Amador ledger., 1904-01-22
HOW MICHAU KEPT
HIS VOW
CLINTON DANGERFIELD
Copyright, 1908, by 7. c. McClue
Copyright, 1908, by 7. G. McCl,rc


white teeth. 81 will never, pardieu,
set foot Oh your land-neverp'
'Then," retorted LIE Hardy coolly
you are likely to remain where you
are forever, monsieur. For how can
you escape from your house without
setting foot on my land, seeing that
last nights avalanche has set your
cottage in the very middle Of my field?"
81 will die where 1 amp snarled
Michau. And he meant 1t.
Never in the history of the canton
had Antoine Michau broken his word
When LIE Hardy had besought Michau
to give him the latter's golden haired
Jeanne Marie the angry father had not
only posted the girl off to her aunt in
the village below the great mountain
on which Michau and LIE Hardy dwelt,
but he had forbidden LIE Hardy to be
seen on his property.
All of this because of an ancient
feud between the Michaus and the LIE
Hardys.
Therefore it may be fancied what
Michau felt when fate, pleasantly IRON
ic, sent an avalanche which deposited
the AIichau cottage in the center Of
LIE Hardy's little farm.
1t had happened just before day
break that very morning. Luckily for
LIE Hardy himself, his own cottage was
not damaged, it being on the edge at
one side His astonishment when he
discovered the plight of the irate par
70 rr1n hr
thought how neatly Michau would be
forced to forswear himself But MI
chau had no such intention. AS he
could not fly or lay bridge across
and as his provisions would not last
two days, he grimly prepared to starve,
an arrangement which Lempriere, LIE
Hardy's special friend, advised the low
er to encourage.
For when the old fox is dead of his
own folly" chuckled Lempriere, tits
thou who shall console the pretty
Jeanne Marie"
But LIE Hardy, eating his own ample
meals, could not enjoy them for think
ing of Michau's rapidly diminishing
larder. On the noon of the second day
d
himself to Michau's door.
''Voila, mon voisin," said the young
fellow good temperedly. "Thou must
not starve. 1 will share with thee
while thou remainest in thy chicken
coop. Thou art welcome to it."
"Au diable with thee and thy well
come" yelled the enraged Michau, and
fhnv.A Il 1n1 7 L 1xrte,
perfect shower of porridge, poached
eggs and bits of bread. Lempriere
from safe distance doubled himself
up in his efforts to suppress his convul-
sive joy
Now wilt believe meY asked he as
the lover hurriedly retreated.
To his surprise, the young man burst
into fit of laughter.
What a tableaur he said, holding
his sides, After all, though, one must
admit the old rascal has spiritp'
That night Michau slept but i'll. Hun
ger gnawed at his vitals till he rolled in
agony, but he chung sullenly to his de-
termination. Over and over he repeat
I'd himself that the neighbors should
see of what stuff Michau was made.
Common sense did whisper in his ear
jhat such Il course was to leave the
field free to LIE Hardy; but, though he
ground his teeth and admitted it, yet he
had no thought of yielding.
Dawn came, and the old man arose
und tottered out on his tiny porch.
There Il surprising sight met his view.
lie iii1dy was standing close beside
+ The steps, painting and resting on the
handle of Il broad shovel. From the
steps to the outer edge of the field
which mark2d the confines of LIE Har-
dy's property ran a narrow trail Of
fresh soft earth richly dark and about
an inch thick
what devils folly hast thou done
now?" snarled the gaunt old man,
leaning on the nearest railing to hide
his weakness.
"Vraiment,' smiled LIE Hardy good
humoredly as ever, 81 have turned
thief, mon voisin, and have been thiev-
ing all night. This trail of earth which
you behold He waved hand to-
ward it.
"Nom de Dieu-of course see it.
What of it?"
'Tt came from thy garden, mon vol
sin. / chose it there that you might
see the difference in color distinctly.
My land along here is lighter and not
so rich.''
"From my garden, sceleratv' gasped
the old man. "How hast thou dared!
Twas because you had me trapped
here, cowardI"
Rather" said LIE Hardy coolly,
"'twas because I wished thee to leave
thy trap. ITEMS, mon voisin, you swore
never to set foot on my land. Well,
there is thine own land. Mayest walk
away on it when thou dost please"
The hunger clouded senses of the
prisoner went aflush for joy. Here
was a dignified method of exit. He
was saved.
Reaching for his cane, he stepped
coldly down and walked along the
fresh trail. his feeble feet making ir-
regular prints that stirred LIE Hardy
to fresh pity.
At the edge of the path he paused
and turned to the man who followed
him.
"Why didst thou do this for me?
Thou wouldst have had clear coast
to win the girl had died, and thou
couldst have proved the offer of food
to me-"
''I hope 1 am a man." said LIE Har-
~LKi WAN n Nyr