The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1920-09-08

There was sensation AZ the priest
words. An excited babble broke out.
Madeleine, who had just completed
the bandaging. halted with one foot
upon the step Of the buggy and turned
to the lumbermen.
Eyes, you left him to diel" she cried
In scorn. "You were afraid, and you
forgot that strangers who come upon
our land, upon our seigniory. are under
our protection" Her eyes blazed as
she denounced them. "You have for
gotten your ancient loyalty In these
days, Messieurs. You have no memory
Of your Seignieur and what you owe
to him-still your Seigneur. although
you no longer grind and hew for him
Yca have forgottenw
There was another movement among
the crowd. Her words seemed to stir
them even more than the priests had
done. ~No, no, mademoisellel cried
several. voices. mo! We have not
forgotteni"
Macpherson came forward again.
'sThey thought" he said, "Mademoi-
selle, that Monsieur Brousseau's enc
mics were yours"
Lafe saw the girl stagger as II she
had received blow. She put her
hand upon the buggy wheel and leaned
thus for moment. staring into Mac
Pherson's face. Then. without word,
she stepped In. took up the reins and
began to urge the horse, very slowly,
along the road. The cure came to the
side of the vehicle.
IL shall come to the Chateau, then,
Mademoiselle Rosny," he said.
Madeleine did not answer him. Pres
emily Lafe. crouching In the bottom OF
the buggy. heard her sobbing again,
low, heartbroken sobs that she could
not check for long time. Sometimes
she took her eyes from the road to look
for moment into Hilary's face, and
once she stopped for moment.
"How is her she asked.
HE Is living, Mademoiselle." said
Lafe. And that was all he dared to
say.
There was no lantern. and Madeleine
needed all her watchfulness to avoid
the stones and ruts In the road. Luck
fly the moon was bright and the horse
steady. Once, as the buggy swung
round O bend, LATE. looking out, saw
the cure trudging behind. shaking his
heavy. stick. He heard Madeleine still
sobbing. His own heart was heavy
enough; he blamed himself for Hill
ary's misfortune. He should have
stood by him. And he had meant to do
80. But he had not calculated that
Hilary would walk so fast or go to st.
Boniface SO soon.
The trees fell away, disclosing the
Rosny chateau. The buggy stopped be-
fore the door In front of which the
Seigneur and the old retainer were
standing, with anxious faces. Made
ieine bent swiftly over Hilary and
raised his limp hand; then she turned
her eyes to Lafe's, mutely asking him
that question which could not be
spoken.
sHe Is no worse" said Lafe.
The Seigneur and his man came to-
ward them. MACPHERSON telephoned
60 the post Office and they brought me
the news" he said. you did quite
right. Madeleine. Gently. now, Mon
sieur," he added. addressing Connell
and together they raised Hilary from
the buggy floor. Remember the steps
Now. will go backward-so." r..
They were inside the Chateau, carry
Ing their burden between the rows Of
portraits into room which had beer
q drawing room In bygone days, fur
nished with spindle-legged furniture
gilt mirrors and ormolu cabinets. A
bed In corner showed that Its use hat
been converted, probably because thu
upper part of the Chateau was NJ
longer habitable.
Madeleine Rosny came In with he
arms full Of bed linen. diffusing thu
scent Of wintergreen. Lafe and he
father got Hilary to bed. He was stir
ring now. beginning to toss his arm
and mutter In delirium. The pulls
was stronger. but the flush which ha'
supplanted the pallor denoted fever
Presently the cure entered and wen
straight to the bedside. The three me-
looked at Hilary and at each other.
II have seen men who were wounde
worse recover" said Edmond Rosn,
AHe has bled much, but the heart
uninjured, and unless the lung
gravely hurt well. we shall sc
to II that ne gets WELL" he ende
abruptly.
There was nothing mose Come
could DO. He would have stayed. br
he felt that he must await the issu
In patience. Madeleine was alread
established Mt Hilary's bedside.
LATE went In softly. Il shall com
early in the morning. MademoiseIl
Rosny,- ne said. Il want to say
about what you said to Father Luc
tonight mean It was my fault.
guess I'm the only one TO blame.
ought to have stood by him, and
went away. You did more than mi
mademoiselle, and II wasn't up
you. mean. II wasn't your bushes
"a ave him"