The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-05-18

ind lita cigar, His companions fol-
lowed his example, and soon the parlor
was filled with smoke. lie Fevre
looked at the Longing, loaferish fig
ures and then saw that his gorge
was rising. He rose and threw open
the windows. s
"Do you want anything more Of me"'
he asked. ~
| ."Yes. want to know how you hap
pened to omit one name from that in
ventory." .. <.
Nothing is omitted, 1t is a correct
list of the negroes belonging to the
place"
''I correct you. The name of Coralie
Bonfant, daughter of one Louise Bon
FAINT, who died the slave of my father,
is nowhere on these papers" ~.
started up, almost speeches. with
passion.
sCoralie was his daughter, you know
that?"
The man merely glanced at me; he
took no other notice of my Interrupt
ton.
'That girl is one of the most valuable
properties on the place; probably the
most valuable. She appears to have
been treated rather too much like one
of the family; but that was my fathers
way. Gardette, you saw her at the fu-
neral-the slim girl in black, with the
long veil, that this chap here was MAX
ing some fuss over. What should you
say she's worth?"
The man addressed suspended his
smoking long enough to give a shrill
whistle.
''Why, the devil! You don't mean to
tell me that she's your nigger?"
''Just So"
''She's worth twenty-five hundred
dollars. She'd bring two thousand at
the block any day"
''Stay!' l exclaimed. My voice was
hoarse, and ! shook with emotion.
"Conrad Bostocl<, she is of your own
blood-your's fathers daughter. The
last evening of his life he gave his con-
sent that should marry her. He sent
for lawyer to draw her free papers,
and to draw will, leaving her every
thing. The lawyer arrived here after
he had died. Mr.. LIE Fevre here knows
this Coralie will go with me; you
have nothing to do with her.
An insolent laugh from Bostock' S
companions greeted my frantic protest.
Conrad looked on me with undissem-
bled contempt.
"Young man, your stay in this house
will end right now. Your effects and
those of your friend, Mr.. LIE Fevre,
will be set out on. the veranda. AS
for all this foolishncss about the girl
you've been preaching, I've nothing to
say. It's hardly the thing in Louisiana
for white man to marry slave; the
law don't permit it. If it did, do you
suppose I would be fool enough to give
you twenty five hundred dollars worth
of property? Not I. If it will make
you feel any better, I'll say to you
that, if the girl behaves herself, I'll get
a good master for her. If motif she
goes into any tantrums-off she goes
to the Orleans slave market"
My head swami my heart seemed tc
stand still. saw the faces of leering
:, devils through the smoke wreaths. A
strong hand grasped my shoulder. LIE
Fevre stood by my side.
II make you proposition" he said
to the proprietor. Il will give you
.. TWENTY-FIVE hundred dollars for her"
:, mo"
:, "Three thousand dollars.''
mo. She is not at present for sale.
''Four thousand dollars!' LIE Fevrt
= cried, with an excitement that ha(
never known him to betray. ''Foul
, thousand dollars; every cent own il
:, the world will give you for her. Sht
,, is nothing to you more than her none.
y value; she is everything to Dorr. Con
: sidering who and what she is, yo1
g ought to be glad to let her go in thi
: way"
= The fend shook his head. coult
bear it no longer. With fists clenche'
and muscles strained, dashed at him
The iron hand of lie Fevre restraine'
= me and dragged me from the room
AS the door was closed behind us,
o heard a roar of laughter from within
CHAPTER Xxx.
A CLEAN OF HOPE.
~ LIE Fevre never released his hold o
= my collar till we were out of sight {
- the house, among the cane. thin
20 that held back little.
:, "Come along" he said 'brusquel,
u, - 'I'm as much stirred up as you al
10 about it; but I've got my senses, an
- you've lost yours. You want to d
i. something desperate and foolish
= ''Let me go!'' cried. ''I'll kill him
y. ''Come along, say, you young lido
e, What good would it do to kill hin
\ That would only make things wor:
10 for you and the girl. You want to he
~ her, don't you?'
- ''I'n die before l leave her here
.. that mans power! I would-'
a: ~ eyes, know how you feel. I've g.
~ some feeling myself on the subjec
i, I've got plan, too; but I tell ye
i fatty, Dorr Jewett, if you don't con
u along with me and quit your crazy n
n ton of taking the girl out of the hou
ne by force, with those roughs standi1
between, I'll go my own way, and lea
ch you to your destruction"
%, Ills words Gained me; I ceased