The Rice belt journal., 1920-05-29


sumed upon that fact to turn my
daughter from me2"
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
have 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, un-
less you claim the last inch of your
legal rights to cut about the Chateau
which l do not think you will" he add
ed with reluctant justice-"let US see
you no more"
"You are unjustw cried Madeleine.
1--WE love each other. There exists no
reason why we should not love. Mon
sieur Askew is as good as any man."
IAN Americana 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"
"Enoughw cried Rosny. ut is all
past"
"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
/ 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 look
in which humiliation struggled with
anger. He seemed stupeied by her
outburst Hilary interposed.
Monsieur Rosny, l love Madeleine,
and l intend to marry her" he said
calmly. "But / realize your feelings
and l understand how great shock
this has been. You invited me to de
part when am well. am we'll enough
to depart now. But shall return, te
see her and to plead our cause frank
ly with you. There exists now nc
reason, no valid reason"
"Y0u shall never come here!" thun
dered the Seigneur, losing all self-con
troll. "The day when sold your uncle
the timber rights over my land was thu
most evil day of my life. Go-f yo'
are well, gol My caleche is ready fol
you. Go, monsieur, in Gods name, ant
trouble me no longer!"
He raised his voice ano shouteu
"Robitaille! R0bitailleW
From some place In the recesses o
the Chatueau a feeble, quavering or,
answered him. And through the door
way Hilary saw the ancient servinI
man come shuffiing to obey his master
| And, as he looked at him, his re
sentiment died. The two old men
Rosny in his brown swallow-tails ant
the tight trousers strapped under hi
boots, Robitaille, in the faded butler
Uniform, seemed playing part. actin
In some scene laid lin the long pas
Or, rather, they were the past The
had no place In the modern world
those ancient figures in their ancien
dress, and with their ancient ways
They numbered the stage OF life, liz
gering there when their exits wer
long overdue. They were unreal a
phantom figures gllmpsed In a viii
dream. Pity for the two futile oil
men choked Hilary's throat. He coul
feel nothing but that as ne watche
Robitaille come to the door, bobbin
and shutting, with stiffened joints tha
made him more like marionette.
But he felt, too, the urgency of tai
: ing Madeleine away, into world 9
reality. before the same dream II
fected her.
She came up to Hilary softly an
placed her fingers on his arm, lookin
into his face wistfully.
"You must go, dear, and not try
convince him now," she said. ut ha
been terrible blow to him. He look
! SO Ill. l am afraid for him. I sha
come to you tomorrow and tell you
'Robitaille," said the Seigneu
Monsieur Askew has decided, muc
to my grief, to leave this Afternoon
You will have the goodness to pac
his things and to prepare the calech
for him. You will drive him to tn
mill"
The old man muttered acQuiescenc
, and shufled away. Hilary turned t
!, ward Rosny. Frankly he held out b
hand. The action might have been IL
timed, but it responded to his dec
seated feeling. But Rosny did not seeI
to see the gesture. He stood starin
, across the room, one hand clutchin
! his spreading collar, and his fac
which had been white and red, we
purple.
Hilary turned away. He had reache
the door when he heard sound as
Rosny was clearing his throat. The
Madeleine cried out In fear. Hilai
turned, to see Rosny sit heavily dow
in his chair. His eyes closed, his arm
dropped over the sides; his head fe
on his breast.