-passiOns of Yves
Pengaverec had come uppermost His
body shook, he gIiawed fiercely at the
knucIles OF his hands as they lay
clenched on the handle Of the hoe; his
eye sparkled With quick anger. He
would get the cursed money-somehow;
and then he would come back and claim
from ho old And meantime
to the devil with his sloW-coach work!
He must think think; and there was
nothing like a cup of cider to think
upon.
Yves flung down his hoe and strobe IN
steadily across the scorched stubblefield
He leaped over the high mud fence into
the sunken cart rut, which formed the
only highway through the valley Of Pol
Mac, and descended Its rugged length.
At the bottom-close to the spot where
the tumbling Scroff, dwindled by the
drouth, crawled beneath a rud stone
bridge-stOOd the old auberge AUX Chou
ans" the crazy howell that Suf1iced to dis
pense refreshment to a man and beast
in the remote valley of Polniac. \ couple
of Urkempt fellows were sprawling on The
wooden bench before the house; and they
growled a surly greeting as Yves stum-
hled to the bench beside them and called
for cup of cider.
This cider was capital. 1t put heart
into man, and courage and wits Only
nineteen napoleops, after all. Twas not
much. And then-Anne! But how to get
them? One must think, think-think.
Another cup of cider, and the thought
will come.
The sharp-visaged, slatternly landlady
put the second cup of cider in his hands;
and then she paused.
Ills not often we see thee here, Yves
Pengaverec." she commented.
He grunted something, and took deep
draught
81 suppose a nights trudge across tho
landes would not be to tiny liking?" the
woman continued, hesitatingly. "A
counting walk with a maid is all you
young men can think on
He looked up sharply, and asked her
what she meant.
'It will mean money in thy pocket"
she nodded shrewdIy.
"Ahr'
IT'S nothing but jaunt to Loudeac Or
So" she explained; "and the pay will be
for thee to fix. A traveler-an English
seagoing man from the coast wandered
from his road-called here about an hour
ago with his horse foundered. He had
ridden it as if our Breton lanes were the
royal road its9If-the fool! He must
ItSCuS SCI W LOuUedCy says uG1 III tlIIl0
for the mornings diligence; and as there
be no horses here at his disposal, he must
take a guide. See your
And he will pay?'
aha! my child-he will pay. He is but
now in the guest room, swiliing wine like
cider, and throwing about his gold pieces
as if he were made of them"
Il will go, my mother"
The chance had not been long in COM
iYocr r. l.
He would get a whole napoleon, perhaps
perhaps two--for his nights work; a
mere tramp Of forty kilometers across
the landeS, little more than the journey to
Pontivy on market day. Why, this was
something better than the slaves work
which he had been used to doing
BEST have an eye to the weather, mate;
there's a pretty storm brewing" This
from the rougher of the two peasants on
the bench beside him, growing and point
ing to the evening sky
The woman turned upon him fierceIy.
Hold thy tongue, Daoulaz!" she
screamed. 81 daresay the job would have
fitted thee better-eh? IT'S likely I would
have asked an ugly fellow like thee-is
it not? Why, the stranger would have
had his weasened slit, l reckon, fore ever
he came out of the Fairies wood! 1 know
thee, Daoulaz-but little to thy credit"
The man laughed hoarseIy, and the
landlady,- eying him with disfavor passed
into the auberge.
Yves sat Indifferent, the half emptied
mug on his knee, his crowding thoughts
running a Steeplechase through his brain.
Two napoleons for a nights work. Ay,
the traveller could we'll afford as much
a man who could throw about gold pieces
like that! Two napoleons was none too
much for the job; no, nor yet three, if
you came to think of it. And then there
would be but sixteen to make. But six
teen-betWeen him and Anne! The gen
tleman should pay him as a gentleman
should; or, by St Gildas, he would wiring
it out Of him. The landes were wide: he
had but to lose his way, and the gentle
man would pay him we'll enough to find 1t.
Yves drained his mug with loud laugh.
and called to the landiady for the reck-
Oning.
She came out to the doorway, followed
by mana short thick-set man, dressed
like seaman. He rolled across to the
bench where Yves sat brooding and
slapped him on the back
$50 you're to be the lad that's to pilot
me across the cOuntry-eh?" he roared.
well, we must look spry, nv man. no
missing the diligence for me. But an
other bottle of Bordeaux won't hurt us
before We start. Here, mother another
oottle-and Of the best mind We"
The red wine, vile as it was. was a
novelty to Yves Penea varoo t. -