The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-06-10

sion as he grew old.
Baptiste. having seen Dupont aboard,
went back. Marie was seated in the
doorway again; the incident had
ceased to trouble her. Nothing would
trouble her again. Baptiste saw the
quick start of anticipation as he APP
preached.
Forgive me If / annoy thee, Marie"
he said humbly. "Thou knowest-'
"Yes, Jean, / know hat you have
prosecuted me more than all st. Boni-
face" she answered.
MARIE" he cried p~assionately, "if
/ could know that thou vast safe here,
/ should never trouble thee again."
She turned on him angrily. well,
I can take care of myself she an
swered. IF I choose to go to Ste.
Marie, what is 1t to you? Besides,
there will be DO more dancing until
next summer"
But he is here" persisted Baptiste
stubbornly.
"Who?" she cried in agitation, fear
ing that he had discovered her secret.
"He-Monsieur Askew. At first /
feared 1t was Black Pierre; but he
swore to me that it was not so, on the
second day after the work on the boom
began" So Baptiste reckoned time.
"And he swore it was Monsieur Askew
loved thee"
Marie burst into reckless laughter.
II know that thou canst never care
for me-" Baptiste persisted. "But If
he wrongs thee I kill him. Note well
Il kill him"
Marie laughed bitterly and more
loudly. II was amusing to spite and
deceive st. Boniface. even through
Baptiste. Yet, when he was gone back
to his schooner, something that she did
not understand quite Unexpectedly
rose In her throat and choked her. She
wanted to call him back. She was
amazed; st. Boniface was growing
dear to her. 1t was becoming what it
had never been, her home. She looked
out of her window and saw her ia
theirs schooner depart, with tapping
sails, under the moon. She pictured
Baptiste asleep aboard his vessel. The
little man had been kind to her. She
wept.
Presently there came the faintest
tap at the door. She opened 1t noise
lessly. A shadow was waiting there.
"C'est tot, NanetteT"
"He is waiting for thee upon the
shore. And he has brought back my
lover to me. as he promised. We go to
Quebec together aboard his ship"
Nanette's voice was tremulous with
happiness. She had never seer Lee
blanc since the day when he aban-
doned her In Ste. Marie. She had
learned that he was working in st.
Boniface; but when she went there to
find him she was ordered from the linn
its with threats by Morris, However,
Leblanc had sent her a message that
some day soon, If she did not attempt
to find him. he would return to her.
She had lived in that unquenched hope
and now that wonderful day had
dawned, for he was to meet her # she
brought back Marie. He was to take
her to the city, to marry her and give
her a ring. Then she, too, would have
shaken the dust of st. Boniface from
her shoes forever.
Marie Dupont locked the door, and
the two girls stole away side by side
in the gray Of the morning along the
beach until they reached the place
where Pierre and Leblanc were wait
Ing. Pierre caught Marie in his arms
and pressed his lips to hers. 1t was
the first time anyone had kissed her.
She trembled, half afraid, half regret
full, as one who hovers upon the brink
of the irrevocable.
The girls sat in the tiny cabin, while
Pierre and Leblanc ran up the sails.
As the sloop began to pitch In the
rough waters Marie grew more afraid.
She was conscious that her happiness
had left her.
They had started too late. In the
middle of the channel the little boat
with its primitive centerboard was
caught In the rough currents that beat
about the rocks and shoals at the turn
Of the tide. They drifted steadily
down the north shore. Pierre cursed
as he strove to tack. Leblanc pro
duced a bottle of brandy and began to
drink. Pierre made Marie swallow
some, and when Leblanc relieved him
grew more boisterous In his love-mak.
ing. Nanette was already half ,ntoxi-
Gated. Presently the two men fell to
quarreling. until the realization that
they were below the island and max.
Ing for the open gulf sobered them.
1t was no such departure as Marie
had anticipated. She crouched In the
cabin In growing fear, terrified at the
change In Pierre and In Nanette,
Again and again Pierre came to her to
force nor brandy on her. and each
time that she refused he grew argrier.
Once she began to cry. and then.
afraid Of his gathering rage. pleaded
with hsm:
'Fserre, I am afraid. / thought n
was a bigger boat. I am afraid Of your
friend. Take me home. Some other
time i will come"
He cursed her and shook her from
him. Then, as she chung to him again.