The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1903-12-05

fhTfSWOrtn gave tne priest scdrcn-
ing and not wholly con1ding look.
you did not interrupt me. Father
Beret. l was not speaking. Why are
you so watchful? Are you afraid OF
eavesdroppersT
You were speaking recklessly. Your
words were incendiary; ardentia verba.
My son. you were suggesting danger
Gus thing Your life would scarcely
satisfy the law were you convicted of
inslnuatlng such treason. What If one
of your prowling guards had over
heard you? Your neck and mine might
feel the halter. Quod avertat domi-
nus" He crossed himself and In a
solemn voice added In English:
MAY the Lord forbid! All. my son.
we priests protect those we love"
"And |, who am not fit to tie a
priests shoe, do likewise. Father, l
love Alice Roussillon."
"Love is a holy thing my son. Amare
dlvinum est ct humanum."
Father Beret. can you help meT'
Spiritually speaking. my SOM"
1T mean can you hide Mile. Roussil-
lon in some safe place II take her out
Of the prison yonder? That's just what
I mean. Can you do itT'
"Your question Is Il remarkable one.
Have you thought upon II from all d.
rections, my son? Think OF your po-
sition your duty as an officer"
A shrewd polemlcal expression beam
ed from Father Beret's eyes, and a
very expert physiognomist might have
suspected duplicity from certain lines
about the old mans mouth.
81 simply know that l cannot stand
| by and see Alice Mile. Rousslllon-
forced TO suffer treatment too beastly
for an Indian thief. That's the only
direction there Is for me to look AT 1t
from, and you can understand my
feelings If you will. You know that
very we'll Father Beret When n man
loves girl he loves her; that's the
whole thing"
The quiet, inscrutable half smile
ilickered once more on Father Berets
face, but he sat silent some time with
n sinewy foreinger lying alongside his
nose. When at last he spoke 1t was
In tone of voice indicative of small
interest In what he was saying. His
words rambled TO their goal with the
effect OF happy accident.
There are places in this neghbor.
hood in which human being would be
rs hard to find MS the flag that you
and Governor Hamilton have SO dill
gently and unsuccessfully been in
quest of for the past month or two.
Really. my son. this is a mysterious
little town.
Farnsworth's eyes widened and n
flush rose in his swarthy cheeks.
Hang the flag!" he exclaimed LET
IL lie hidden forever. What do | care
I tell you, Father Bcret, that Alice
Rousslllon Is In extreme danger. Gov
ernor Hamilton means 10 put some
terrible punishment on her. He has a
devirs vlndictivencss. lie showed 1t
to me clearly awhile ago."
you showed something Of the same
sort to me, once upon n time, my son. "
Yes, | did. Father Beret, and | got
n load OF slugs in my shoulder for II
from that brave girls pistol She
saved your iife. Now l ask you to
help me save hers, or IL not her life
what Is infinitely more, her honor"
"Her honor!' cried Father Beret,
leaping to his feet so suddenly and
with such energy TINT the cabin shook
from base to roof what do you say,
Captain Farnsworth? What do you
meanT
The old man was transformed. His
face was terrible TO see, with its mar
row. burning eyes deep under the
shaggy brows, It's dark veins writing
snakelike on the temples and forehead,
the projected mouth and chin. the hard
lines OF the jaws, the iron gray CLEAN
from all the features-he looked like an
aged tiger stiffened for a spring.
Farnsworth was made OF right sol
dicrly stun, but he felt distinct
SILVER fit along his back. His past
life had not lacked thrilling adventures
and strangely varied experiences with
desperate men. Usually he met sudden
emergencies rather calmly, sometimes
4 with phlegmatic Indifference. This
passionate outburst on the priests
part, however. surprised him and awed
him, while II stirred his heart with a
Ilprofound sympathy unlike anything he
had ever felt before.
Father Beret mastered himself IN n
moment and. passing his hand over his
face. as If TO brush away the excite
ment sat down again on his stool He
appeared 10 collapse inwardiy.
"You must excuse the weakness OF
an old man, my son." he said. In a
voice hoarse and shaking. but tell
me what is going to be done with
Alice. Your words-what you said-l
did not understand"
lie rubbed his forehead slowly, M
one who has difficulty In trying TO col
lect his thoughts.
81 do not know what Governor Ham
ilton means TO do. Father Bcrct. II
will be something devilish, however
something that must not happen" said
Farnsworth.
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