The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1920-02-20

a guest in my home and have pre-
sumed upon that fact to turn my
daughter from me?"
II love her." answered Hilary sim.
ply.
The words seemed to sting Rosny
to the quick. You are presumptuous
monsieur" he cried. Perhaps you
TOO, thought that the heiress went with
the trees?"
Madeleine cried out and laid her
hands appealingly upon her fathers
arm; he did not repulse her, but con.
tinued speaking as if he were not con.
scious of her presence.
"She shall never be your wife. You
nave done harm enough here, mon
sieur. When you are well my caleche
is at your disposition, to take you back
to your mill. And henceforward, I'M
less you claim the last inch of your
legal rights to cut about the Chateau
which do not think you will" he add
ed with reluctant justice-'let us see
| you no more"
You are unjust!" cried Madeleine.
I'VE love each other. There exists no
reason why we should not love. Mon
sieur Askew is as good as any man."
San American cried Rosny hotly.
This is not his country, and our ways
| are not his. He Is not one of u.s."
Yet you were not too proud to
pledge me to that other man, who is
not one of us either, except by remote
race. Against my will. Without my
knowledge"
Enough" cried Rosny. cit is all
pastT
THE memory is not past. Yes. you
pledged me to him and placed the first
links OF the chain about my neck, hop
ing that the understanding, to which
l was no party, would gradually en-
mesh me, capture me, that should be-
come his wife and save your land for
you"
The Seigneur turned on her q look
in which humiliation struggled with
anger. He seemed stupefied by her
outburst. Hilary interposed.
Monsieur Rosny, love Madeleine,
and l intend to marry her." he said
calmly. "But 1 realize your feelings,
and l understand how great shock
this has been. You invited me to de-
part when I am well. am we'll enough
to depart now. But shall return, to
see her and to plead our cause frank
ly with you. There exists now no
reason, no valid reason"
"You shall never come herer ~ thun-
dered the Seigneur, .:.sing all self-con-
troll. '"The day whess sold your uncle
the timber rights over my land was the
most evil day of my life. Golf you
are well, go! My caleche is ready for
you. Go, monsieur, in Gods name, and
trouble me no longer!"
He raised his voice and shouted,
"Robitaille! Robitaille!"
From some place in the recesses of
the Chatueau feeble, quavering cry
answered him. And through the door
man come shutting to obey his master
And, as he looked at him, his re-
sentiment died. The two old men
ROsny in his brown swallow-tails and
the tight trousers strapped under his
boots, Robitaille, in the faded buffers
uniform, seemed playing a part, acting
in some scene laid in the long past.
Or, rather, they were the past. They
had no place in the modern world,
those ancient figures in their ancient |
dress, and with their ancient ways. |
They numbered the stage of life, lin
gering there when their exits were
long overdue. They were unreal as |
phantom figures glimpsed in a wild |
dream. Pity for the two futile old |
men choked Hilary's throat. He could
feel nothing but that as he watched
Robitaille come to the door, bObbing
and shutting, with stiffened joints that
made him more like marionette.
But he felt, too, the urgency of TAX
ing Madeleine away, into a world of
reality, before the same dream in
fected her.
She came up to Hilary softly and
placed her fingers on his arm, looking
INTO his face wistfully.
"You must go, dear, and not try to
him now" she said. at has
been q terrible blow to him. He looks
50 i'll. 1 am afraid for him. l shall
come to you tomorrow and tell you"
"Robitaille," said the Seigneur,
Monsieur Askew has decided, much
o my grief, to leave this afternoon.
You will have the goodness to pack
lis things and to prepare the caleche
or him. You will drive him to the
nill"
The old man muttered acquiescence
nd shuffied away. Hilary turned to-
yard Rosny. Frankly he held out his
and. The action might have been i'll
lined, but it responded to his deep
Gated feeling. But Rosny did not seem {
0 see the gesture. He stood staring [
cross the room, one hand clutching I
is spreading collar, and his face, {
;hich had been white and red, was
urple. 7
Hilary turned away. He had reached G
he door when he heard sound as if G
.osny was clearing his throat. Then 7
fadeleine cried out in fear. Hilary I
lrned, to see Rosny sit heavily down d
/ his chair. His eyes closed, his arms q
rooped over the sides; his head fell q
n his breast. U
Hilary ran to him. He was uncon- |,
,ious, and breathing heavily. Hilary s
led to raise him, to carry him to the c
ia, but the man seemed made of iron h
5 he lay, dead weight, in Hilary's
rms. r
At Medicines cry old Robitaille c
al Turned foo and he came Shuff1ip0 Z,