The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-08-03

through such representative as ! see
here"
''Pere lie Guard is chaplain OF my
household"
"And servant TO your will, monsieur.
'Tis known In all New France he Is
more diplomat than priest. Nay!
take back my word, and will make
trial of his priesthood Father. | DO
not love this man. nor marry him OF
my own free will. appeal TO you,
to the church, to refuse the sanction
The priest stood with fingers inter
locked, and head bowed, nor did his
eyes meet mine.
81 am but the humble instrument
of those In authority, daughter" he re-
piled gently, land must perform the
sacred duties OF my office. 'Tis your
own confession that your hand has
been pledged to Monsieur Cassion."
"By Hugo Chevet, not myself
Enough Of this" broke in La Barre
sternly, and he gripped my arm. tine
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, monsieur
GAY! do not speak my will plainly
enough? Come, the hour is late, ana
our kings business is Of more import
than the whim of a girl"
never moved, never lifted my eyes.
was conscious of nothing, but help
less, impotent anger, of voiceIess
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. knew all
that occurred, realized the significance
of every word and act, yet 1t was as II
they appertained to someone else,
felt the clammy touch of Cassions
hand on my nerveless fingers, and l
must have answered the interrogator-
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
bewildered, inert, when La Barre gave
utterance to a coarse laugh.
Congratulations, Francois" ht
cried. "A fair wife, and not so un
willing after all. And now your mrs.
kiss"
The sneer of these words was like
!, a slap in the face, and all the nat
red, and indignation l felt seethed tt
the surface. A heavy paper knife la!
on the desk, and l gripped it in m!
fingers, and stepped back, facing them
The mist seemed to roll away, and
saw their faces, and there must haV'
been that in mine to startle them, TO
even La Barre gave back a step, ant
the grin faded from the thin lips o
the commissaire.
"Tis ended then" said, and m,
- voice did not falter. II am this man
wife. Very well, you have had you
|
y to what l shall say, Monsieur lie Gou
= verneur, and you also, Francois Cas-
), sion. By rite of church you call N
. wife, but that is your only claim.
= know your law, and that this cere
y mony has sealed my lips. l am you
captive, nothing more; you can rob m
: now-but, mark you! all that you wi
ever get is money. Monsieur Cassion,
!, you dare lay so much as finger o
- me, will kill you as l would a snak'
know what say, and mean It, fo
:; kiss me! Try it, monsieur, If 20
- doubt how my race repays insult
will 90 with you; will bear yor
-. name; this the law compels, but l al
- still mistress of my soul, and of m
" body. You hear me, messieurs? Yo
~ understand"
Cassion stood leaning forward, ju
where my first words had held hi
=. motionless. AS paused his eyes we
10 on my face, and he lifted hand
~ wipe away drops of perspiration. l
- Barre crumpled the paper he he
savagely.
ho $50" he exclaimed. 1--WE have u
chained a tiger cat. Well, all this
"a naught to me; and Francois, lea
YOU and the wilderness to do the tai
ot ing. In faith, it's time already "
N. were off. You agree to accompal
the party without resistance. m
rist dame"
nv "As we'll there, as here" l answer
,is contemptuously.
I'm "And you, Hugo Chevet?"
The giant growled something in;
RS ticulate through his beard, not al
i'd gether, thought, to La Barre's likiI
~, for his face darkened.
he "By ST. Anne! tits happy fam
amid which you start your hon
yer moon, Monsieur Cassion," he eja'
on lated at length, "but go you mu
though l send a file of soldiers W
p" you to the boats. Now leave me, a
Oh l would hear no more until We
will comes of your arrival at st. Louis.
md We left the room together, the tn
INV of us, and no one spoke, as we tr
md ersed the great assembly hall, in wh
ow dancers still fingered, and gained
BOD outer hall. Cassion secured my clio
ms and wrapped it about my shouldt
you for the night air without was aires
chill, and then, yet in unbroken
lence, we passed down the steps i
tho darkness of the street | wall
beside Chevet, who was growing
himself, scarce sober enough to clea
| realize what had occurred, and so
of followed the commissaire down