The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1909-09-11

| - "as IKE wild beFst
proving on the outskirts On wbicn
one must keep vigilant eve. Watch.
Ing the smoke from his tiny porch rs
night began TO fall, Roger saw il shift
TO the southwark and suddenly recall.
ed that that. way lay the little Lar
Garou where old Manon, the half.
crazy ward of the village, lived per-
versely alone in little cabin two or
three miles from Ange-La-Baie. Crash.
ing MS Suck, he set off at rapid pace.
reproachins himself that he had not
thought or her sooner. Jean Bourchier
her special protector had gone down
the river for the day; and Toinette
whose tender care for the forlorn old
woman had not escaped him. would
be anxious, he knew.
AS he entered the path that gave
| the shortest cut to the pond. he saw
that the fire was racing with him. In
| the gloom of the forest it showed
plainly, thread of rosy light from
which sprang at intervals sharp, sword
like tongues of flame that leaped for
ward before the wind He fastened
MS pace TO run, rejoicing in his
strength, and in a shorter time than
he had thought possible little rise
gave him a glimpse of the cabin; il
was lighted by lurid glow and flames
were dartIng from the roof. Bending
close to the earth, he crashed through
the underbrush, following the sound of
voices that rose above the cracking
OF branches, and emerged upon a lit.
tie clearing.
Toinette on her knees, her arms
locked about the old woman's wiry,
writing form, was struggling to hold
her back. Come with me, ma mere,
come with mel" she urged in eager,
coaxing tones; but Manon struck at
her blindly with shrill cries of anger
and strained fiercely towar dthe burn
ing cabin on which her eyes were fixed.
The girl gave deep sigh of relief and
let her tired arms fall as her burden
was taken from her.
The fire was closing in; there was
plainly but one way of escape open to
them-the pond-and in order to reach
it now they much make wide detour
Toinette, familiar with the forest, led
the way fearlessly and Roger followed,
holding Manon in his arms. A raft
mOored to the bank was quickly
loosed and pushed out into the cool
darkness that still brooded over the
little lake. The flames were racing
around the shores as If to circle them
with wall of fire.
They we're not alone on the pond:
other panic-stricken creatures had TAX
en- refuge there also. Foxes, coons,
squirrels and chipmunks had gathered
on the shore, crawling far out on the
overhanging branches that dipped in
to the floor, and clinging there until
the pursuing flames forced them into
the pond.
I'VE shall be like Noah," said the
young man, smiling, and Toinette
smiled back at him. They were very
tired and drenched to the skin;
broad, red mark across the mans
cheek and temple showed where fly.
ing brand had struck.
For long time they did not speak,
and when at last Toinette, vaguely op-
pressed, lifted her lids she dropped
they again before the ardor of his eyes.
To return to the village by skirting
the line of the fire seemed impossible.
the way would be long, and it was
plain that old Manor, who was still
bent upon returning to her cabin,
would have to be carried by main
force. Steadily creeping forward, they
had almost escaped from the ruined
forest, when suddenly voices rang out
in the silence, unbroken since Mancn
had ceased her wailing.
ut is my father" said Toinette, lis
tening; they are searching for u.s."
Jean Bourchier reached them first Of
all, pushing through the underbrush.
I'VE should have died, Manon and
1, without him." Toinette whispered
in her fathers ear, as he took her
in his arms.
''C'est bien, ma file, thas hall right"
he faltered, and turning to Roger he
would. have caught his hand, but the
young man drew back.
ITEMS! La jeunesse! 1t must always
have its way" Jean brought out at
last in his deep, signing voice, and
lifting his daughters hand, he placed
it in Rogers and clasped his own
above it, folding them both IN MS
strong grasp-The Delineator.