The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-11-30
daughter, and would marry her if he

daughter, and would marry her if he
would allow it.
"The Frenchman was willing to set
tie on her all the property that her
father might leave her, so that he was
not after her fortune.
Hes a fine man, too, Hamilton,
said the old merchant, rubbing his
hands; comes of one of the old fam
lilies, and has plenty Of money. II
think we shall make good thing of it
if Marcia marries him.
Well, I suppose she will, of course,
if you demand it, said /, knowing how
strong was his control over her, and
wondering whether she had given the
young doctor up. What does she say?'
"The old fellows face sobered.
That girls the apple of my eye, as
you know; but she's as stubborn as her
old daddy. She refuses, unless I can
produce what she calls proof of the
high standing of Dupray, and he has
sent to France for the papers,
Il thought for moment and then
said:
"'Was the wedding to have been at
once, before she made this demand%
"'That's it. / wanted her to have
him, and he wanted her at once, for we
| were to go to the continent together
and make the wedding trip sort of
business trip, too. But-confound it
you know the girl, and she has simply
backed out until the papers come. It's
all right, though, and in two weeks
the matter will be arranged
| Il cogitated a little and then said:
| Better have the settlement drawn
while you are waiting. I suppose you
intend to give Marcia everything, and
you might make the will and then have
Dupray sign the settlement, or at least
have it all drawn up SO that it can be
| signed when the time comes. am free
to tell you that I want to draw that
paper, for while your foreign son-in-
law may be the best fellow in the world,
and willing to promise everything now.
/ am going to put British law about his
neck, so that he will have to keep his
promise by-and-by if he should want to
change his mind
'The old man laughed.
"I know you were always in favor
of that young doctor, and he's a good
enough fellow, but now that better
man has come along and wants my
girl, and she is willing, he's going to
have her. But it's right that every
thing should be done in proper form
and I'll bring Dupray down in day
or two and we'll fix the things up
Three days later, one afternoon, LIE
roy and the Frenchman came into the
office. Dupray was as polite as one
could ask, and yielded quick consent
to all the suggestions I made with re
lation to the papers to be executed;
but, somehow, as l began to write,
felt that he was noa friendly with me
and that he laid it at my door that thes'
papers were being brought to head 81
certainly before the marriage.
"You may be sure that when tina
idea took possession of my mind, wa
stubborn enough to determine that th'
papers should be drawn and signed tha
day; and when Leroy proposed tha
they should leave me to my writing
while they went and had smoke,
said:
"sNo, smoke here; and then when
, want you to sign / shall not have t.
run after YOU
"And they sat down again.
Leroy took out some cigars, and OF
: fered one to the Frenchman and on
to me. I declined. as / do not like t
! smoke and work, and the Frenchmal
, declined, saying that he preferred
pipe, produced from his inside pocke
a handsome meerschaum, and proceed
ed to fill and light it.
Remember that this was more tina
y five years since my brother-in-law ha
! told me of his foreign experience, an
/ doubt if 1 had thought of it even fo
: half that time.
"Well, the two men smoked and
! wrote. but all the time with that uT
q easy feeling that sometimes come
q when you are not in accord with you
: surroundings, and it was with satl!
\ faction that after an hour / complete
j, the first draft of the paper and lai
down my pen to read it to the high col
i tracing parties.
:. GAS / turned in my chair with th
e agreement in my hand, Leroy thre
v away the stub of his third cigar, viii
the Frenchman removed his pipe frol
# his lips and drew nearer to me to liste
i carefully to the legal bars that he kne'
v / was preparing to keep him out {
i the money. felt pleased to think thi
y it was so, and perhaps my face Shove
4 trace too much of that pleasure.
"As l began to read. the man r
!. placed his pipe in his mouth, and fro
: time 10 time blew clouds of soft, ar
|, matte smoke in my face; but as I ";
smoker myself, determined not
i. allow this to disconcert me, as had I
Il doubt he intended it to do, but res
,e steadily on. When an agreement hi
r been covered, I would pause and loe
10 at Leroy for his approval, then CO.
ID tinue to read.