Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-21
CHAPTER XI-(Continued)

He dared not offer more than this
overt act of consolation. Tears were on
Ncr cheeks. On this blazing pyre her
own hopes of honest work and live
HOOD were being offered up. She felt
more utterly homeless than when she
had walked out OF Monarda clearing.
She felt a vague, wistful fear that
now her people were homeless, too.
She had heard what the men said.
She understood how this tragedy
would be translated by those who did
not know her people as she knew
them. The confagration lighted all
the scene for her. She gazed here and
there and saw faces of the children.
The children were huddled among the
elders, and all their faces were sad.
The resentment, the suspicion, the
PASSIONS. the grudges of the grown
folks were not in the children. The
children understood best of all what
the loss Of the school meant
tThey stood there and mourned the
tSols with which their hands had
YX& III NhAS " a. lidu OptIltu
.yew vistas Of opportunity to them.
Ley mourned the building which had
housed them and which had grown
dear to them without ceasing to be
wonderful; each remembered some bit
Of unfinished work which had been
put aside lovingly until the morrow.
The children had had so little in their
lives until the school opened its doors
to all the valley! So their faces were
sad; and Evangeline looked down on
them and understood.
Once more she felt that mysterious
s~xaltation swelling within her. Bold
devotion to these poor people thrilled
her. Intuitively she understood them
In their candor, their simple hearted.
ness-kind and generous, but as ire.
sponSble as children. She knew that
those in authority would judge them
a. men and women; the judgment did
them injustice.
Aldrich left her with a muttered
word. He walked down from the
AkllOCh. Ilc WcnI " bOulS bldlS. Inc
young attorney was threading his
way. among the people, haranguing
them.
''They will taunt us. They will say
We have burned their schoolhouse,
good men and women of Attegat.
Their own guilty consciences will
make them say that. They know in
side that we had good reason to burn
It. But we did not do SO. or course,
the good folks of his parish would
not break the law. The Yankees will
accuse themselves when they accuse
us. They know that this school was
placed here to break our spirit, to
train our boys and girls TO be slaves
to the Yankees. 1t is better out OF
the way. We had nothing to do with
removing it. But this fire shows that
the luck of the Acadians is turning
Keep on and follow the right LEAD
after this"
II do not like that talk, Blais.
The attorney whirled and blinkeC
angrily at the mar who had dared t.
interrupt him. You have been bus,
here in this parish for a week or so
stirring trouble, Now see what ha,
happened! Are you trying to ruin
these people?"
Il think 1t is YOU job to sniff aloni
me trail of smugglers.'' retorted tn
4 ------ a-.ra,tIy aVnVtfd haitian cNtnl
70 your Job"
II will attend to that work as Al
ofacer, Blais. But I'm talking to 20
fust now as a a You have bee
= ote'boying on these men and standin
back to look on. as you'd watch. a dos
f1ght. You are as much responsible
for this dreadful happening al thong
you had poured the oil and lighte
the match" he declared. holly.
$50 now you are accusing my friend
and neighbors Of being firebugs, ar
Tou. you Yankee spy?' demanded III
lawyer, with just as much heat. "Ths
a an insult and I resent it in the
name"
The bystanders crowded closer, her
med In the two, and men muttert
xoDentfully.
Aldrich's nature had no guile in
~ always struck out openly at a
~<,versary. He did not fence. Bla
- the Gallo temperament. In TIL
<,,ronx, with those listeners. he WI
re than a match for a Yank'
u1.ose chief merit was his straightfo
<rordne~s.
>rxou ell be careful what you So
ne OIL my people. M'ser Custom
a advanced with uprais'
nneer. 81 Re are laws to protect
from der"
"And there are other laws! The
ars laws against treason, Blais. The
- laws against provoking mob vi
v r.nce. Don't try to fool me. You a
knave, and / understand YOU"
"a straightarm attack, with Angl
nsxon directness.
rlais. his face convulsed with pa
IN. beat swift tattoo on his bres
I'm his palm.
~ am insulted-slandered for yo
~. my good friends. Listen
II has always been bolt "
~ BE- 20. The Yankees call
ana Villains. They spit upon
.<~&fl But n n TO have an CT