Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-06-29

IRON COT
through such representative as I see
here"
"Pere lie Guard is chaplain OF my
household"
And sertant TO your will. monsieur.
It's known In all New France he is
more diplomat than priest. Nayl l
take hack my word. and will make
trial Of his priesthood. Father, l do
not love this man, nor marry him Of
my own free win. / appeal to you,
10 the church, to refuse the sanction"
The priest stood with fingers inter
locked, and head bowed, nor did his
eyes meet mine.
Il am but the humble instrument
OF those in authority, daughter" he re-
piled gently, "and must perform the
sacred duties of my office. 'Tis your
own confession that your hand has
been pledged to Monsieur Cassion."
SPY Hugo Chevet, not myself"
Enough of this" broke in La Barre
sternly. and he grlpped my arm. "The
girl hath lost her head. and such con-
troversy is unseemly in my presence.
Pere lie Guard, let the ceremony pro-
ceed."
"'Tis your order, monsleurT"
"Ayi do l not speak my will plainly
enough? Come, the hour is late, and
our kings business is of more import
than the whim of a girl"
l never moved, never lifted my eyes.
l vas conscious of nothing, but help
less, impotent anger, of voiceless
shame. They might force me to go
through the form, but never would
they make me the wife of this man.
My heart throbbed with rebellion, my
mind hardened into revolt. l knew all
that occurred, realized the significance
of every word and act, yet it was as if
they appertained to someone else. l
felt the clammy touch of Cassion's
hand on my ~nerveless fingers, and l
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
| seemed to regain consciousness, and
a new grip on my numbed faculties.
Indeed l was still cropping in the fog,
bewildered, inert, when La Barre gave
| 80. - - 40, ,.,~ 1n,,~I
Congratulations, Francois" he
cried. "a fair wife, and not so I'M
willing after all. And now your first
kiss"
The sneer Of these words was like
a slap in the face, and all the hat
red, and Indignation | felt seethed to
the surface. A heavy paper knife lay
on the desk, and l gripped it in my
fingers, and stepped back, facing them.
The mist seemed to roll away, and l
saw their faces, and there must have
even La Barre gave back a step, and
the grin faded from the thin lips of
the commissaire.
otis ended then,' I said, and my
voice did not falter. 81 am this mans
wife. Very well, you have had your
way! now | 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. l
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 a finger on
me, | will kill you as l would a snake.
I know what l say, and mean 1t. You
kiss me! Try it, monsieur, if you
doubt how my race repays insult.
will go with you; l will bear your
name; this the law compels, but l am
still mistress of my soul, and of my
body. You hear me, m~essieurs? You
understand"
Cassion stood leaning forward, just
where my first words had held him
motionless. AS l paused his eyes were
on my face, and he lifted a hand to
wipe away drops of perspiration. La
Barre crumpled the paper he held
savagely.
go" 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, tits time already you
were off. You agree to accompany
the party without resistance ma
dame?"
GAS well there, as here" 1 answered
cOntemptuously.
"And you, Hugo Chevet?"
The giant growled something mar
ticulate through his beard, not alto
gether, l thought, to La Barrels liking,
for his face darkened.
"By st. Anne! tits 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 oom together, the three
of us, and no one spoke, as we tray
ersed the great assembly hall, in which
dancers still fingered, and gained the
outer hall. Casslon secured my cloak.
and 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 Cheyet, who was growing ia