Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-07-13

the forced marriage, and our being
sent with this expedition"
You heard alone?"
so they thought, and naturally be-
lieved marriage would prevent my
bearing witness against them.
But l was not alone"
Mon dieu! Another heardT"
eyes, the Sieur d'Artigny."
Chevet grasped my arm, and in the
glare of the fire l could see his ex-
element pictured in his face.
who? That lad? You were in
hiding there together? And did he
realize what was said?
THAT l do not know" l answered,
"for we have exchanged no word
since. When my presence vas dis
covered D'Artigny escaped unseen
through the open window. l need to
meet him again that these matters
may be explained, and that l may
learn just what he overheard. 1t was
to enlist your aid that l sent for YOU"
ITO bring the lad hereT"
"No; that could not be done with
out arousing the suspicion of Cassion.
The two are already on the verge Of
quarrel. You must find some way of
drawing the commissaire aside-not
tonight, for there is plenty of time
before us, and l am sure we are being
watched now-and that will afford me
opportunity"
But why may l not speak him."
"You!!" l laughed. HE would be
likely to talk with you. A sweet mes
sage you sent him in Quebec"
Il was drunk, and Cassion asked it
of me-"
81 thought as much; the coward
makes you pull his chestnuts from the
fire. Do you give me the pledge?"
GAY! although it's not my way to
play sweet, when l should enjoy to
wiring the fellows neck. What was
it La Barre said?"
''That just before he died my IA
TIERS property was restored to him
by the king. but the royal order was
never recorded. 1t exists, but where l
do not know, nor do | know as yet
for what purpose it was concealed. My
marriage to Cassion must have been
ar afterthought, for he is but a crea-
ture of La Barrels. 1t is through him
the greater villains seek control; but,
no doubt, he was a willing tool enough.
and expects his share"
"Why not let me choke the truth
out of him then? Bah! it would be
easy"
For two reasons" l said earnestly.
First, 1 doubt if he knows the true
conspiracy, or can lay hands on the
kings restoration. Without that we
have no proof of fraud. And second,
coward though he may be, his very
fear might yield him courage. No.
Uncle Chevet, we must wait and learn
these facts through other means than
force. 'Tis back in Quebec, not in this
wilderness, we will find the needed
proofs. What l ask of you is, pretend
to know nothing; do not permit Cas-
sion to suspicion that l have confided
in you. We must encourage him to
talk by saying nothing which will put
him on guard"
"YOu-you will try, as his wife, to
win confeSSion?" he asked finally,
grasplng vaguely the one thought oc-
curing to him.
mo; there is a better way. l de-
spise the man; ! cannot bear that he
touch me. More than that, if l read
him Alright, once | yield and confess
myself his property, he will lose all
interest in my possession. He is a
lady killer; it's his boast. The man
has never been in love with me; it
was not love, but a desire to possess
my fortune, which led to his proposal
of marriage. Now l shall make him
love me.
"We shall be alone in the wilderness
for months to come. | will be the one
woman; perchance the only white
woman into whose face he will look
until we return to Quebec. l am not
vain. yet 1 am not altogether i'll to
look upon, nor shall | permit the hard
ships Of this journey to affect my at
tractiveness. | shall fight him with
his own weapons, and win. He will
beg and threaten me, and l shall
laugh. He will love me and l shall
mock. There will be jealousy between
him and D'Artigny, and to win my
favor he will confess all that he
knows. Tonight he sulks somewhere
yonder, already beginning to doubt
his power to control me-"
"You have quarreled?"
"No-only that l asserted independ-
n He would have entered this tent
as my husband, and l forbade his do
ing so. He stormed and threatened,
but dare not venture further. He
knows me now as other than a weak
girl, but my next lesson must be a
more severe one. lis partly to pre-
pare that I sent for you; I ask the
loan of a plstol-the smaller one. to
be concealed in my dress"
"You would kill the manT
"Pooh! small danger of that. You
may draw the charge If you will. For
him to know that I possess the weapon
will protect me. You do not grasp
my plan|
He shook his head gloomily, as
though it was all a deep puzzle to
his mind, yet his great hand held forth
the pistol, the short barrel OF which
cleaned wickedly in the fire glow as
| thrust 1t out Of sight.
''Tis not the way ! front enemies