The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-09-21

&
near the table were several chairs.
To one of these Croisset motloned the
engineer, and as Rowland sat down
the bearded man turned slowly and
passed through a door, Jean shruG.
ged his shoulders as the other disap-
peared.
"Non Dieu. that means that he
leaves 1t all TO me-" he exclaimed. Il
don't wonder that 1t is hard for him to
talk. m'seur. Perhaps you have begun
to understand
ayes. little" replied Rowland. His
heart was throbbinG as il he had lust
finished climbing long hill. That
was the man who tried to kill me. But
Meleese-the"- He could 90 no fur.
Their. Scarce breathing, be waited for
Jean TO speak.
1T is Pierre Thoreau." he snid. "eld.
est brother 10 Meleese. II Is he who
should say what am about TO tell
you, m'seur. But he is loo FIJI of grief
to speak. You wJhdrr ut that: And
yet tell you that Il man with 4 better
soul than Pierre Thureuu never lived.
though three times ne has tried TO kill
you. DO you remember what you
asked me short time ago. m'scur-if
/ thought that you were The John
| Rowland who murdered the father OF
Meleese sixteen years ago? Gods
saints. and did until hardly more
than half an hour ago. when some one
came from the south aud exploded
mine under our feet, 1t was the yuunr
] est of the three brothers. M'seur. We
have made n great mistake, and we
ask your forgiveness"
In the silence the eyes of the two
men met across the tuble. To How.
land it was not the thought that his
life was saved that came with the
greatest force, but the thought of Me.
leese, the knowledge that In that hour
when all seemed TO be lost she was
nearer to him than ever. He leaned
half over the table. his hands clnched.
his eyes blazing. Jean did not under.
stand. for he went on quickly.
II know II is hard. m'seur Perhaps
it will be impossible for you to for.
give a thing like this. We have tried
to kill you-kill you by slow torture.
MS we thought you deserved But
think for a moment, mseur. of what
happened up here sixteen years ago
this winter. ! have told you how
choked life from the man tiend So
would have choked life from you If 1t
had not been for Meleese. l, too, am
guilty. Only six years ago We knew
that the right John >Howland-the son
of the man slew-wnS IN Montreal.
and we sent to seek him this youngest
brother, for he had been long time AT
school with Meleese and knew the
ways of the south better than the 9th.
ers. But he failed to find him at that
time, and it was only short while ago
that this brother located you.
"As our Blessed Lady is my wit
ness. m'seur. 1t is not strange that he
should have taken you for the man we
sought for il is singular that you bear
him out like brother in looks. as |
remember the boy. 1t is true that
Francois made great error when he
sent word TO his brothers suggesting
that II either Gregson or Thorne was
put out ot the way you would proba.
nly he sent into the north. swear
ny the Virgin that MeleeSe knew moth
ny uf this. N >rur. She knew nothing
If the schemes by which her brothers
drove GrrgSon and Thorne hack into
The south. They did not wish to kill
hem, and yet ii was necessary to do
something that you might replace one
ot them. m'Srur. They did not make
= move alone nut Thai something hap.
pened. Gr"s-"n lost a finger. 1horue
was badly nufl. rs ynu know. Bullets
anne through lnrlr window ut night
With Iarkpine in their employ 1t was
Easy to work OF them. and II was not
org before thpy sent down asking tor
J MOTHER man TO Replace Them"
FOR The first time Il surge of anger
gepI through Rowland.
The towards! ne exclaimed. ~
Eeity pair CrulSset. to crawl out from
ander IL trap 10 let another in AT th"
.opr
perhaps not so bad MS That" saIt
Joan. They We're given to understand
that they-and they aIone-were moi
9yanted in the country 1t may be
hat they did not think harm would
,ng.g 10 you and 50 Kept quiet about
THAT had happened. 1t may be. too
That they did not likG ia have it known
that they were running away from
danger. Is not that human. m'seur:
anyway. you We're upraEeu TO come
and not until then did Meleese know
IT all TIM: had occurred"
The Frenchman stopped for a mo.
ment. The glare had faded from
Howland's eyes. The tense lines III
his face relaxed.
I-I-believe I understand every.
thing now. Jean" lie said. You
traced the wrong John Rowland, .
that's all. / love Mclcese. Jean. /
would kill John Rowland for her. /
want TO meet her brothers and shake
their hands dpu't blame them,
But somehow 1t hurts to think of her