Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-02-13

only come back again!
l felt a. if l had passed through an
immeasurable spell, both Of memory and
anguish. before Monsieur Laurent;e
came, though he had responded 10 my
summons Immediately. | then told him
in hurried. broken sentences, what Pierre
had confessed to ME. His face grew
overcast and troubled, and he at once
started for the factory. He returned af-
ter a long, long suspense.
My child" he said. monsieur is i'll!
attacked, | am afraid, by the fever. l
shall remain with him all this day. You
must bring us what We have need OF. and
leave it on the stone there, as it used 10
be-"
But cannot he be removed at once:'
l asked.
My dear" he answered, what can l
do? The village is free from sickness
now; how can run the risk of carrying
the fever there again? 1t is too far to
send monsieur to Noireau. Obey me. my
child and leave him to me and to God.
Cannot you confde in me yet|'
Yes" | said, weeping, Il trust you
with all nv heart"
go, then. and do what l bid you" he
replied. Tell my sister and Jean, tell
all my people, that no one must intrude
upon me, no one must come nearer this
house than the appointed place. You
must think of me as one absent, yet close
at hand; that is the difference. l am
here in the path Of my duty. Go, and
fulfill yours
For three days. morning after morning,
~ A. I L. 81 ha
l went down, with a heavy and forebod-
ing heart, to the place where l could
watch the cottage, through the long sui
try hours of the summer day.
Here in the open sunshine, with the
hot walls of the mill casting its rays
back again, the heat was intense; though
the white cap | wore protected my head
from it, my eyes were daZzled, and | felt
ready to faint. No wonder if Monsieur
Laurentie should have sunk under 1t, and
the long strain upon his energies, which
would have overtaXed a younger and
stronger man. l had passed the invisi-
bic line which his will had drawn about
the place, and had half crossed the court,
when l heard footsteps close behind me,
and large brown, rough hand suddenly
caught mine.
Nam zelle" cried a voice knew, lis
this -ouF'
"Oh. Tardif. Tardif" l exclaimed.
rested my beating head against him, and
sobbed violently. whilst he surrounded
me with his strong arm, and laid his
hand upon my head, as if to assure me OF
his help and protection.
Hush. hush, nam zelle," he said. I'll
is Tardif, your friend, my little nam
zelle; your servant, you know. an
here. What shall do for you! Is there
any person in yonder house who fright
ems you, my poor little MANI 'zelle? lei
ME what to do
He had drawn me back into the greer
shade of the trees, and placed ME upoI
the felled tree where | had been sitting
before. | told him all quickly, briefly
all that had happened since had writer
to him. l saw the tears start to hi
eyes.
Thank God l am here" he said. ".
lost no time, nam zelle, after your lette
reached me. | will save Monsieur |,
Cure; l will save them both, if | can
He is a good man, this cure, and W,
must not let him perish. He has no au
thority over me, and l will go this mo
ment and force my way in, if the doc
is fastened. Adieu, my dear little nam
zel!e."
He was gone before | could speak 3,
word, striding with quick, energetic trea'
across the court The closed door unde
the caves opened readily. In an instan
the white head of Monsieur laurent,
passed the easement, and | could hea
the hum of an earnest alteration, al
though | could not catch a syllable of it
But presently Tardif appeared again il
the doorway, waving his cap in token o
having gained his point.
1t seemed to me almost as if time ha,
been standing still since that first morn
ing when Monsieur Laurentie had lef
my side, and passed out of my sight t
seek for my husband in the fever-smittel
dwelling. Yet it was the tenth day al
| ter that when, as | took up my wear,
watch soon after day break, l saw hin
crossing the court again and coming to
! wards me.
What had he to say? What could i'm
pei him to break through the strict rul
which had interdicted all dangerous con
tact with himself? His face was pale
and his eyes were heavy as if with wan
of rest, but they looked into mine as i
they could read my inmost soul.
| (To be continuedl
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