The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1920-03-13

TT e3'S' grew CAIN. Lafe stepped for
ward, bent down and gently raised Hill
arN's head from her knee. He placed
his hands beneath the shoulders. sup
porting them. while Father Lucien lift
ed the lower part of the body, and thus
they carried the stricken man through
the shanty toward the buggy.
The cure made motion to LATE to
enter You and Mademoiselle Rosny
Will 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 go any
where else, monsieur, when he is like
| this?"
Her voice rang proudly, the tone ad-
mltted 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
leaking through the bandage. She
FASTENED to the other side of the rig
and began adjusting it, while the cure
turned toward the crowd, which was
looking on in panicky silence, broken
only by low words and mutterings.
This is bad nights work that you
have done!" he cried. you shall pay
Tor it, 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 Wolfe's Highland
ers who had settled along the coast
and perpetuated their names and
something of their stanch character,
if nothing else of their race survived.
We are not all guilty, Monsieur Tes-
sier," he said. Il 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 life!" cried Father Lucien,
scornfully. His life hangs by thread
and if he dies his murderers shall
hang for it. 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 l would not bring |
the officers here until had used every /
means to clean up the evil there. 1t
was Monsieur Morris who brought
them. for he told me 500
There was sensation at the priests
words. An excited babble broke out.
who had just completed
the bandaging, halted with one foot
upon the step of the buggy and turned
to the lumbermen.
yes, you left him to die !" she cried
in scorn. You were afraid, and YOU
forgot that strangers who come upon
our land, upon our seigniory, are under
our protection" Her eyes blazed as
she denounced them. "You have for
gotten your ancient loyalty in these
lays, Messieurs. You have no memory
Of your Seignieur and what you owe
% him-still your Seigneur, although
you no longer grind and hew for him
You have forgotten ="
There was another movement among
he crowd. Her words seemed to stir
hem even more than the priests had
lone. mo, no, mademoiselle! cried
several voices. No! We have not
orgotten y
MACPHERSON came forward again.
They thought" he said, "Mademoi-
elle, that Monsieur Brousseau's ene- ,
MES were yours"
LATE saw the girl stagger as if she
lad received a blow She put her
land upon the buggy wheel and leaned
hus for a moment, staring into Mac
'herson's face. Then, without a word.
egan to urge the horse, very slowly,
long the road. The cure came to the
ide of Jhe vehicle.
Il shall come to the Chateau, then.
Rosny," he said. t
Madeleine did not answer. him. Pres {
ntly Lafe. crouching in the bottom of d
he buggy, heard her sobbing again, t
wv. heartbroken sobs that she could $
OF check for long time. Sometimes S
he took her eyes from the road to look v
Or a moment into Hilary's face. and a
nee she stopped for moment. I
How is he?" she asked.
HE is living, Mademoiselle," said v
afe. And that was all he dared to y
~. t
There was no lantern, and Madeleine is
eeded all her watchfulness to avoid h
lie stones and ruts in the road. Luck fl
' the moon was bright and the horse d
eady. Once, as the buggy swung it
'uni bend. LATE. looking out. saw "a
e cure trudging behind shaking his a
savy stick. He heard Madeleine still t.
'bbing. His own heart was heavy Il
Tough; he blamed himself for Hill al
US misfortune. He should have b
God by him. And he had meant to do b
!. But he had not calculated that Il
ilary would walk so fast or go to st. tt
)niface so soon. OIL
The trees fell away, disclosing the ST
osny chateau. The buggy stopped be- W
re the door in front of which the Ii
,igneur and the old retainer We're oil