Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1920-06-04

o'ch do Hc sfcW oio-
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 ap-
preached.
Forgive me II annoy thee, Marie"
he said humbly. "Thou knowest-"
"Yes. Jean. know that you have
prosecuted me more than all st. Boni-
face" she answered.
"Msrie." he cried passionately. ''if
could know that thou vast safe here,
/ should never trouble thee again."
She turned on him angrly. well.
can take care of myself" she an
swered. .If I choose to go 20 Ste.
Marie, what Is 1t to you? Besides.
there will be no 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 1
feared 1t was Black Pierre; but he
swore to me that 1t was not so, on the
second day after the work on the boom
began" So Baptiste reckoned time.
And he swore 1t was Monsieur Askew
loved thee"
| Marie burst into reckless laughter.
| II know that thou canst never care
for me-" Baptiste persisted "But IL
he wrongs thee kill him. Note well
i kill him ~
Marie laughed bitterly and more
loudly 1t 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 1t
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 it noise
lessly. A shadow was waiting there.
"C'est toi, Nanette?"
"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 seen Le-
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 lin
its with threats by Morris. However,
Leblanc had sent her a message that
| some day soon, IL 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 If she
brought back Marie. He was to take
her to the city, to marry her and give
her 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
|
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 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 Intoxi-
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 more brandy on her. and each
time that she refused he grew angrier.
Once she began to cry. and then,
afraid Of his gathering rage. pleaded
with him:
"Pierre, am afraid. thought It
was a bigger boat. am afraid Of your
friend. Take me home. Some other