The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-11-16

ES Monsieur 1t Is true that light & " M house-kccper is ex-convct," said the HX cure, lighting the cigar that S1ade had M..& handed him. "But then, since he has NR gA# paid the penalty to the province for the NAE life he took, why should he not atone E@ &f# to God by saving 1ves9 Besides" he N2&RM added, smiling bengnantly, "it is hard *8 for a. be very bad here. in #@4G Tete des Rochers"
 WllnMapM Some girls came tip .hc path that led
 a4a to his little stone -hewn house, and cs-
 cusing himself the priest led them in
 side. Sfade and sat smoking the stoop gazing dovnhiu toward the lights of the Gulf hamlet te
 There's some mighty good-iooking girls in this God-forsaken of the world" said Slade "but tell you that old convict's daughter has them all beaten Did you see the look that chunky French Canadian mill hand gave in the store tonight He's her fance it apPeaEs, and he's spotted me for n rival When think of Marie bestowins herself upon that 1out ;t just makes sick It's crime, that's what it is and somebody ought to stop it And if nobody will why--"
 S1ade broke off abruptly. and blessed the fortune dat left but two fleet weeks in the year in which to 1ay upon those vagrant fancies that Sades freed from all need of toT. could indulge perennial1y.
 wen hire boat and TOW to the lighthouse to- suorrow'' said Sladc- "I want to take look at her I've had quite talks with her at fhe store. She wants to leave home and the world. and faneies it's sort of magfii6ed and glori6ed Tete des Rochers. fNhata life for her. cooped in that old lighthouse with the Sid man and her crazy
 
 son-isEs i.es.s=ssses.s The priest came out again and took up his cigar from che window-ledge.ton.w which he had laid it He waited till his charges had Eripped out of sign dowr fine declixity. sss sYrre
 .-You wish to go to the lighthouse sto-norrow?' he asked Pardon mesifz | overheard you; win do7<s open behind your heads And quick at hearing, he addsdy with self-depreciation Fo-mor- row fay charges there, and, If you like. will cali for yon at your hotel in the afternoon. shall be boatrnan for rowing is my sole eser- else until the hunting season begins
 Siade made grin1ace at "We couldn't re- fuse." he said as stroIled down the hill. But don't fancy having that priest around. I wonder how much he overheard?"
 He called for us on the following day. late ill the afternoon and pulled through the slack tide zauut mist shrouded the Gulf. through which the booming of fhe bell-buoy seemed to diffuse itself in every quarter. On Tete des Rochers where the long fine of the hills plunged into the sucking in black cliffs sthat shored up the edge of continent the lighthouse had already begun blinking gayly when arrived We grounded upon the reefs and stepped cautiously the slippery weeds until we reached the little door, where the keeper met as.
 He only grunted in answer to the priests intro duction and.turning led the way up.the worn steps of stone until reached the iiving-roon halfway to top, barely furnished place. austerely devoid of those ehromographs and cheap coiored prints dear the French soul By the fireplace, almost beneath te hollow hue that asccnded to the roofs, carrying che snauts and sparks of fire, sat tall. old man of great age who looked mp us. blinking and n.nmblings bat said nothing nor rose
 @He never speaks" the priest explained But 1t, ss thought he understands"
 But the girl: Slade had over-appreciated her. She had the black Breton hair common among fhe Canadian descendants of those first yoyageurs, tinted with eieaTns of bronze; in her blue prise and joy struggled with zdiscontent and con- uuered it. And now latent fear, of whose presence m nay mind had been bat dnlly conscious through che day. leaped in my heart felt the interplay of secret antagonisms among those three: between the girl in whose tin,id handclasp seemed to read secret understandings and the father standing at the zsoor: between the and the At the hearth fSe e1aybeard, inscrutabie and silent, yet rezred to play some part in unfolding drama; and over all brooded the benign keen spirit of the priest in his black robe
 Even as the father turned for instant away 16xv irnpassioned speech. Slade whispered thing and her eyes flashed prettiIy in hafcfildisi anger Then the father back, and it though the curtain fell uponsa drama.
 stCorae; Marie. he said, harsh1y Our oil runs low: we must carry up more.
 Ret,elop flashed out from her eyes frankly. Then, with supple adroitness, the priest had interposed himself between the girl and S1ade do not think h~ smoke: saw the seams of the cassock start he bent and little folds of cloth rippiing h;s hack: then the door closed and we three were alone and she graybeard beside the fire. who moved.
 aTbe old man thinks I'm so good" said S1ade, his face flushed in the priests dexterous r~tnke elf he had any he try to hitch t-r sf, that pudding headed m-hand Why. the girl ssa.es him, If he'd be little less harsh with her ed tr,,s. her that's the way with widowers; they want to be father and mother rolled into one
 --be priest came back from the fire; believe he i,,5 bsen xvhisperine to the graybeard. "Ah." he sz5d -T overheard you again What should a man <z