The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1899-10-20

$50
trating odor OF the evening wood had
already arisen, like a cloud Of incense,
from that broad field of tree-tops;
and even in the streets of the town..
where the air had been baked all day
between white walls, 1t came in whiffs
and pulses, like distant music. Half
way home, the last gold flicker van
ished from a great oak upon the left;
and when they came forth beyond the
borders Of the wood, the plain was
already sunken in pearly grayness, and
a great, pale moon came swinging sky
ward through the filmy poplars.
The doctor sung, the doctor whistled,
the doctor talked. He spoke of the
woods, and the wars, and the deposit
ton of dew; he frightened and bab-
bled of Paris; he scared into cloudy
bombast on the glories Of the politi-
cal arena. All was to be changed; as
the day departed, it took with it the
vestiges of an outworn existence, and
to-morrow's sun was to inaugurate the
new. Enough" he cried, 20 this life
of maceration!" His wife (still beau
tiful, or he was sadly partially were
to be no longer buried; she should
now shine before society. Jean-Marie
would find the world at his feet; the
roads. open to success, wealth, honor,
and posthumous renown. "And oh,
by the way" said he, "for Gods sake
keep your tongue quiet! You are, of
course, very silent fellow; it is
quality I gladly recognize in you-si-
lence, golden silence! But this is a
matter Of gravity. No word must get
abroad; none but the good Casimir
is to be trusted; we shall probably dis
pose of the vessels in England"
'But are they not even ours?" the
boy said, almost with sob-it was
the only time he had spoken.
'Ours in this sense, that they are
nobody else's," replied the doctor. "But
the state would have some claim. If
they were stolen, for instance, we
should be unable to demand their res
titution; we should have no title; we
should be unable even to communicate
with the police. Such is the monstrous
condition of the law It is mere in
*Let it be so, for my tale!
stance of what remains to be done, of
the injustices that may yet be righted
by an ardent, active, and philosophi-
cal deputy"
Jean-Marie put his faith in Madame
Desprez: and as they drove forward
down the road from Bourbon, between
the rustling poplars, he prayed in his
teeth, and whipped up the horse to
an unusual speed. Surely, as soon as
her character, and bring this waking
they arrived, madame would assert
nightmare to an end.
Their entrance into Gretz was her.
aided and accompanied by most flu
rious barking; all the dogs in the vii
lage seemed to smell the treasure in
the noddy. But there was no one on
the street, save three Longing land
scape painters at Tentaillon's door.
Jean-Marie opened the green gate and
led in the horse and carriage; and al
most at the same moment Madame
Desprez came to the kitchen threshold
with lighted lantern; for the moon
was not yet high enough to clear the
garden walls.
"Close the gates, Jean-Marie!" cried
the doctor, somewhat unsteadily alight-
ing. "Anastasie, where is Aline?"
"she has gone to Montereau to see
her parents" said madame.
''Here, quick, come near to me; 1
don't wish to speak too loud!" he con-
tinued. Darling, we are wealthy"
Wealthy" repeated the wife.
81 have found the treasure of Fran
chaYd," replied her husband. "See,
here are the first fruits; a pineapple,
dress for my ever-beautiful-it will
suit her-trust husbands, trust low
er's taste! Embrace me darling! This
grimy episode is over; the butterfly
unfolds it's painted wings. Tomorrow
Casimir will come; in a week we may
be in Paris-happy at last! You shall
have diamonds. Jean-Marie, take it
out of the boot, with religious care,
and bring it piece by piece into the
dining-room. We shall have plate at
table! Darling, hasten and prepare
this turtle; it will be whet-it will
be an addition to our meagre ordinary.
myself will proceed to the cellar. We
shall have bottle of that little Beau
jolais you like, and finish with the
Hermitage; there are still three bottles
left. Worthy wine for worthy oc-
casion."
1.-The turtle, my adored, the turtle!"
cried the doctor; and he pushed her
toward the kitchen, lantern and all.
Jean-Marie stood dumbfounded. He
had pictured to himself a different
scene-a more immediate protest, and
his hope began to dwindle on the
spot.