The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1912-12-26
under trap to let another in at the

under trap to let another in at the
top
Perhaps not so bad as that" said
Jean. They were given to understand
that they and they alone were no
wanted in The country II may b.
that they did not think harm woulc
come to you and so kept quiet ahou'
what had happened. 1t may he ton
that they did not like to have 1t know
that they were running away frnr
danger. Is not that human. mseur
Anyway. you were detailed to come
and not until then did Meleese know
| OF ali that had occurred
The Frenchman stopped for a mo-
| ment. The glare bad faded from
Howland's eyes. The tense lines In
his face relaxed.
II believe I understand every
| thing now. Jean." be said. You
| traced the wrong .Iohn Howland.
that's all. love Me!eese. Jean. I
would kill John Rowland for her. |
want to meet her brothers and shake
their hands. | don't blame them.
But somehow it hurts to think Of her
-of Meleese-as-as almost a MUIR
derer'
Mon Dieu, m'seur. has she not
save,I your life: Listen to this. 1t
was then-when she knew what had
happened that Meleese came 10 me-
whom she had made the happiest man
in the world. because it was she who
brought my Mariane over from
Churchill on visit especially that
might see her and fall in love with
her. m'seur which | did Aleleese
came to me to Jean Crnisspt- 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 ont of you until
your eyes hulged In death. MS | choked
that one up on the Great Slave. Do
| you understand. m'spur: 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 von than your name. before she had
learned
/ Croisset hesitated and stopped.
Before what. Jean?"
Before she had learned to love you
.n'seur"
"(;od bless her" exclaimed How.
land
You believe this, m'seur?"
"As believe in God"
'Then will tell YOU what she did.
m'seur ne continued in a low voice.
THE plan of the brother was to make
you prisoner near Prince Albert and
bring yon north ! knew what was to
happen then. 1t was 10 be Il beautiful
vengeance. mseur-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 a girl.
m'seur. easily made to believe strange
|
she would have wondered why you
were not given to the officers in Prince
Albert.
"lt was MeleeSes eldest brother who
thought Of her us u lure 10 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 ovprhpar words that aroused her
suspicious that they were about to kill
you. it was then. mseur. that she
came to me.
And you. Jpany'
"On the day that Marinne promised
to become my wife, m'seur. | promised
in our Blessed I.ady's name to repay
my debt to Meleese. and the manner of
payment came In this fashion Jack
pine. too. was her slave. and SO we
worked together. Two hours after
Meleese and her brothers had left for
the south was following tbem Shaven
of beard and so changed that | was
not recognized in the fight on the Great
North trail Meleese thought that her
brothers would make you prisoner
that night without harming you. Her
brothers told her how to bring you to
! their camp. She knew nothing Of the
ambush until they leaped on you from
cover.
Not until after the eight. when
in their rage at your escape the broth
ers told her that they had Intended TO
ho nj VIII Oh
had done. That Is all. m'Se,ir. You
know what happened after that. She
dared not tell you at WekuskO who
your 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. m'seur the
love for her brothers and
Again Jean hesitated.
"And her love for me- finished
Howland
Yes. her love for you. msenr." said
Jean.
The two men rose from the table
and for moment stood with rlasped
hands in the SMOKY light Of lamp and
dawn. In that moment neither heard
Tap at the door leading TO the room
beyond nor saw the door move gently
inward and Meleese hesitating. fran
ed III the opening.
1t was HOwland who spoke first.
Il thank God that all these things
have happened. JEAN" he said earnest
IT, II am glad that for time you
took me for that other John Rowland
and that Pierre Thoreau and his broth.
ers schemed to kill me nj Prince Al
bert and Weknsko for II these things
had mt occurred as they have, yUult