Charlevoix county herald., 1919-06-06

Staring and Smiling With Cool e.
frontery.
ously rs ] approached.
40 you remember" I asked, "sell-
ing Il collar to young lady recently
no, some long time ago-a dog collar,
l mean? This was the plate" Then
remembered rame Leroux had used
and flung it out at random. 81 think
IL was for Mile. Duchaine," l added.
The shot went home.
"Ah, monsieur, l remember perfect
ly," answered the proprietor, both
from the unusual nature of the collar
and from the fact that there was some
difficulty In delivering it. There was
no post Office nearer the seigniory than
st. Boniface, where it lay unclaimed
for n long time. think mademoiselle
had forgotten all about the order. Or
perhaps the dog had died!"
'Where is this seigniory?"
tine seigniory of M. Charles Du-
chaine?" he answered, looking curl
ously at me. at is the Oldest of the
seigniories," he continued. "In fact, 1t
has never passed out of the hands Of
the descendants of the original owners,
because 1t is almost uninhabitable In
winter. except by Indians"
'How would one reach the chateauT
I'm summer" he replied, lone might
ascend the Riviere dor in a canoe for
half the distance, until one reached
the mountains, and then" He
shrugged his shoulders. 81 do not
know. Possibly one would inquire of
the first trapper who passed in au-
tumn. In winter one would fly.
you see, NJ. Duchaine is a hermit"
he continued. "Once, so my father
used to say, he was one of the gayest
young men in Quebec. But he became
involved in the troubles of 1S67-and
then his wife died, and so he withdrew
there with the little mademoiselle-.
what was her name?
"Eh bien, It makes no difference, be-
cause, since she left the convent of
the Ursulines here in Quebec, where
she was educated, her father keeps her
at the chateau, and you are not likely
to set eyes on M. Charles Duchaine's
daughter"
A sudden stoppage In his flow of
words, an almost guilty look upon his
| face, as a new figure entered the little
shop, directed my attention toward the
stranger.
He was an old man Of medium size,
very muscularly built, stout, and with
enormous shoulders. He wore a
priests soutane. but he did not look like
q priest-he looked like a mans head
on bulls body. His smooth face was
tanned to the color of an Indians
his bright blue eyes, almost concealed
by their dropping, wrinkled lids, were
piercing in their scrutiny.
"Bo'jOur, Pere Antoine" said the
shopkeeper deferentially, fixing his
eyes rather timidly upon the old
priests face.
"Eh bien, who is this with whom
thou gossipest concerning the daugh-
ter of NJ. Duchaine?" inquired Father
Antoine. looking at me keenly.
"Only customer-a stranger, mon
sieur," answered the proprietor, rub
bling his hands together.
"You talk too much" said Pere An
tome roughly. snow, monsieur" he
said, addressing me In fair English,
what is the nature of your business
that 1t can possibly concern either M.
Duchaine or his daughter? Perhaps l
can inform you, since he is one of my
parishioners."
"My conversation was not with you,
Monsieur lie Cure" l answered shortly
and left the shop.
had not gone three PAGES from the
door, however, when the priest, COM
ing up behind me, placed huge hand
upon my shoulder and swung me
round without the least apparent ef-
fort.
II do not know what your business
is, monsieur" he said, "but IL II were
an honest one you would state 1t to
me- If you wish to see M. Duchaine
am best qualified to assist you to do
so, since visit his chateau twice each
year to carry the consultations of re.
ligion to him and his people. But II
your business is not honest IL will fail
End Ii, then, and return to your own
country"
| II do not intend to discuss my bust.
ness with you, monsieur" answered
angrily.
He Iof mo mn and stood ovoio0 ma