The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1912-11-21

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are afraid that | will kill you"
"It is warning. m'seur. You might
try. But | should probably kill you
AS it is"-he shrugged his shoulders as
he led the way down the ridge-'as ii
is, there is small chance of Jean Crois-
set answering the call"
"Mav those saints Of yours preserve
me. Jean. bu, this is all very cheerful!
grunted Howland, half laughing in
spite of himself Nov that I'm tied
uD again. who the devil is there to die |
but me?"
THAT is a hard question. m'seur.
replied the half breed. with grim seri
ousness Perhaps it is your turn.
half believe that it is
Scarcely were the words out OF his
mouth when there came again the
moaning howl from the top of the
ridge
You're getting on my nerves. Jean
you and that accursed dog"
"Silence. mseurr'
Out of the grim loneliness at the
foot of the mountain there doomed
shadow, which at first Rowland took
to be huge mass of rock. few
steps farther and he saw that it was
building. Croisset gripped him firmly
by the arm.
Stay here" he commanded. Il will
return soon."
For a quarter of an hour HOwlant
waited Twice in that interval the dog
howled above him He was glad when
Cro;sset appeared out of the gloom
ut is as thought. m'seur. There Is
death down here. Come with me-"
The shadow of the big building
shrouded them as they approached
Howland could make out that 1t was
built of massive logs and that there
seemed to be neither door nor window
on their side. And yet when Jean hesi'
tated for an inStant before Il botch OF
gloom that was deeper than the others
he knew that they had come to an en-
trance
Howland could feel the half breeds
hand clutch him nervously by the arm
as they went step by step into the
black and silent mystery Of the place
Soon there came a fumb!ing of Crois
sets hand at latch. and they passed
through second door Then lean
struck match
Half dozen steps away was table
and on the table lamp Croisset
lighted it and with quiet laugh faced
the engineer They were IN 4 low
dungeon like chamber without win
dow and with but the one door
, through which they had entered The
table. two chairs a stove and a bunk
built against one Of the log walls were
, all that Howland could see. But y
, was not the barrenneSs of what he i'm
, agined was to be his new prison tha
held his eyes in staring inquiry o.
Croisset II was the look in his coul
| panion's face. the yellow pallor Of fea
"a horror that had taken possession
OF it. The half breed closed and boitet
}. the door and then sat down beside tn
table, his thin face peering up through
| the sickly lamp glow Ill the engineer.
4 "M'seur. it would be hard for you Il
guess where you are
e Howland waited.
..lf you had lived in this countr.
long. m'seur. you would have hear'
of la MaiSon dc Mort Rouge-the hous
Of the Red Death as you would cal
!, it. That is where we are-in the dun
), geon room. 1t is a Hudson Bay post
- abandoned almost since ! can remeIr
/, ber. When | was a child the smallpO
plague came this way and killed a
!, the people. Nineteen years ago tn
% red plague came again. and not on
). lived through it in this Poste de Mol
- Rouge Since then it has been lei
= to the weaseis and the owls II
:, Stunned by every living soul betwee
= the Athabasc and the bay. That
,v why you are safe here"
=, "Ye gods." breathed Howland. -
- there anything more. Croisset! Sa
no from what. man! Safe from what?'
;s From those who wish to kill 70
:, m'seur You would not go into Il
IN south. so la belle Meleese has comp
a led you to 60 into the north. Comp
:. nez vous? You would have died la
- night, m'seur. had it not been for NJ
in leese You escaped from the coyo
.-o but you would not have escaped fro
"a the other That is all | can tell yC
- But you will be safe here, Those W
=, seek your life will soon believe tn
,os you are dead. and then we will let y
:. 90 back. Is that not kind fate
~ one who deserves to be cut into b
-. and fed to the ravens?"
"a "You will tell me nothing mo
=. Jean?" the engineer asked.
-. Nothing. except that while l wo,
49, like to kill you l have sympathy
- =. you. That perhaps is because ! OF
lived in the south. For six years
"a was with the company in Montre
~ where l went to school"
10 Then he unbolted and opened
'au door Family there came to them.
If from a great distance. the vail
=: grief of Woonga. the dog.
"You said there was death her
ieu whispered Howland. leaning close
his shoulder.
There is one who has lived b
'he since the last plague" replied Crois
ino under his breath. He lost his
'eH and children. and ii drove him 10
That is why we came down so Gu1e
Nat He lived in little cabin out there
'ou. the edge of the clearing. and whe
,on- non, n Il toripht there was sarI
TOT over the house with flag at the
'Wn of it. When the plague comes to
we hang out a red dag as war;
MS to others. That is one OF our Ia
The flag is blown to tatters by