Putnam patriot., 1911-11-24

a'0A'N 'ttN-~un iOSl HnEer. lbOfne was badly hurt. as you know. Bullets came through their window at night. With lacknine in their employ it was easy to work on them. and it was not long before they sent down asking for another man 10 replace them"
 For the first time a surge of anger swept through Rowland.
 The cowardsr be exclaimed "A pretty pair. Croisset. to crawl out from under trap to let another in at the topp'
 Perhaps not so bad as that" said Jean. They were given to understand that they-and they Alone-were not wanted in the country. IL may be that they did not think harm would come to you and so kept quiet about what had happened. It may be. too. that they did not like to have it known that they were running away from danger Is not that human. mseur? Anyway. you were detailed 10 come. and not until then did Melees,s know of all that had occurred"
 The Frenchman stopped for a mo ment. The glare had faded from Howland's eyes. The tense lines In his face relaxed.
 ''I-l-be,ieve I understand every thing now, Jean" he said. You traced the wrong John Rowland. that's all love Meleese. Jean. would kill John Rowland for her. l want to meet her brothers and shake their hands. don't blame them. But somehow It hurts 10 think of her --of Meeese-as-as almost mur- derer'
 Mon Dieu. m'seur. has she not saved your fife? Listen to this! It was then-when she knew what had happened-that Meleese came to me whom she had made the happiest man in the world. because it was she who brought my Mariane over from Churchill on a visit especially that l might see her and fall in love with her. m'seur-which did Meleese came to me-to Jean Croisset-and in stead of planning your murder, m'seur. she sehemed to save your life-with me-who would have cut you into bits no larger than my finger and fed you to the carrion ravens. who would have choked the life out of you until your eyes bulged in death. as l choked that one up on the Great Slave! Do you understand. m'seur? 1t was Me leese who came and pleaded with me to save your life-before you had left Chicago. before she had heard more of you than your name. before she had learned"
 Croisset hesitated and stopped.
 "Before what. JeanT'
 ."Before she had learned to love you. ,m'seur"
 God bless 'herr' exclaimed How land.
 You believe this, m'seurF
 ."As believe in a God"
 ."Then will tell you what she did. m,seur." he continued in low voice, The plan of the brothers was to make you a prisoner near Prince Albert and bring you north. 1 knew what was to happen then. 1t was to be beautiful vengeance. m'seur-a slow torturing death on the spot where the crime was committed sixteen years ago. But Me leese knew nothing of this. She was made to believe that up here. where the mother and father died. you would be given over to the proper law-to the mounted police who come this way now and then. She is only girt. m seur, easily made 10 believe strange things In such matters as these. else she would have wondered why you were not given to the officers in Prince Albert.
 ..t was Meleese,s eldest brother who thought of her us lure 10 bring you out of the town into their hands. and nof until the last moment, when they were ready to leave for the south, dld she overbear words mat aroused her suspleions that they We're about to Kill you. 1t WAS then. m seur. that she came to me.
 And you. JeanE
 "Ou the day that Marianne promised 10 become my wife. m'seur. promised fin our Blessed I4ady's name to repay my debt to Meleese. and the ma nner or payment came in this fashion. Jack nine. too. was her slave. and so we worked together Two hours after Meleese and Der brothers had left for the south 1 was following them. shaven of beard and so changed that was aot recognized iH the fight on the Great North trail Meleese thought that Der h,rotbers would make you prisoner that night without harmlng you Her brothers told her how to bring you 10 their camp. She knew nothing of the ambush until they leaped on you from cover
 .Nes until after the fight. when in their rage q your escape the broth CTS told her that they had intended 10 kill you. did she realize fully what she had done. That is all. m'seur Yon know what happened after that. She d,lred not tell you at Wekusko who vour enemies were for those enemies were of her own flesh and blood and dearer to her than life. She was be tween two great loves. n sehr-the love for her brothers and
 Again Jean hesltated.
 And her love for me" finished Rowland.
 "Yes. her love for you. m'senr.' ~ said Jean.
 The two men rose from the table and for d moment stood with elasped hands in the smoky light of lamp and dawn. In that moment neither heard q tap al the door leading 10 The room beyond nor saw the door move gently inward and Meleese. hesitating, Tram