The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1920-05-06
Copyright by A. c. AcClurg 4 Co.

I caught her hand in mine and held
it firmly.
perhaps T do understand. 1t was
my knowledge of this very condition
which first brought me to you" ,
"You heard about us on the boat
the Warrior?' Did father tell your"
"No; it was Kirby. He was actual
~ proud of what he had done-boast-
ed to me of his success. l have never
known a man so heartlessly conceited.
Eloise. listen. You may have thought
this was largely an accident. 1t was
not; it was a deliberately planned,
cold-blooded plot. I tell you that Joe
Kilby is of the devils own breed; he
is not human. Rene's father told him
first of the peculiar conditions at Beau
caire."
"Rene's father! Does-does he still
liveY'
,"No; but he did live for years after
he disappeared, supporting himself by
gambling on the lower river. At one
time he and Kirby were together. At
ter he died Kirby investigated his
story in st. Louis and found that it
was true. Then he laid this plot to
gain control of everything, including
both of you girls, The man dreamed
Of owning Beaucaire, Of possessing all
it contained. He was willing to risk
everything to carry OUT his hell-born
scheme. and to ruin everyone who in
terfered with him. I am telling you
all this, Eloise, because it is now time
you should know. Will you not tell
me just how it all came to you?"
Her hands chung to me, as though
she dare not let 60, her eyes were
filed with a mingling of wonderment
and pain.
"Why, of course. We thought it
best not to 60 until after we could see
the lawyer. I could not believe my
father had neglected to set those two
free-he-he loved them both. Della
and Rene had gone down TO the Land
ing that night to see if he had re-
turned. We were both of us afraid to
leave Rene aiOne-she "a so despOn-
dent, sc unstrung. 1t was dark and /
was all alone in the house. Then these
men came. They did not know me
and I did not know them, but I was
sure what they came for. 1 was ter
ribly frightened, without an idea what
to do-only I refused to talk. All I
could do vas to pray that the others
might be warned, and not return. They
searched the house and then left this
man Tim to guard me. He told me he
was a deputy sheriff from st. Louis,
and-and I encouraged him to explain
all he knew about the case. Then I
made up my mind what to do would
pretend to be Rene, and let them carry
me off instead of her"
But did you not realize the danger
to yourself?"
mo, I suppose I didn't, or, rather, 1
did not care. All ! thought about was
how to save her. These were law Off
GERS; they would take me to st. Louis
before a court. Then 1 could make
myself known and would be set free.
They couldn't do anything else, could
they? There was. no law by which l
could be held, but-but, don't you see?
The delay might. give Rene time to es-
cape. That was not wrong, was it,"
Wrong! 1t was one of the bravest
things / ever heard of. And I know
the rest-your encounter with Kirby
in the library. I overheard all of that
through the open Window and how
you learned from him that certain
legal papers would have to be served
on Eloise Beaucaire before any of the
slaves could be touched, or removed
from the estate. That knowledge only
brought you new courage to play out
your part. But why did you trust me
enough Ito 60 with me? And, after
trusting me 81 fully, why did you re-
fuse to tell me who you really .were?"
Her eyes fell before mine, and her
cheeks were flushed.
"You think that strange? I did trust
you, Lieutenant Knox, and I trusted
you more. completely the longer we
were together. But-but / did not
wholly understand. You were endeav-
oring to rescue Rene from slavery. I
could not conceive what interest you
might feel If I should confess myself
Eloise. You were strange to me; we
were there alone with the negro, and
and somehow it seemed a protection
to me to claim a drop of black blood.
Twice / thought to tell you-the words
were on my lips-but something
stopped them. Possibly, just a little, /
was afraid Of you."
"Then-but not nOw?' @S
"No, not now-not even a little you
have proven yourself all / ever hoped
yOu WOult be. I am glad-so glad-to
say to you now, / am Moise Beau"
She stopped suddenly, the word
half uttered. the smile fading from her
New York.-The annual report Of.
the American Sugar Refining Co. for
1919, just issued. shows 4 gain 81
b4.36 per cent over 1913. The operat
Ing profits increased from $6,06l,664
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