The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-11-06

tacle, but Laure gazed upon it fas-
cinated.
"The cowardly creoies join the bully
ing Americans in threatening a French
man With lynch law, and you, mon
sieur priest, arc their herald, eh? That
is the case:" at length Quillebert NUT
tered hoarsely.
1T will only aSsravate the situation
to use Insulting adjectivcs," answered
Father Grhe. Those citizens have but
adopted 2 heroic mode CT forestalling
possible and deplorab!e outcome of an
appeal to the law in hulnanity's cause
and have borne their message in the
hope CT preventing two murders.
Mile. Luneau, you seem to have the
confidence Of N. Quillebert." He ac-
compapied these words with a signif-
cant look at the Sirl. Advise him
against his dangerous impulses"
Her face was Instantly afame, and
her eyes became orbs of wrath, but she
made no audible reply nor returned the
bow Of the priest and sheriff as they
rode away.
"You see, my little Gasconne," said
Ouillebert, what flows from COM
bination of maudlin hysteria Of the
Estelle I.atiolais type and abolition am
bition ard avarice Of the Oakfell
brand"
'sThe Horace Oakfell brand, you
mean," Laure retorted sharply. IN.
Eyariste, I am sure, has no part in
these doings."
$50, SOL" mused Quiilebert aloud, as
if detecting something. yet doubling
whether the discovery pleased him.
"Not N. Evariste, eh? Aha! Well, let
US see. Estelle. yes. Oakfell, yes. But
not N. Evariste; nc? She has lost her
reason on Oakfell. but not NJ. Evariste,
eh? And have thought be was pray
ing at her church,"
Not so. do not believe word Of
it." snapped Laure.
Nor I now. must have been mis-
led by the frequency of his visits at
the Latiolais house" Observing that
Laure's vezation was approaching the
limit Of restraint, he adroitly gave his
comments another direction. my ha-
tired Of the one made it too easy for me
to do injustice to his half brother. l
should have remembered that Evariste
has French blood. His grandfather
was q grand rascal Of '93. Estelle's
great-grandfather was grand gentle
man Of 80. There should be more
puissant sympathy between him and
the true Gasconne maid than between
him and the simpering descendant Of
supercilious and skipping emigre.
We may have friend in the enemy's
camp"
But the warning must be heeded."
Laure said.
For the present, yes" Quillebert re-
luctantly assented: but my day will
come"
"If you prudently employ those days
which lie between"
"You know my race"
eyes"
:sWeu."
tThat is enough" And with a sting
ing blow of the whip Laure started the
big mule into swinging trot toward
the junction Of the bayous. Reaching
the point where the road cut the levee
and wound down soft. steep bank to
the narrow bridge at the crossing, she
beheld Evariste on the other side riding
briskly out Of the swamp from the di-
rection Of the prairie, and, though she
could we'll have passed over the stream
before him, she chose to halt at the wa
ter's edge and await him, unseen from
her grandmother's cottage. He had
not observed her when he emerged
from the forest, nor was he aware Of
her presence until he had begun the de-
scent Of the almost sheer declivity with
apparent recklessness, but with lusti-
fed confidence in the sure footed beast
that bore him. Checking his horse at
the bridges approach and salutinS
Laure laughingly, lie said:
"ADres vouz, mademoiselle.'
s'No, N. Evariste; pass over to this
side. l have something to say to you,
she replied, and in moment he was at
her buggy's wheel.
sTell me-" said she, what is the
peaning Of this persecution of N. Con-
stant? Is it neighborly? Is it not
abolitionist"
'I have 10 part in the business. be-
lieyc me-" he answered. "It is not the
sort Of thing to interest me. Ny brother
affects philosophy, humanitaranism, al
truism and other isms which appeal to
his emotional nature. but which have
no charm for me, and it seems he has
undertaken the affair as knight Of
old would sally forth TO chop the head
off q dragon
''To win a fair lady" Laure furnish
ed the conclusion from her reading of
the Trouvcres il the old books sent to
her grandmother by the brother who
had served the emperor in Egypt.
81 do not comprehend. mademoiselle,"
said Evariste who can be the fair
lady of this eXploit:'
"Estelle Latiolais." She shot the
name at him, intently watching his
face. 1t flushed; hers paled. But, fore.
ing smile, he answered:
"You are but guessing, mader!oiselle.
Horace has not seen Mile. Latiolais
since she went away to the convent
near four years ago"
sit is you who guess, and badly. The
grandchild of the doctresS needs not
to guess. Attend to me. The night
Leon ran away he went to your broth
er, sent by Estei!e, with her request
that he would procure the roSues free
dom. At the very moment NJ. Constant
was leatherinS the wretch as lie de-
served your brother was pressing the
hand of Estelle Latiolais passionatcly
in his and pledsing himself to the
scheme for her sake
How can you have knowledge OF
these things:" His eyes and voice be-
trova6 oritotiOO