The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-11-15
LA PLUIE
Fly F. Fl. LANCASTER
Copyright. by Daily story Pub. Co,

Ia Piuiet- II was so Raoul Chan
petre had nicknaIled Marie Mois'
because OF the frequency with whicl
her tears fell and because they seem
Oh at times unreasonable as sgmme
showers. La Pldie!
The name had stuck as nicknamei
1n the Bayou always do and what va,
gorse, Marie had not ou;growu Tho
eproaeh She sull cried-in season
and out OF i~f-thonsh abe had grove
10 be a big giri. large indeed for four
teen. stout and strong
But "a piuie vas o crying as she
hnrried homeHart THROUGH that clear
sunset though she was somewhat
frightened TO hnd herself u alone so
tate iirighteyed. breathing deeply,
she hurried along, taking the up.
slopes with the free. swift stride OF
ser splendid strength. She should
Hot have been OCT alone at this hour
and she would not have beea II things
tad gone az she had planned She had
run over 10 the icneau's expecting
10 stay all night with Victorina and
and found Mathi!de C%hamretre al.
ready there as the guest for the
1ight. Vlctorine's bed would not
hold more than w 80 La PIuie had
paid a lit,'a visit and started Ia go
bone. But Just then Maihildo began
to tell about her brothers homestead
9e war alanninr TO be married o
and all tha gtFls present knew the
Er' he VIA going 10 marry, Small
"onder Marie forgot what time II
~os. until the long shadows scared
Dor, But che would hurry,
La Pluie did hurry and she was fast
gaining on the fading day when a
strange sound from the branch halted
her' 1t was n queer sound, q hoarse,
weak croak rs though some hurt
thing was trying 10 initiate the Bien
yteu halloo for helm.
Ii Pluio stopped and listened,
Y wish TO know, ne. what das is.
it's hurt"
The cry came again. weaker, o
Of a croak. /
It's hurt, vest"
La Pluie left the road and went
swiftly In search of the hurt thing
breaking through the bushes, stoop.
ing, peering, on aud on To the foot
OF a big bee-tree and
"Ah, maric!" she said, soft voiced
and pitifui.
And II was a pitiful sight. that brave
a e pallng there 80 swiftly In tho
tong, dry grass and the strong young
nody growing lax and limp while the
life went out of II In bright rcd spnrts
A pitiinl sight. but La Plule did not
cry. She dropped on one knee beside
The fallen man. lifted the cut leg high
m her other knee and pressed her
numb down hard on that spurtinL
u have stopped the blood, Raoul"
said. "Rcstc tranquil, | will call I.
or help, me" ,
And upon whom should she call for .
,eip In this time OF stress with only +,
Ter thumb between the Bayou's well
owed rogue and deathf Upon whom
Mould abe CALF Who was ii that :
'ad shielded her since babybood >
omforted her. fought for her. Who ,
ut the ~red-headed Champetre boy I,
hat had grown now such a wild d
casting fellow even his own sister =
cspaired Of him. ,
'Bete-noire!" La piuie'g voice car.
led Tar and true but the Champetre y
arm was miles away, How could s
hearg d
Steadily. clearly, La Pluie sent forth
or hail with never a fear that he
'onld fall her. Sometimes between n
calls she spoke cheerily 20 Raoul NJ
no tainted with weakness and came 4
q tainted again, sometimes she
Tayed softly to the Holy Mother. &,
nd always she held her thumb hard h
'wn. She did no. cry.
"Bete-noire. Betenoirel" +.
The night grew darker, deeper nm. n
La Piuie could no longer sec the :,
6 across her knee. "Betenoire"- !,
La Pluie!" The answering hail a,
like a leap of JOY and the anx.
question tore after 1t through
q night Tout va bien?"
"oul, I'm wit Raoul.'
There was no uend for another chi, q
wood'man's ears had Il
aced the sound. Marie heard the l.
breaking before his rapid M. III
zach; heard the dry sticks Swapping ia
meath his feet and III
Il have stopped the blood, Bette. III
Dire. mails cant tear apron Wit one q
nd, ! wish, me, you make light and h,
ar apron. Raoul, he have cut him. Z,
H." =,
snapped a match. broke "
splinter from an old pine stump b,
d put the torch into Narie's free tc
nd, kneeling beside her. he torn !!
from her apron and twisted II al
'htly around Raoul's badly cut cl
u. Then he spoke: In
Me, | go to your papa's house tr In
Ike back shovel and | hear madame W
y YOU going stay la mutt wit Tor. 3,
Q. But. me. | know Mathilde WINS Il