The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-06-03


% Improve Taeew vas every nkn,k
hood now ef being able 10 carry en
through the winter nrouaseau haa
showed no signs Of further interior
eDco with his men. and there was even
the possibility ef getting out another
small lead.
Hilary had sent Eanette homs 10 W.
Joseph. She had promised 20 write 10
him, but. as he had expected. he haA
not heard from her. Baptlste haa
thrown M his position with Dupont
and gone into the Ste. Marie limits 20
trap. Marie Dupont avoided Hllarys
he had not seen her since the day a.
their adventure. a
AZ for Dupont, whatever he knets.A
he phowed no signs. And things seemed
to settle into equilibrium. thorsh Hil-
ary was sure that a denouement was
20 follow. He could only walt pa
tieutiy for that No action could come
from him. He could not vioiaie his
pledge to Marie IN order TO secure him
self with Madeleine.
Then came the news which stunned
Hilary out Of his mentql apathy. Mad
elelne was 10 marry BrouSsepu. II
was 10 be In three weeks--at Christ
mas, and the banns had been read IN
church that Sunday morning for the
first time.
What had happened was this: The
Seigneur had not given his daughter
any sign Of remembrance OF the events
that had transpired Immediately be-
fore his stroke. though he was In other
respects normal. save for the paraly-
sis Of the left side. But as the weeknp
went by he grew more and more
nervous and depressed. until one night
he blurted out:
"where win ycu take me after tho
eetate changes handgf I cannot re-
main In St. Bonifaee, nor can I remelm
with you and the American. I am toe
old 20 90 anywhere but 20 the grave.r
SO he had remembered al the timei
Madeleine put her arms about his
neck. "E am not going TO marry Monr
sieur Askew," she answered.
Then. without warning. the ola
Seigneur fell TO crying and laughing.
as n a tremendous load Of care had
been lifted from his shoulders. Ths
land. which had meant 20 much TO him
all his life. now seemed TO be every
thing. and he interpreted Madeielne's
answer to indicate her willingness &c
marry Brousseau.
swell. why notf" she thought with
intense bitterness, as she listened.
Have ! any other duty now. save b
my fatherf".
She never doubted her Judgment of
Hilary. The story aad been dlnned
into her ears by Brousseau since Hil-
ary's FIRST visit to Ste. Marie. She had
heard Il from tradesmen's wives. the
postmistress. until their zttachmsgt
was known: then had come sileDce
and furtiveness. And she had scOsred
to think OF its possibility until that
night.
And she had given him his chane2
and he had said nothing.
She accepted the situation and sat
down and penned q short, formal ID,
| ter to Brousseau.
He came the next day. driving "a.
riously up 10 the Chateau. He thrusi
RobItaIlle out Of his way and pushed
into the living room. where he found
Madeleine, deathly white. seated alans.
waiting for him. He opened his arms
70 embrace her.
"Sit down. Edouard," she said with
chilling apathy. Il ae7 going 60 taIk
frankly to you. You wish ts narry
mef'
II want you for my WIFE," saiA
Brousseau. "You know TINT. You
know I don't think anything OF that
affair'--Madelein wince0 at the word.
but he did not notice it--~with Mon
sieur Askew. The mans g seounarel.
O thief. and libertine-"
II do not wish TO hear that. mos
sieur." said Madeleine peremptorily.
'DIabie. that's natural ei,ought And
30 that's forgotten" Brousseau could