The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-02-20
vain for the ar.t expression Of .Ot.

In vain for the hrst expression OF sor
row.
"Why, left him just now with Louise,
and upon my soul, think the poor Eel
lows captivated! But what's the mat
ter SimonT
"Nothing-nothing; only you startled
me somewhat when you said st. Denis
was prisoner, for / knew not but thaf
some rowing band Of Indians might have
fallen upon you. Testing upon such mat
ters is rather out Of place" And with
this Simon Lobois walked away.
"Aha, Simon Loboisw muttered Louis.
to himself, after the man had gone, you
were startled in the wrong place. Twas
the truth that startled you, and not the
jestw
Lobois did not show much Of his real
feelings when he sat down to the table,
for he came in smiling to the supper
room, and hardly had he taken his seat
ere he turned to Goupart and said:
"St. Denis, master Louis came nigh
frightening me a short time since. He
told me you were prisoner, and, for the
moment, l feared you had really fallen
into the hands Of the Indians"
"Well," returned Goupart, I'VE both
Of us came within an ace of it; so Louis
had some foundation for his report"
"How?. WhatY uttered the marquis.
"Did ye meet with any dangerT'
"Only six stout Indians, who tried to
kill Goupart, and take me prisoner" re-
turned Louis.
Simon Lobois did not appear surprised,
but he trembled, and the color forsook
his cheeks. Sharp eyes were watching
him. Louise looked up with a startled,
incredulous expression, while the old man
made three Intellectual attempts to ask
question. But Louis relieved him by
commencing with the first sight of the
deer, and ending with the death OF the
fellow who died by the tree.
"They were Natchez," said the mar
quis, breathlessly.
"No. They were Chickasaws-all OF
them"
For the next few moments, various
were the questions asked and answered,
and the old man seemed about equally
balanced between establishment and pride
in his brave boy.
"But what could it mean?' uttered ST.
man, who felt 1t necessary to say some
thing.
"Ay, what could itp repeated Louise,
trembling with apprehension, but very
strangely indeed, looking oftener and
longer upon Goupart than upon Louis.
"Yes-that's itp' cried the old man.
"What could they mean|
"Why," returned Louis, II can imag-
inc but one cause. They know your
wealth, father, and they must have hop
ed that IL they could secure me, they
would have received great ransom for
me. They probably saw that Goupart
was a stranger, and so they meant to
put him out of the way, in order that he
might not expose them"
Simon breathed very freely now; and
the marquis looked upon this as a very
probable explanation of the mystery.
After supper, Louis and Goupart em-
braced the first opportunity to be alone
together.
"What think you nowT' asked Gou-
part.
20, Goupart, know not what to think!
I cannot believe 1t possible that Simon
would do such thing, and yet things
look dark against him. He has asked
Louise for her hand--asked her earnest
ly and perseveringly."
"And she-what was her answerW
"Why, as you may suppose, she laugh
ed at his folly"
"Then l fear he is at the bottom of
this. But let us watch him. We will
keep our suspicious a secret for while
at least, and while we exercise the ut
most care for ourselves, we will watch
him Also"
"You are right, Goupart. l will only
make one confdant, and that shall be old
Tony. He is keen. quick-witted fel-
low, and l cannot only trust him, but |
can depend much upon his sagacity. He
has been with my father ever since |
was born, as you know. He was one Of
the poor fellows who were taken from
the wreck Of the SLAYER at the Cape de
Verdes, and he went to France with my
father from choice. He alone shall help
us now"
And thus the matter was left for the
present.