The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-09-05

N'NNN ~
I call Madeleine knows whether 1t IS
my overCoat or my pipe or slippers
that l 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,
81 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 90, 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 q region,
unless, as the rumOr is, he has discOv-
cred coal fields upon the ~seigniOry and
holds M. DuChaine in his power. We'll,
monsieur, a party sails with Captain
Duhamel on tonight's tide, which will
carry me down the gulf also. Captain
Duhamel's boat is berthed at the same
pier as mine upon the opposite side.
1--WE start together, then, but I shall
expect to gain several hours during
the four days Journey, for l 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.
81 shall telegraph to my friend Dan
ION nt c. pnrsno - Ia-z u
and dogs at your disposal when you
arrive, and a tent, food and sleeping
bags" continued Captain Dubois, "for
It must be q hundred and fifty miles
from st. BonifaCe TO the Chateau Du-
Chaine. And so, with half a days
start, you will have nothing to fear
from LerouX-Only remember that he
has no %scruples. Still I do not think
he will catch you and Mile. Jacqueline
before you reach Chateau Duchaine,"
he ended, chuckling at his sagacity.
"Ah, well, monsieur, who else could
your lady be-" he asked, smiling at my
surprise. ~ knew we'll that some day
she must leave those wilds. Besides,
did | not convey her here from St.
BOniface on my return, less than a
week ago.. when she pleaded for Sc
crecy? I suspected something agitat-
ed her then. SO it was to find q hus-
band that she departed thus?"
SO Jacqueline had left her home not
more than a week before! And the
captain had no suspicion that she was
l ~ nrrt %hAD Wa DA.o
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?
I 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 a small cabin for Jacque-
line and another for myself adjoining.
I was very well satisfied and inquired
the terms.
"Diable! If 1t we're not for the chill
dren there should be no terms !" ex-
claimed the captain. "But 1t 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 i rendered him.
by the way" l said, do you know
a priest named Pere AntoineT"
"An old manr 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 we'll 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 at ray 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 I could see 1t outlined
upon the cliff l soon found myself los,
among the maze Of narrow streets In
which / was wandering. A man was
coming up the street behind me, and
turned to question him, but as l de
creased my pace he diminished his
also, and when I quickened mine he
went faster as well. I began to have
an uneasy sense that he might be fol
lowing me. and accordingly FASTENED
onward until l came to a road which
seemed to lead up the hill toward thu
ramparts.
Hewlett is WayIaid and
iii -- - l.k Il