The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-02-15

girl hath lost her head. and such con-
troversy is unseemly in my presence.
Pere lie Guard, let the ceremony pro-
coed"
"'Tis your order. monsieur?"
"Ay. do | 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"
! never moved, never lifted my eyes.
| was 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 1t was as II
they appertained to someone else. l
felt the 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
| seemed to regain consciousness, and
a new grip on my numbed faculties.
Indeed / was still cropping In the fog,
~bewildered, inert, when La Barre gave
utterance to a coarse laugh.
Congratulations, Francois" he
cried. "a fair wife, and not so In
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 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
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.
"'Tis 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 ! 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, II
you dare lay so much as a finger on
me, l will kill you as l would a snake.
l know what say. and mean it. You
kiss me! Try 1t, monsieur, II you
doubt how my race repays insult. l
will go with you; I will bear your
name; this the law compels, but | am
still mistress Of my soul, and OF my
body. You hear me, messieurs? You
understands
Cassion stood leaning forward, just
where my first words had held him
motionless. AS I paused his eyes were
on my face. and he lifted a hand to
wipe away drops of pe%rspiration. La
Barre crumpled the paper he held
savagely.
49," he exclaimed, 1--WE have un-
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 of. You agree to accompany
the party without resistance, ma
dame?"
"As well there, as here" I answered
contemptuously.
"And you, Hugo ChevetT
The giant growled something mar
ticulate through his beard, not alto
gether, l thought. to La Barre's liking.
| for his face darkened.