Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-08-15

men met across the table. To How
land It was not the thought that bis
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. BE leaned
half over the table. his hands clinched.
his eyes blazing. Jean did not under
stand. for he went on quickly.
II know 1t Is hard. m'seur. Perhaps
1t will be impossible for you to for
give a thing like this. We have tried
to kill you-kill you by slow torture.
as we thought you deserved. But
think for a moment. m'seur. 0f what
happened up here sixteen years ago
this winter. | have told you how !
choked life from the man 6end. 80 |
would have choked life from you II IL
had not been for Meleese. |. too. an
guilty. Only six years ago we knew
that the right John Howland-the son
Of the man | slew-was 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 1t was only short while ago
that this brother located you.
"As our Blessed Lady Is my wit
ness. m'seur. II is not strange that h9
should have taken you for the man we
sought. for II is singular that you bear
him out like a brother In looks. as
remember the boy. II Is true that
Francois made great error when he
sent word to his brothers suggesting
that II either Gregson or Thorne was
put out Of the way you would proba
bly, be sent into the north. swear
by the Virgin that Meleese knew moth
Ing of this. m'seur. She knew nothing
Of the schemes by which her brothers
drove Gregson and Thorne back into
the south. They did not wish to xii
them. and yet 1t was necessary to d.
something that you might replace on
of them. m'seur They did not MAKE
a move alone but that something hap
pened. Gregson lost finger. Thornr
was badly hurt. as you know. Bullet:
came through their window at night
With Jackpine In their employ 1t was
easy to work on them. and 1t WAS not
long before they sent down asking for
another man to replace them"
For the first time a surge Of anger
swept through Rowland.
"The towards" he exclaimed. "A
pretty pair. Croisset. to crawl out froE
under a trap to let another In at tn"
topr'
Perhaps not so bad as that" said
Jean. They were given to understand
that they-and they aione-were no.
wanted In the country. II may hr
that they did not think BARN woult
come to you and 20 kept quiet about
what had happened II msy be. too
that they did not like to have 1t known
that they were running away from
danger Is not that human. m'seur;
Anyway. you were detailed TO come.
and not until then did Meleese know
of all that had occurred
The Frepchman storI'ei FOR ~"
ment. The glare had faded ::':l
Howland's eyes. The tense lines III
bis face relaxed.
IL believe I understand every
thing now. JEAN" he said. "i"u
traced the wrong john Rowland.
that's all. love Meleese. jean. !
would kill John Howland for her. !
want to meet her brothers and s'iaa'
their hands. ! don't blame then
But somehow II hurts to think Of he
of Meleese-as-as almost a muir
terer."
"Mon Dieu. m'seur. has she not
saved your life? Listen to this! II
was then-when she knew what bad
happened-thnt Meleese came to me
whom she had made the happiest man
In the world. because II was she who
brought my Mariane over from
Churchill on a visit especially thnt ]
might see her and fall In love win
her. mseur- which ! did. Mcleese
came to me-to Jean Croisset-and in
stead Of planning your murder. m'Seur'
she schemed 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? II 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. Jean"
"Before she had learned to love you.
m'seur."
"God bless herr exclaimed How
land.
"You believe this. m'seurT
"As | believe in God"
"Then l will tell you what she did.
m'seur." he continued In a low voice
.'The plan Of the brothers was to make
you q prisoner near Prince Albert and
bring you north. knew what was to
happen then. II was to be beautiful
vengeance. m'seur-a slow torturinR
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 girl.
m'seur, easily made to believe strange
things in such matters as these. else
She would have wondered why you
were not given to the officers In Prince
Albert.
"It was Meleese's eldest brother who
thought of her as lure to bring you
out of the town into their hands, and
not until the last moment. when they
were ready to leave for the south. did
she overhear words that aroused her
suspicious that they were about to Kill
YOU. It was then. mseur, that she
came to me-"
"And you. JeanT
ION the day that Mariane promised
to become my wife. m'seur. l promised
A.. -. D,o,,od oHv,o mama IN rpDHy