Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-07-18

never moved, never lifted nv eyes.
was conscious of nothing. but help
Tess, lmpotent anger, of yoiceIess
shame. They might force me to go
through the form, but never would
lhey make me the wife of this man.
My neart throbbed with rebellion. nv
mind hardened into revolt. knew all
mat occurred, realized the significance
Vi every word and act, yet it was as If
hey appertained to someone else. |
| ieil tne clammy touch Of Cassion's
hand on my nerveless fingers. and I
must have answered the interrogation
les OF the priest, for his voice droned
on, meaningless to the end. 1t was
| only In the silence which followed that
l seemed to regain consciousness, and
new grip on my numbed faculties.
indeed L was still cropping in the fog,
De"lioered, inert, when La Barre gave
utterance to coarse laugh.
congratulations. Francois" he
cried. "a fair wife. and not so I'M
willing after all. And now your first
kiss"
The sheer of these words was like
slap in the face, and all the hat
red, and Indignation l felt seethed to
the surface. A heavy paper knife lay
on the desk, and gripped it in my
myers, and stepped back, facing them.
The mist seemed to roll away. and l
saw their faces, and there must have
been that in mine to startle them, for
even La Barre gave back a step. and
| the grin faded from the thin lips of
| the commissaire.
Ills ended then" 1 said, and my
voice did not falter. 81 am this mans
wife. Very well, you have had your
way! now l will have mine. Listen
TO what l shall say, Monsieur lie Gou-
verneur, and you also, Francois Cas-
sion. By rite of church you call me
wife, but that is your only claim. /
know your law. and that this cere-
mony has sealed my lips. l am your
captive. nothing more; you can rob me
noW-but, mark you! all that you will
ever get is money. Monsieur Cassion, If
| you dare lay so much as finger on
me. l will kill you as l would a snake.
know what | say. and mean it. You
kiss me! Try it, monsieur, If you
doubt how my race repays insult. l
will go with you; | will bear your
name; this the law compels, but am
still mistress of my soul, and of my
body. You hear me, messieurs? You
understand?
Cassion stood leaning forward, just
where my first words had held him
motionless. As paused his eyes were
on my face, and he lifted a hand to
wipe away drops of perspiration. La
Barre erumpled the paper he held
savagely.
$50" he exclaimed, 1--WE have I'M
chained a tiger cat. Well, all this is
naught to me; and Francois, l leave
you and the wilderness to do the tam
ing. In faith, it's time already you
were off. You agree to accompany
the party without resistance, ma
dame?"
"As we'll there, as here" l answered
contemptuously.
"And you, Hugo Chevet?"
The giant growled something mar
ticulate through his beard, not alto
gether, thought, to La Barre's liking,
! for his face darkened
"By St Anne! it's a happy family
amid which you start your honey
moon, Monsieur Cassion," he ejacu-
lated at length, ''but go you must,
though l send a file of soldiers with
you to the boats. Now leave me, and
| would hear no more until word
comes of your arrival at st. Louis"
We left the room together, the three
of us, and no one spoke, as we trav-
ersed the great assembly hall, in which
dancers still fingered, and gained the
outer hall. Cassion secured my cloak,
and 1 wrapped it about my shoulders,
| for the night air without was already
chill, and then, yet in unbroken ST.
lence, we passed down the steps into
| the darkness of the street. l walked
beside Chevet, who was growing to
! himself, scarce sober enough to clearly
realize what had occurred, and so we
! followed the cOmmissaire down the
step path which led to the river.
Vaguely l comprehended that l was
no longer Adele la Chesnayne, but the
wife of that man followed. A word.
muttered prayer, an uplifted hand,
had made me his slave, his vassal.
| Nothing could break the bond between
us save death. l might hate, despise,
revile, but the bond held. This thought
grew clearer as my mind readjusted
itself. and the full horror of the situa-
| ton took possession of me. Yet there
was nothing could do; could neither
escape nor fight, nor had l friend to
whom l could appeal. Suddenly l
realized that 1 still grasped in my
hand the heavy paper knife l had
suatched up from La Barre's desk, and
/ thrust it into the waistband of my
skirt. 1t was my only weapon of de-
Tense, yet to know l had even that
seemed to bring me glow of courage.
We reached the rivers edge and
halted. Below US, on the bank, the
blazing fire emitted a red CLEAN re-
| fiecting on the water. and showing US
the dark outlines of waiting canoes,
and seated figures. Gazing about Cas-
sion broke the silence. his voice as
Stunning the harshness Of authority.
Three canoes! Where Is the other?
Huh! If there be delay now, someone
will make answer to me. Pass the
lit WASN'T ALL HER MONEY