The Holly chieftain., 1904-12-23

uiStlnCtly anu Culmiy. nave lne
right to tell you that you cannot thus
assert your authority in my presence. "'
Etienne. as once before, released
Jean, and turned to face the speaker,
to whom the boy now rushed. cling
ing to him with storm of passionate
sobs, coming partly from anger, and
| partly from a bruised heart.
| Margot bad drawn nearer to his
side; and, as Jeans sObs ceased, the
three confronted Etienne, who now
burst into a loud. derisive laugh.
What can bastard, and the
| friends and champions of q bastard.
| expect better?" he demanded, now
| speaking deliberately, his pale face
distorted by nalice.
Margot started Indignantly, an
angry flame springing tito her eyes;
and the lieutenant said in low tone,
whose very calmness was menace,
1T is scarcely the act of gentleman
to insult the defenseless and the
dead"
Insult" cried Etienne. now letting
loose all the vials of his hatred and
malignity. "Peste! How can he be
other than call him, when his mother
was no wife?'
"'Tis false." declared Margot, for
getting everything like habitual re-
spect.
1T is not" Etienne retorted; land
you are a liar when you say other
wise"
Jean, with paling face, his burning
eyes fastened upon his brother,
seemed stunned.
"It is not" Etienne repeated less
vehemently. "as Pere Huot could tell
you, If you asked him. My mother,
the late baronne, died but three years
ago. in, l regret to say, madhouse,
at Paris. But mad, or sane. she was
the baronne; and that other woman,
the mother of your young whelp there,
was no wife of my fathers, as you
must now admit The church would
never recognize her as his wife, he
being true Catholic, and no priest
| performing the marriage ceremony
between him and that cursed Hugue-
not"
Etienne uttered an epithet too vile
for repetition-an epithet that stung
to madness the listening boy, who,
with cry Of rage, such as might
come from new Cain wakened tc
life, snatched dagger from a bric-a-
brac strewn upon nearby table, and,
springing upon Etienne, drove the
| rusted blade into his side.
The slight form reeled and fell,
crumpled heap upon the floor, while
Margot, with shrek that brought
the soldier flying from his post in
the hall, fell upon her knees. and
tried, with her apron, to stanch the
flowing blood.
Jean had turned to fee; but an iron
| grip on his shoulder held him, and,
looking up, he fell to trembling and
| shivering, as he met the stern eyes OF
his friend, looking as he had never
before seen them.
Where would you go?' inquired
| low voice, whose measured calm
matched the look of the eyes.
The boy stood silent.
The lieutenant, still holding him
| fast, moved to where Margot and the
soldier were kneeling beside Etienne,
and Jean met the wild-eyed regard of
the wounded man, from whose white
lips now poured flood of profanity,
mingled with threats of vengeance
against the boy, whom he ordered to
leave the apartment.
The lieutenant turned away with
scornful laugh, half-suppressed, but
| which Jean heard; and, taking heart,
the lad looked beseechingly upward.
as if asking pardon for his mad act
Come away-come away, my De
Soto" whispered the officer; and
bending he kissed the tear-wet cheek.
"He has venomous nature, truly, and
one cannot be greatly blamed for
treating dog as he deserves"
Then. gathering up the papers at
which he had been looking, he thrust
them into his pocket, and motioned
Jean to follow him from the room.
Here Margot joined them, on her
way to summon Tatro, that he might
assist the soldier in getting Etienne
to his own apartments.
Early next morning the household
vas astir-all save Etienne. who. al
though his wound proved to be but
slight, kept to his bed, with Tatro in
attendance: and before noon all but
these two had left the chateau and
set out upon their various routes
Margot with Jean and Perry, for Tou.
lon, in company with the soldier Gre.
loire, sent by the lieutenant to escort
them.
At a fork in the highway, where
their roads parted, Jean turned in his
saddle to look after the slender fg-
ure riding away at the head of his