Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-02-20

Marie, what is it to you? Besides, |
there will be no more dancing until |
next summer
''But he is here" persisted Baptiste
stubbornly.
"Who" she cried in agitation, fear
ing that he had discovered her secret.
"He-Monsieur Askew. At first l
feared It was Black Pierre; but he
swore to me that it was not so, on the
second day after the work on the boom
began" So Baptiste reckoned time.
"And he swore it was Monsieur Askew
loved thee"
Marie burst into reckless laughter.
81 know that thou canst never care
for me-" Baptiste persisted. "But if
he wrongs thee I kill him. Note we'll
i kill himI''
Marie laughed bitterly and more
loudly. 1t was amusing to spite and
deceive st. Boniface, even through
Baptiste. Yet, when he was gone back
to his schooner, something that she did
not understand quite unexpectedly
rose IN her throat and choked her. She
wanted 10 call him back. She was
amazed; st. Boniface was growing
dear to her. 1t was becoming what it
had never been, her home. She looked
out Of her window and saw her ia
theirs schooner depart, with Tapping
sails, under the moon She pictured
Baptlste asleep aboard his vessel. The
little man had been kind to her. She
wept.
Presently there came the faintest
tap at the door. She opened it noise
lessly. A shadow was waiting there.
"Cest toi, Nanette?"
HE is waiting for thee upon the
shore. And he has brought back my
lover to me- as he promised. We go to
Quebec together aboard his ship"
Nanette's voice was tremulous with
happiness. She had never seen Le-
blanc since the day when he aban-
doned her in Ste. Marie. She had
learned that he was working in st.
I Boniface; but when she went there to
find him she was ordered from the linn
its with threats by Morris. However,
Leblanc had sent her a message that
some day soon, if she did not attempt
to find him, he would return to her.
She had lived in that unquenched hope
and now that wonderful day had
dawned, for he was to meet her if she
; brought back Marie. He was. to take
her to the city, to marry her and give
her a ring. Then she, too, would have
shaken the dust of st. Boniface from
her shoes forever.
Marie Dupont locked the door, and
the two girls stole away side by side
in the gray Of the morning along the
beach until they reached the place
where Pierre and Leblanc were wait.
l ing Pierre caught Marie in his arms
, and pressed his lips to hers. 1t was
! the first time anyone had kissed her
She trembled, half afraid, half regret
full, as one who hovers upon the brink
of the irrevocable.
The girls sat in the tiny cabin, while
Pierre and Leblanc ran up the sails
AS the sloop began to pitch in tht
j., rough waters Marie grew more afraid
She was conscious that her happines.
had left her.
They had started too late. In tn,
+ middle of the channel the little boa
l. with its primitive centerboard wal
e caught in the rough currents that bea
about the rocks and shoals at the turl
" of the tide. They drifted steadil,
$, down the north shore. Pierre curse'
q as he strove to tack. Leblanc pre-
1t duced a bottle of brandy and began +
y drink. Pierre made Marie swalloy
some, and when Leblanc relieved hir
,e grew more boisterous in his love-maB
ing. Nanette was already half intox
a. Gated. Presently the two men fell t
'r quarreling, until the realization tina
they were below the island and mai
o. ing for the open gulf sobered them.
1t was no such departure as Mari
lie had anticipated. She crouched in th
lie cabin in growing fear, terrified at th
ze change in Pierre and in Nanettt
Again and again Pierre came to her t
I'd force more brandy On her, and eac
lg time that she refused he grew angrie
u Once She began to cry, and thei
IL afraid of his gathering rage, pleade
a with him:
I'd "Pierre, I an afraid. I thought
ne was bigger boat. am afraid of yor
friend. Take me home. Some otht
lie time 1 will come"
st He cursed her and shook her fro,