The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-06-20


planned. stroking the child's head. my
niece, monsieur. BY the tone in which
| call Madeleine knows whether 1t Is
my overcoat or my pipe or slippers
that want. or whether am growing
hungry"
thought that the captains hunger
voice must shake the rafters Of the
old building.
And now. monsieur" he continued
seriously, when we had left the house
Il am going to tell you as much as
| know concerning the plans of that
scoundrel. In brief. 1t Is known that
a party OF his friends has been quar-
tered for some time at the chateau:
they come and go, In fact, and now he
is either taking more or the same ones
back again, and God knows why he
takes them to so desolate a region.
unless, as the rumOr Is, he has dlscov-
cred coal fields upon the seigniory and
holds M. Duchaine In HIS power. Well,
monsieur, party sails with Captain
Duhamel on t0night's tide, which will
carry me down the gulf also Captain
Duhamers boat is berthed at the same
pier as mine upon the opposite side.
we start together, then, but shall
expect to gain several hours during
the four days Journey. for know
the Claire well, and she cannot keep
pace with my Sainte-vierge. You
must bring your lady aboard the
Sainte-Vierge by nine tonight.
Il shall telegraph to my friend Dan
ton at st. Boniface to have a sleigh
and dogs at your disposal when you
arrive, and tent, food and sleeping
bags" continued Captain Dubois, "for
1t must be a hundred and fifty miles
from st. Boniface to the Chateau Du-
chaine. And so, with half days
start. you will have nothing to fear
from Leroux--only remember that he
has no scruples. Still l do not think
he will catch you and Mile. Jacuuellne
before you reach Chateau Duchaine."
he ended, chuckling at his sagacity.
"Ah, well, monsieur, who else could
your lady be?" he asked, smiling ut my
surprise. II knew well that some day
she must leave those wilds. Besides,
did l not convey her here from st.
Boniface on my return, less than a
week ago, when she pleaded for Sc
crecy? | suspected something agitat-
ed her then. SO 1t was to find a hus-
band that she departed thus7"
SO Jacqueline had left her home not
more than a week before! And the
captain had no suspicion that she was
married then Yet Pere Antoine
claimed to have performed the cere-
mony.
To whom? And where was the man
who should have stood In my place
and shielded her against Leroux?
made Dubois understand, not with
out difficulty, that we were still I'M
married. His face fell when he re-
allied that was in earnest, but after
a little he made the best of the stu
alton, though 1t was evident that some
of the glamour was scratched from
the romance. in his opinion.
BY now we had arrived at the wharf.
Wedged in among the foes lay the
Claire and the Sainte-vierge respec-
lively. The latter vessel lay upon our
right as we approached the end of the
wharf.
There was small cabin for Jacque-
line and another for myself adjoining.
| was very well satisfied and inquired
the terms.
"Diable If 1t were not for the chill
dren there should be no terms % ex-
claimed the captain. But it is hard,
monsieur with prices rising and the
hungry mouths always open, like little
BIRDS
He was overjoyed at the sight of
the fifty dollars which rendered him.
by the way" said. "do you know
a priest named Pere Antoine?"
IAN old man? A strong old man?
Why, assuredly, monsieur" answered
the captain. Everybody knows him.
He has the parish of the Riviere dor
district and the largest In Quebec. A
saint, monsieur You will do well to
make his acquaintance"
The captain parted from me on the
wharf on his way to the telegraph
Office, repeating his Instructions to the
effect that we were to be aboard the
boat by nine.
1t had grown dark long before and
looking Mt my watch, l was surprised
to see that 1t was already past six
o'clock. l had no time to lose In re-
turning to the Chateau.
But though / could see 1T outlined
upon the cliff / soon found myself lost
among the maze of narrow streets In
which l was wandering. A man was
coming up the street behind me, and
l turned to question him. but as de-
creased my pace he diminished his
also. and when ! quickened mine he
went faster as We'll l began to have
an uneasy sense that he might be fol-
lowing me, and accordingly FASTENED
onward until l came to road which
seemed to lead up the hill toward the
ramparts.