Putnam patriot., 1911-09-08
"Ah. m'seur ees awaker' be said.

"Ah. m'seur ees awaker be said
 -ls IL bad. CroiSset? ?'
 50 had that you will be in bed foi day or so. m 'seur That is all"
 "lmpossihle" cried the young engi neer. ''l must take the o'clock train in the morning. 1 must be in Le Pas"-
 'lt is 5 o'clock now" interrupted Jean softly Do you feel Ike goingr
 Rowland straightened himself and fell back suddenly with a sharp cry.
 The devil~ be exclaimed. After a moment be added. There will be nc other train for TWO days" As be raised a hand te his aching head his other closed tightly about Jeans 1.-the brown fingers 'i want to thank you for what you did. Croisset. l don't know what happened. don't know who they were or why they tried to kill me There was a girl was going with her.
 He dropped his hand in time to see the strange fire that had leaped inte the half breeds eyes ln astonishment he half lifted himself again, his white face questioning Croisset
 Do you know?'' he whispered eager. ly Who was she? Why did she lead me into that ambush? Why did they attempt to kill me?'
 With quick movement the half breed drew away his hand and moved toward the door Halfway he paused and turned.
 M 'seur. 1 have come 10 you with a warning. Do not go to Le Pas. Do not go to the big railroad camp on the Wekusko Return into the south. Per haps you will understand when l tell you this warning is sent to you by the little Meleese"
 Before Rowland could recover from his surprise CroisSet had passed swift ly through the door For q long time he lay with his eyes closed trying to clear for himself the mystery of the preceding night. The one thought which obsessed him was that he had been duped His lovely acquaintance of the preceding evening had ensnared him completely with her gentle smile and her winsome mouth, and he grit ted his teeth grimly as he reflected how easy he had been. Deliberately she had Iured him into the ambush which would have proved fatal for him had 1t not been for Jean Croisset. And she was not mute! He had heard her voice When that death grip was tightest about his throat there had come to him that terrified cry, Mon dieu, you are killing him-killing him.
 His breath came a little faster as he whispered the words to himself They appealed 10 him now with signiti- canoe which he had not understood at first. He was sure that in that cry there had been real terror; almost. he faneied. as he lay with his eyes shut tight that he could still hear the shrill note of despair in the voice. If the girl had calmly led him into the am bush why in the last moment when success seemed about to crown her du- plieity had she cried out in that agony of terror?
 Was it possible that face and eyes like those could have led him into a death trap? Despite the evidence of what had happened he found himself filled with doubt. And yet. after all she had lied to him. for she was not q mute.
 Yainly as he watched and waited he raeked his mind to find some reason for the murderous attack on himself Who was "the little Meleese." whom Croisset declared had sent the warn ing? So far as he could remember he had never known person by that name. And yet the half breed had ut tered it as though it would carry 6 vital meaning to him. Perhaps you will understand" he had said The first light of the day was falling faintly through the window when foot steps sounded outside the door again. 1t was not Croisset who appeared this time, but the proprietor himself. bear ing with him tray on which there was toast and a steaming pot of cof- fee
 Bad fall you had" he greeted drawing a small table close beside the bed. Good thing Croisset was with yOu,'
 "Yes-it-was-a- bad-fal1." he re piled at last. looking sharply at the other. "Where is Croisset?"
 Gone. He left an hour ago with his
 
 Came in yesterday from the Lac Ia Ronge country a hundred miles north goes back today. No apparent reason for his coming. none for his going that I can see.''
 DO you know anything about him? ? asked Rowland a little eagerly.
 No. He comes in about once or twice a year