The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-02-20
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES A~~~~%<
|Whit0Hand|
"a Tale Of The Early Settlers !
! Of Louisiana. !
CHAPTER vi.
sY AUSTIN C. BURDIcK

ed to keep from the 0Iner. OOupaFt
was the first to break the silence.
Louis" he asked, in a half careless
tone, "does Simon Lobois lOve your sis
terY
Louis fairly started at the strange
question, and after regarding his COM
panlon for a moment, as il to assure
himself that he had heard Alright, he re-
piled:
Love her? Simon live Louise? What
do you meanp
II mean what l ask. Has Simon Lo-
bols ever thought Of marrying with
LouiseY
why, what question! Are your wits
turned?s But why do you askT
Simply because III wished to know"
"Hal Goupart, you suspect something.
Now, out with 1t. II you love me, tell
me all. Am ! not rightT
II cannot say that | really. suspect,
Louis, but can see some small straws
In the wind, and l should like to find
which way they lie."
go ahead. Speak on"
"Then listen, Louis. You heard the
answer that red villain made when you
asked him who sent him to kill US? He
said they did not mean to kill you. Do
you believe ne spoke the truth then"
"Yes, Coup; they meant to Kill one Of
us, and only one. The arrow that came
near your head was meant for you, only
you must have moved after the shaft
started. Had they meant death for both
Of US, we should hardly have known
what killed us, for then they would have
been at home in their work. When we
started up, they could not well shoot you
without endangering my life, and thus
they got bothered. They we're mistaken
in their estimate Of my character, for
they really believed, when they drew
their tomahawks, and commenced their
death-howl and dance, that we should be
frightened out Of our wits"
"They were mistaken, in truth" return
ed Goupart. And then, In changed
tone, he added, "But you see they meant
to kill me, and only capture you. Now,
what does 1t mean? Can you inform me
of any possible pin whereon to hang a
thoughtT
For some distance Louis walked
thoughtfully on, and when he spoke, his
voice was very low and distinct.
"You asked me II Simon Lobois loved
my sister? Had you any reason for sus-
pecting such a thingT
1t was now Goupart's turn to hesitate,
but 1t was not for a long time.
II have reason to believe that he hates
me. Now, why should he be so? While
/ knew him In France, we were on the
most friendly terms. To be sure, used
to beat him at the pistol, but then he
more than made up for 1t in the sword
play. But we were the best friends inn
aginable. Now, however he hates or
fears me, and the more he tries to hide
1t, the more plainly can | see 1t. Now,
whence comes 1t, II not from his fear of
losing Louise~
"Goupart, there's show of substance
there! Yet l never thought that Simon
was a man to love deeply"
''To love what?"
"Why-any female"
"Ah." returned Goupart "he may have
a strong affection, however, for some
thousand pieces of hard, yellow gold.
The dying man said, IL you remember,
that there was a strange bird In the
eagles nest"
"Yes--yes."
II might have feared that suspicion
would fall on me, had not been one of
the intended victims. But tell me, Louis,
what you think of It."
II know not what to think nowI But
ka, nA t.1 ~.
win watch Simon Lobois when we reach
home"
1--WE WILL" uttered Goupart, eagerly.
1--WE will watch him."
"Ay," resumed Louis, upon whose
mind the startling suspicion seemed to
work now, 1--WE win work II so that we
will come upon him suddenly; and while
We tell Of our adventure, we will note
his face. have loved that man In days
gone by, for he has been faithful to me,
yet have found him growing somewhat
strange Of late. Ha! what's that?
Louise, as I'm a sinner! Coup, I'll ask
her question now, ere We reach the
houseF'
The two hunters had now reached the
field next to the dwelling, and they saw
Louise, accompanied by Tony and one
female slave, coming to meet them. As
soon as the first merry greetings were
over, and Tony had taken the venlson,
Louis drew his sister aside.
Louise" he said, assuming smile.
though he felt 1t not, II know you win
pardon me II ask you very foolish
question, but yet hope you win answer
me truly, Has Simon Lobois ever said
anything to you whereby you could sus-
pect that he wished to possess you for
hisT'
"Why, Louis, what has put such a
thing into your headf' uttered the beau
tiful girl, looking her brother in the face
with smiling expression.
''The thought has come to me, and It IL
really for my interest to know. Now tell
me II he has ever let drop any word to
that effect"
Really, Louis, ought not to-"
"Ahal you've exposed yourself, Now
out with t."
"Well, then, he has"
81 thought So"
81 told him should fear he was crazy
III ne ever spoke so again.
"Then he spoke plainly-he-"
"Pll tell you, Louis. He swore he
should die II did not wed him; and
laughed at him. and told him he was
crazy. never dreamed Of such thing
before"
"And when was this"
ION the very next night after Goupart's
arrival"
Shortly after this the brother and sis.
ter allowed st. Denis to rejoin them.
and Louis was not long in making him |
understand the truth. They took the |
way around back OF the barn, so that no !
one could see them from the house until |
they arrived, and thus they entered by
the postern; and when they reached the !
hall, Louis just caught a sight OF Lobois
standing upon the piaEra. and looking |
earnestly OF In the direction OF the river |
path. The youth bade Goupart remain
behind, and then he walked out upon the 1
piaaza. Lobols started when he saw
him.
"Ah. safe hackF, utferad simon !