The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1920-04-16

stopped uncertainty In the corridor be
hind the entrance Madeleine came TO
ward him
My father thanks yon. Mr. Con-
nell" she said and though the tears
rafned down her face she smiled. ut
is like the lifting OF u nightmare" she
whispered
YES. mademoiselle." said Lafe. "Buf
it was you ] wanted chiefly to see'
You saw me. What else is there to
say? Mr. ConneIl. If you have come
here on any other mission it is hope
less. Why did you let him send you
for-for that?" she continued. reading
his face.
Because he's my friend" said Lafe.
But he didn't send me here. He's
talking of going away. That's why
came"
He saw her start. then control her.
self.
I'm forty years old" said I.afe. and
conscious of the ineptness of the be
ginning hesitated I'm forty years
to be your father. mademoiselle. hut
old enough to be sort of uncle.
though l amt got your education. That
don't matter. It's experience that
counts. and knowledge of the world.
And l seen good bit more of life
than you. mademolselle.
Il seen enough to learn one thing.
and that is that Observation-Disclosures are
the cause of nearly all the trouble In
the world. When Mr.. Askew come
here l wasn't altogether too much
crooked work that Morris and Mon
sieur Brousseau was doing with the
seigniory lumber. Then when l got
to know Hilary Askew saw that he
was clean straight through
He let his hand fall lightly on the
girls shoulder. The gesture. which
might have been an offense In some.
was instructive. and, like most In
stinctive actions. fitting. LATE. I'M
couth. unlettered. standing before
Madeleine Rosny. seemed like be-
nevolent guardian.
"When he came TO like you I was
glad" continued Lafe. But when you
came to like him l was just about an
my wife, l mean-out of the First
Methodist church at Shoeburyport
Mass. on August II, 1902. with her
white veil hiding her. and theIl orange
flowers she was carrying seeming up
the place not quite so glad. may
be, but not far shy of 1t. And you
think he wasn't true to you? What
man in his senses wouldn't be?"
Il won't hear your cried the girl,
summoning her defiance to her aid.
He should have spoken for himself.
What right have you to speak for him.
sent or unsent?''
"Why. / thought I'd explain that,
mamZelle. Just because I'm his
friend" said Lafe 1T amt true Not
word of that story's true. I'm going
to tell you the truth. But first I'm GO
ing to say what 1 got to say, because
it's true. You haven't acted rightly
toward him-no, you haven't, man.
zeller
The passionate gesture, the sincerity
of his tone dominated her. She tried
to find her voice and could not: she
tried to find Indignation and could not.
''We went to Ste. Marie together to
see conditions there, TO see what
sort of place Simeon Duval was run
ming. The girl was there. 1t was the
night of the raid, and we helped hei
away. She got home. and her father
never knew Little Baptiste knew. and
others who'd seen her with US. They
told Brousseau, and he started those
lies about Mr. Askew. who never knew
THAT fellow Pierre, Brousseau's
man. had his eye on the girl. You know
the sort of work he's done along this
coast. Maybe you don't, but It's devils
work. mamzelle, and he and Leblan,
lured Marie into boat by means OF
their decoy, Nanette Bonnat, and TOOK
her TO the island. We found them
there. and saved her, and brought the
girls back. That's all. Now you
know. Now you understand how
you've done Hilary wrong. If you
don't believe me-" Lafe continued dog.
gedly. "just tell me how much you
don't believe, and III prove it. TIL
prove every word: you don't have 10
take me on trust
do you think am capable of seek.
eNlucuCe liidl Iudn Is TRUE W
me?" cried Madeleine. do you think
1 am going into st. Boniface to pry
into your friends actions?"
you love him, mamzelle" said LATE,
with patience that would not ba
thwarted. Il can read that in your
face. You love him, and you've dona
him a wrong. Well, mamzelle. you
can't lie down under that. You can't
bearit. You've got to right it."
She burst into helpless tears. 81
hoped that he would come to me-" she
whispered.
Hillary Askew amt that kind of 81
man." said LATE.
HE refused to defend himself
He'd promised Marie TO say moth
ing"
Let me pass. / have heard yon'
But LATE stood in the way. "You'ra
going to tell him it's all right" he said
''Ill arrange it so it won't hurt your
pride, if that's worth keeping"
'How dare you insult me? Let him
come to me! Let him come anS
plead"
'.Mamzelle.'
Il shall never go to him -
And LATE had reached the end. His