Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-12-30

deep sigh. he continued. energetically:
mo, no, commissaire. My head might
be broken into pieces like a pebble
in the road before you could get that
into it,"
80, IL is on this score that you
have exercised your fists on each 9TH
er's faces. You will always be the
same"
Yes, and l am ready to begin all
over again. A nice thing. that there
is no justice for boats as well as
men,"
Enough OF that" said the commits
saire. becoming impatient.
The vexed Garandel made move
ment to. 90 out. but was sternly or
dered to sit down. Let us pass to
the declaration, II you please"
Feeling that there was nothing more
to be learned from the skipper. adher-
ing with the obstinacy of a savage to
fixed idea. the commissaire now adj
dressed himself to Miroux, whom the
public voice designated as the princi-
pal finder of this marvellous derelict.
60 on, my friend, tell me all you
know"
The sailor, red as brick, nudged
his companion. murmuring, hoarsely:
You tell. Trefentec."
But Trefentec had his mouth hashed
up, and an entire half of the lower
jaw badly damaged. He excused him.
self.
Well" reiterated the commissaire.
continue. | am waiting"
Miroux was forced to act. Upon
my word, the affair came about queer
ly. We were coming back slowly by
the island passage. the fishing over. I
was at the prov with Trefentec at my
side. We were talking about various
things to kill time, for the breeze had
gone down. Apropos of nothing, Ire
fentec had begun to tease me about
Leontine Capdevert, my sweetheart,
asking IL he was soon going to have a
chance to drink the marriage wine.
Then | answered: When shall have
found the cask of gold. which, they
say. is floating in the waters around
these islands,"
What a singular coincidence" muir
INJURED the commissaire.
They are old wives tales. you
know. People believe that in the wa.
ters of the islands, between the
Basse de la Chevee and that OF La
Jument, since a very ancient ship.
wreck
Yes, yes; let us keep to the facts
II then answered as l said just now
and the skipper, who was doing with
one eye open under the foresail. cried
out: oh, but you would not have all
you would have to divide!' Trefentec
said: That's true; there would be my
share, your share and the shippers.
Well, was willing enough and should
have made no objection. Law is law
what Is due is due, isn't it? You
think, perhaps, that after that the
skipper made no further claim. You
don't know Pierre Charles Garandel
He insisted that he would have a
right to two parts; his own share and
that of the boat Never IN the world.
declared Trefentec, and I added that
| should prefer to throw 1t back into
eA4C VoeSAs Noo TIC QudtIcl went OH
We will go to the commissaire! AS
much as you pleased L have the law
on my side! You are asses!' You
are INSERT Finally came oaths and
fists, a, general mix-up; the apprentice
and the cabin-boy laughing aside and
marking the best sent blows. Pan!
Wan! Caught"
What! You fought even before
meeting the derelict?"
Not afterward, in faith"
No! What colors you do pain
yourselves in, my lascars!'
The policeman and the syndic were
choking in the doorway, official defer
ence forbidding them to laugh out.
We'll" resumed the commissaire
where and when did you meet it?"
Meet it?" mechanically repeated
the young fisherman, looking abou
him stupidity, while Garandel himself
who up to this time had feigned t.
take no interest in his sailors story
raised his frowning face, rubbed hi.
brow, and became suddenly attentive
Meet what?"
"What?-What?-Th cask of gold
of course! Since cask of gold Their.
, is"
; But no, monsieur. There is M
cask of gold''
! No cask of gold! What are yo,
, saying? You have not found a casl
of gold?"
1t was the commissaire's turn nov
not to understand Miroux went on,
; You may believe we should not be
here If we had found one"
That is very good"
The truth of It seemed very bad TO,
the commissaire. He jumped up from
his leather chair. his lips white, hi.
eyes staring: Are you going to pay
for my head that you have distracted
I for the town that you have stirred