The Crittenden press., 1920-01-30

''hh'hNuhl ulltINuTu lHul, VIII lilOUen
her words We're, and untrue he did not
then deny them.
Madeleine looked up and. meeting
his eyes. grew calm. Lafe stepped for.
ward, bent down and gently raised Hi.
ary's head from her knee. He placed
his hands beneath the shoulders, sup
porting them, while Father Luclrn lift
ed the lower part Of the body, and thus
they carried the stricken man through
the shanty toward the buggy.
The cure made a motion to Lafe to
enter "You and Mndemolselle Rosny
viii drive to my house," he said "As
there Is no room for me, walk. give
you the key, because my housekeeper
Is gone to bed and must not be fright.
ened."
NO, to the Chateau" said Madeleine
Rosny. do you think he shall 20 any
where else, monsieur, when lie Is like
thisT
Her voice rang proudly, the tone ad.
mitted Of no opposition. The cure was
silent.
Lafe drew Hilary into the bottom of
the buggy and crouched there, sup.
porting the head and the upper part
of his body. But Madeleine, watchful.
uttered low cry. A little blood was
lenking through the bandage. She
hastened TO the other side Of the rig
and began adjusting II. while the cure
turned toward the crowd, which was
looking on in panlcky silence, broken
only by low words and mutterlngs.
This is bad nights work that you
have dOne!" he cried. "You shall pay
for II. every man here, and the assas-
sins too. know them ALL"
The man who stepped forward was
the foreman of the mill, by name Mac.
Pherson. a decent workman and de-
scendant Of one of Wolfes Highland
ers who had settled along the coast
and perpetuated their names and
something of their stanch character
II nothing else Of their race survived.
wv hi' i'A ull EulINN. leg
sler," he said. 81 knew nothing of this
until the deed was done. or should
have used every effort to prevent It.
These people asked me to speak for
them. They say that they broke down
the stable door and saved his life when
he was about to be cut to pieces"
His lfe!" cried Father LucIen,
scornfully. His life hangs by thread:
and II he dies his murderers shall
hang for H. And you are guilty equal
ly." he continued, addressing the
crowd. which seemed to melt under his
burning tones. you left him lie there
and bleed to death. And listen fur
ther. You think that Monsieur Askew
brought the revenue officers TO Ste.
Marie. Do not hate Ste. Marie more
than he? Yet even would not bring
the officers here until had used every
means To clean up the evil there. 1t
WIS Monsieur Morris who brought
them. for he told me so"
There was sensation nj the priests
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
Ia the lumbermen.
YES, you left him TO dle!" she cried
In 'scOrn. you were afraid. and you
forgot that strangers who come upon
our land, upon our seignlory, are under
our protection" Her eyes blazed as
she denounced them. "You have for
gotten your ancient loyalty In these
days. Messleurs. You have no memory
of your Seignieur and what you owe
TO him-stll your Seigneur, although
YOU no longer grind and hew for him
You have forgotten !"
There was another movement among
the crowd. Her words seemed 10 stir
them even more than the priests had
done, "No, no. mademolselle I" cried
several voices. NO! We have not
forgotten"
MACPHERSON came forward again.
They thought" he said, "NIademoi.
selle, that Monsieur Brousseaus enc
mics were yours"
l.nfe saw the girl stagger as II she
had received blow. She put he-
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 relns aud
began 10 urge the horse, very slowly,
along the road. The cure came to the
side of the vehicle.
IL shall come tO the Chateau, then,
Madcmolscllc RoSny," he said
Madeleine did not answer him. Pres
entity Iafe, crouching In the bottom Of
the buggy, heard her sobbIng again.
low. hcartbrokcn sohs that she could
not check for long time. Sometimes
she took her eyes from 'hc rond to look
for moment into llilary's face, aud
once she stopped for Il moment.
How is hcy" She asked.
"llr is living, Mudcmolsclc." said
Lafe, And that was all he dared to
say.
There was no lantern, and Madeleine
needed all hcr watchfulness to avoid
the stones nnd ruts In The road. Luck.
lily the moon wus bright and the horse
Stcndy. once. us the buggy swung
round n bend, Lnfc, looking out. suw
the cure trudgng behind shaking his
heavy stick. lie heard Madeleine still
sohhIng Ills avn heart was heavy
enough, he blamed himself for lill.
nry's misfortune. lie should have
stood by him. Aud he had meant to do
81. hut he hnd not calculated that
Hilary would walk 50 fast or 80 to ST.
Bnnifucc 81 soon.
The trees fell away, disclosing the
Rosny chateau. The buggy stopped be.
fore the door IN front of which the