The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1917-01-12

the sdCh-lt WAS Only Hltlc Que.
"Jean, you acted foolishly," said AL
phonse.
Jean rose TO his feet and came to-
ward him. looking uncertainty about
him. Il am sorry, Alphonse, he NUT
tered.
Alphonse stretched out his hand.
Jean Petit made lunge, and the hid
den knife went into Alphonse's breast
below the heart.
Alphonse staggered and fell. the
mail bag on top of him. The blood
gushed from the wound. Family he
heard Jean shouting triumphantly he
saw the crazed man lean over him
and then Jean was striding away upon
his snowshoes as fast as he could go.
When he was out of sight Alphonse
staggered TO his feet and carried the
blood-drenched mailbag TO the sleigh.
He collapsed inside it, but not before
he had ordered the dogs TO "mush."
The dogs started, and now even the
thought Of Nanette had gone from AL
phonse's mind. One instinct remained
to get the mails through. Half faint
ing, Alphonse braced his body in the
narrow sleigh, propping up the mail
bags lest they should fall.
The dogs went on at a gallop. but,
finding that their masters hand no
longer stayed them, they went more
slowly. At the foot of the next hill
they stopped. Alphonse opened his
eyes, to sec Jean before him again.
All the drink had gone out of Jean
Petit. Realizing what he had done, he
had run before the sleigh through the
birch woods. "Alphonse !" he shouted,
''let me look Mt your woundr
Alphonse groaned. IF you kill me,
Jean Petit, wait until the mail reaches
Esqulmaux," he said. Nobody will be
about In this cold. 1t will be easy to
finish me after the mails are In the
village. and TO escape"
II did not mean TO wound you, AL
phonse," sobbed Jean. 81 was mad be-
cause of Nanette. Let me see the
wound"
lie stepped into the sleigh and tore
open Alphonse's sheepssln coat. Al
though the wound had bled profusely.
IL was only n flesh one. The rib had
turned the point OF the knife. and n
small artery, which had been severed,
had stopped bleeding nlrendy. jean
bound up the wound and fastened Al
phonses cont about him.
The sleigh went on. Alphonse begun
to revive. Naturally strong. the loss
OF blood had not seriously hurt him; II
was rather hls fenr for The mills TINT
hnd weakened him, lIe began 10 IN.
derstnnd now whit jean WIS doing.
AZ intervals Jean would halt The dogs
pnd COME 60 him,
"i0u IRE getting stronger, Alph0nse,"
he would say, courage, In nn hour
YOU ehnll Soc Nunelte again"
"jenn" snid Alphonse, when the teis
minus was IN slight over the hill,
''lenNe the now, Gun got the malls
In"
ieNn Hhook his head, II must repay
tou," lac answered II shall give my
self up " the police"
'You did not know what YOU were
doing, Ienh"
"in truth did not" answered Jean
ilereely, ~ was mad with rnge be-
eanHe ct Nnnelle, Docs she really love
you, Alphonse9"
"Nou hhnll henr her sny H." replied
Alphonse, "ilut you had better lenve
mo-"
The sleigh rolled on, the dogs burst.
Ing Into shrlll hnrka Of Joy na they rees
opnlked The end of their Journey, The
little station beside The gulf looked
very lonely In The hnlf.lght of the
short January afternoon,
As the hnrks Of The dogs were heard
The Inhabitants rushed onl into The
street, The sleigh came Ca stand
still In front of the little store owned
by Nnnettes fnther, which was the
post office,
Alphonse staggered 90 his feet Just
rs Nnnette came into the street, In
moment the girls arms were about
his neck, "Alph0nse !" she sohbed
with joy, IL love thee | love thee ("
jean Petit heard her words, rs Al
lf''H"' HAh lflhihlHfu llllls iif EIhnhu
his teeth, II was almost more thAn
he could bear. For moment he
fought desperately with his evil mn.
ture, which prompted him 10 thrust
his knife again into Alphonse's SIDE.
But the good triumphed ms Nanette
turned toward him. She took his hpnd
and there were tears In her eyes. II
always hoped for this; prayed for
this" she cried.
"Ehi' stammered Jean Petit.
IL was afraid that you would meet
ON the road, and that you would fight"
said the girl. 1T was told 10 me that
YOU had threatened Alphonse. But
knew YOU did not mean Il. Jean, be-
cause you were always very gentle
with mo. And l want you To be my
brother. jean"
The tears I'm her eyes were reflect.
ed In the mans. you do not under.
stnnd - b. cried wildly. "You do not
know how we met and came here"
II understand that you have come
In together as friends" she answered
Then she realized that Alphonse was
atunuiuu WanLiv ovalnaf tho siad