The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1920-06-26

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She remained silent and utterly quiz
escent. So strong had the inhibition
grown that she could not have told,
had she been willing to do so, save
under the impulse of some OverpOw-
ering mental shock. And, armed by
the years, she grew calm as he grew
violent, and her mind passed under
the domination of the old habit.
He let her go and stood beside her,
pulling at his gray beard and smiling.
Marie had never seen her father smile
at such a time before. And there came
into her mind an idea which had
never seemed possible, that some day
she might yield up her secret. The
mental inhibition of lifetime was
breaking under the stress.
Dupont strobe toward the door,
stopped there, and looked back,
Il go now TO the schooner" he said.
Il shall be aboard till we sail this eve
ming. If thou come 10 me before sail
and tell me the name, l give thee his
life, one life for another"
What life? What other?" cried the
girl wildly.
He glared into her eyes, and the
look in his own was that of a man
devil-haunted.
"Dost thou think l do not know" he
cried, "Of Monsieur Askew and thee,
or that MademOiselle has broken her
betrOthal with him because of thee?"
He turned toward her with a menacing
gesture. "The namew he Numbered.
She covered under his words, and
the name now trembled upon her lips.
But before she spoke it Dupont was
gone.
He was gone, and she was alone In
the gray of the morning, watching the
gray sea heave under q Frightening
sky, as she had watched it all her life.
And her fathers appearance in her
room seemed unreal as dream.
All day she watched him from the
cottage, busy about his ship, piling the
logs on deck. All day she waited,
stunned, and incapable of action, re-
peating over and over in her mind her
fathers words, whose meaning was
unintelligible to her. Yet st. Boniface
remained unchanged in that ruin that
had come upon her Men laughed
noisily as they StrOlled from their
work at noon, children shouted at
play; the hum of the mill was q soft
undertOne accompanying the horror In
her heart. 1t seemed incredible that
st. Boniface could know nothing, when
the whole universe was crying out
against her.
1t was late in the afternoon when
she saw two figures SLOUGH toward the
vessel. She recognized Pierre and Lee
blanc. And in a moment she under
stood the meaning Of their appearance.
Murder was being planned, against
Hilary, who had saved her. She
watched them go on board, paralyzed
with fear.
Then the power Of action, return.
ing, shattered the paralysis Of will
that held her. She ran bareheaded
from the cottage, through the streets
of st. Boniface, toward the Chateau.
She must get help there; her thoughts
turned instinctively thither, as st.
Boniface had always turned for aid
toward its Seigneur.
Madeleine, seated In her room, with
her memories Of her dead, heard the
door bell jangle. She went down, to
see Marie in the hall. At the sight
Of the girl a feeling Of repulsiOn, wild
and unreasonable, stiffened her. but
when she looked into her face, she
spoke gently.
What Is it?' she asked.
'Mademolselle." stammered the girl.
they are planning to kill him."
"Whom?"
Monsieur Askew, who saved me
from Pierre that day. MademOiselle, /
have only now learned what they say
-of him and me. 1t is not true. And
they are going to murder him. ! came
to you to save him."
Where is he?"
ale is going on board tonight. Per-
haps he Is there now. Pierre and Lee
blanc are waiting for him there"
"Wait herel" cried Madeleine.
She ran back into the Chateau, put
on her coat and hat, and took a re-
volyer which had lain for many years
unused in a drawer Of a cabinet. She
hurried to the stable, harneSsed the
horse, and brought the sleigh to the
door. She motlOned to Marie to enter.
leaped In. and took the reins, and the
two girls started along the road
through the forest.
1t was a difficult journey through
the deep snow. Often the horse foun.
dered knee-deep In the drifts, and the
way seemed endless; but near the viii
lage the snow was tFamped hard. and |
the sleigh went like the wind Neither |
Of the girls spoke. but before the eyes
Of each was the same dreadful picture. |
At last they emerged from the for
est and crossed the bridge. The hum
Of the Mill had ceased, and had been |
succeeded By another sound, well |
known to dwellers along the st. Law.
renee shores when winter arrives: The
stirring Of the Ice foes as the impend-
Ing storm drives them together to their
long winter anchorage.
The sleigh went madly along the
wharf, which groaned and creaked as
the ice battered 1t on either side. Made
lelne sprang from the sleigh and ran
on board the schooner, which was al
ready moving.