The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-10-31


the floor wabbied and eIattered under
the priests feet
It had been many years since a letter
from home had come TO Father Beret
The last before the one now in hand
had made him ~ Of nostalgia fairly
shaking his iron determination never
10 quit Tor a moment his life work as
missionary. Ever since that day he
had found It harder to meet the many
and stern demands OF a most difficult
and exactlng duty. Now the mere
touch Of the paper IN his hand gave
him sense Of returning weakness,
dissatisfaction and longing. The home
OF his boyhood. the rushing Of the
Rhone, seat I'm a shady nook Of the
garden, Madeline, his sister, prattling
beside him and his mother singing
somewhere about the house-it all
came back aud went over him and
through him, making his heart sink
strangely, while another voice. the
sweetest ever heard-but she was in.
ehable and her memory a forbidden
fragrance.
Father Beret tottered across the for
lorn little room and knelt before the
cruciHx. holding his clnsped hands
high, the letter pressed between them
His lips moved In prayer, but made
no sound; his whole frame shook vio-
lently.
II would be objectionable desecra-
tion TO enter the chamber Of Father
Beret's soul and look upon his sacred
al sut rrra
speculate as to its particulars. The
good old man writhed and wrestled
before the cross for long time, until
at last ne seemed 10 receive the calm
ness and strength he prayed for 50
ferventiy. Then he rose, tore the let
ter into pieces 80 small that not a
word remained whole and squeezed
them 30 firmly together that they were
compressed into a tiny, solid ball
which he let fall through q crack be
tween the floor puncheons After walt
ing twenty years for that letter, hun
cry as his heart was, he did not even
open Il when at last Il arrived. He
would never know what message II
bore. The link between him and the
old sweet days was broken forever.
Now. with Gods help, he could do his
work TO the end.
He went and stood in the doorway,
leaning against the side, He looked
toward the 'rlvef house." as the In
habitants had named a large shanty
which stood on the bluff OF the Wabash
not far from where the road bridge
nt present crosses. and saw men gath
ering there.
Meantime Rene de Ronvllle had de-
livered Mme. ROussillon's letter with I
due promptness. or course such
service demanded pie and claret. What
still better pleased him, Alice chose TO
be more amiable than was usually her
custom when he called They sat to- !
gether In the main room Of the house, |
where NJ. Rousslllon kept his books, hls
curioslties OF Indian manufacture col
lected here and there, and his surplus
firearms. swords. pistols and knives,
ranged not unpleasingly around the
walls.
Of course. along with the letter, Rene
bore the news, 80 interesting to him
self, OF the boats tempting cargo just
discharged at the river house. Alice
understood her friends danger-felt Il
I'm the Intense enthusiasm OF his voice
and manner, She had once seen the
men carOusing on similar occasion
when she was but child. and the im-
preston then made still remained In
her memory Instlnctlvely she resolved
90 hold Rene by one means or another
aN'ay from the river house II possible,
So she managed TO keep him occupied
eating pie. slipping watered claret and
chatting until night came ON and Nine.
Rousslllon brought In lamp, Thon
he hurrledly snatched his cap from the
floor beside him and got up 60 so.
''COme and look at my handlwork,"
Alice quickly said; my shelf OF pies.
mean" She he'd him 20 the pantry,
where dozen or more OF the cherry
patea were ranged In order II made
every one OF them this morning and
baked them; had them all out OF the
oven before the rain came up, Don't
you think me wonder OF cleyerness
and Industry Father Beret was polite
enough to natter me; but you-you just
eat what you want and say n0thingl
You are not polite. NJ. Rene de Ron
willie"
"I've been showing you what I
thought oe your goodies" said Rene,
"ERtlngs better than talking, YOU
know. No IN just take one morc," aud
he helped himself Isn't that compli'
ment enoughr'
"a few such would make me another
hot days work" she replied, laughing.
pretty talk would be cheaper ard
more satisfactory IN the long run.
Even the tiour In these pates ground
with my own hand I'm an Indian NOR
tar. That was hard work too"
ny this time Reno had forgotten the
river house and the liquor With scf-
tening eyes he gazed az Alice's rounded
cheeks aud sheeny hair, over which the
light from the curious earthen lamp
she bore In her hand hlckered most ef-
feCtiyely. lie loved her madly, but his
fear of her was more powerful than