The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-05-20


Brousseau swung upon Hilary.
"Some day I'll get you, you lying
dogw he swore, and raised his hand
threateningly.
Madeleine darted between them.
you coward II she cried. "You cow
ard, TO threaten wounded man, whom
you do dare not look in the face In
anger when he is well !"
Brousseau shrugged his shoulders
and turned toward the door. The ma
llgnant smile upon his face seemed
frozen there, giving him the aspect of
satyr's mask. Hilary came forward
ard tried to draw Madeleine aside,
hut she still confronted Brousseau
with blazing eyes. But 1t was the
Seigneur's look of agony and shame
that was the most vivid part of the
picture.
Rosny stood like statue beside the
door, watching Brousseau make his
way along the corridor toward the en-
trance. Hilary put his arms about
Madeleine, supporting her. Her cour-
age was gone, and she was weeping
uncontrollably.
The front door slammed and Rosny
turned back into the room. He burst
out In passionate words.
at is all gonel" he cried. EVERY
thing-home, lands, inheritance. And
it is well gone. The Rosny seigniory
is nearly everything to me, but you are
more, Madeleine. Our name means
little enough now. but 1t shall never
become allied with that of the scoun-
drel who has robbed me of everything
else"
He ySised his clenched first and
shook II IN the air with a passionately
dramatic gesture, as II to register his
VOW. His face was strangely mottled
with red ami white, and he seemed to
have aged ten sears within ten min
utes.
II offer you my hIIlblest regrets for
what has occurred tifls morning, mon
sieur," he said to Hilary. There was
a time when / should have exacted
personal requital. Now, alas, / can
not! l can only bear the blame. But
as for you, monsieur, you who came
here in an evil day to cut my trees,
you who are my guest, what have you
to say who have brought this ruin
upon me?"
Madeleine started forward as If to
protest, but he silenced her with a ges-
ture of his open hand.
81 ask you what you have to say,
monsieur" he repeated. ~ ask you
how you justify yourself, you who are
q guest in my home and have pre-
sumed upon that fact to turn my
daughter from me2"
81 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 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."
"An 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. "It 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
I 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 stupefied by her
outburst. Hilary interposed.
Monsieur Rosny, love Madeleine,
and l intend to marry her." he said
calmly. "But realize your feelings, !
and = understand how great shock |
this has been. You invited me to de-
part when / am well. / am well enough |
to depart now. Hut / 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 here!" thun-
dered the Seigneur, losing all self-con-