The daily morning Alaskan., 1903-11-12
4 BRIEF BUT
 STIRRING C0URTSHlP
toHdnall

the same rigorous nQuona LuaL bVf- erened them. She was not permitted to dance. and she must keep an the fast days and do penauce for the slightest lnfracuon of church rules.
 Henry Soulard the son of a neigh boring planter. met Elise one evening at a party and was capHyated by her oval face, olive complexion, black eyes and the long cable of hair reaching nearly to her heels. He was a manly young fellow. without anything mean or selfish about him. He asked Elise to dance. but she declined, explaining that her parents forbade dancing and lf she dld SO and they heard of it she would have to suher. Henry looked disappointed. but declared that be would not bring trouble upon her for a world. Whereupon Elise was seized with a desire to suffer for bis pleasure and insisted on dancing with him. When he found it impossible to dis suade her he consented, and they danced together often during the rest of the evening. When Elise went home she told her mother what she had done. Instead of making her do the usual penances Mme Marcel simply forbade her ever again to speak a word with Henry Soulard.
 The next time Henry saw Elise he was on horseback and Elise was ahead of him driving her pony. A man was riding beside her, talking to her, and it was plain that Elise was offended, for she answered never a word. When Henry drew near, be saw that the of fender was Jean Gaspard. a young man who had lately inherited a planta- ton. on which he lived a by no means exemplary life. AS soon as Henry came up Elise. with flashing eyes and burn Ing cheeks, told him she desired that NJ. Gaspard would ride on and leave her alone Henry rode up to her tor mentor and gut him with his riding whip. then editing Gaspards horse, a high mettled beast, 1t shot on, carrying the rider far away.
 That afternoon a friend of Gaspard's waited on Henry bearing a challenge. In that day dueling was common in the south. and Henry could not have declined to light without meeting con- sequences as serious as fighting. The next morning the two men met with sharp pointed foils. Though Henry was the better fencer he was SO indignant with his antagonist that he was under cautious. He received a flesh wound ln the side. This ended the combat
 The meeting soon became common talk In the neighborhood, but as the people were not averse to duellng there were no arrests. NJ. and Mime. Marcel not only heard of the a6alr. but of It's cause. Elise. learning that Henry had been wounded. took her pony cart and drove to her fathers plantation She found him lying on a wicker couch on the veranda Though they had seen each other but twice before, the episode ln which Henry had defended her and afterward r.sked his life and was wounded on her account was quite enough to draw them to a climax. Not a word was spoken before Henry had clasped her and she had wound her arms about his neck. When they sepa- rated. they were beuothed.
 It was a great shock to Mme. Marcel when Elise drove home and told her that she was engaged to the man with whom she had danced and who had fought a duel for her.
 "AIon Dieu." exclaimed the mother "that l should have a child to love one who has tried to kill another. Our pro- tecung' saints surely will leave us a prey to the devil Co to your room, wicked child. and if you ever again meet or speak to this would be mur- derer you must leave this house and your poor father and me that you may not jeopardlze our immortal souls"
 Elise's love and respect for her moth CT forbade her dsobeylng and she went to her room. where her meals were sent to her for three days. Then she was told to go to confession. She promised her mother that she would speak to no one but the priest The promise was sacredly kept, and when she returned she went at once to her room. For a week she remained day and night there. seeing no one, her meals brought to her Then one morn ing she was called down into the great hall which served as a living room. There stood Father De Bleek the par ish priest. and there sat her mother on the old mahogany and haircloth sofa.
 Embrace your daughter" said the old man kindly.
 Are you sure, father, that there will be no contamination
 "There Is no sin to contamination. Whatever of sin there may be. 1T any. would pertain to the young man. But there is no sin in defense. Has not our church found her defender in all gen. eratons since she was planted on earth3 Are you not presumptuous to set up your interpretations of our doe hines."
 Forgive me. father"
 Elise stood over her mother and at thls point bent down and the two were clasped In each others arms. When they looked up the priest had with drawn.
 Elise in a dutter of excitement and joy wrote the words, Come when you are able" and sent them to Henry He had been forbidden by his surgeon to tEalk nr drive Cor annther week hnt be