The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1920-04-03

resolution. they had turned ana race,
back along the train.
Net many steps. and, hrcal,inl
through the trees. thcy saw Marie Du
pont struggling in picrrc's arms. white
Leblanc ana Nancttr stood near them
i laughing.
Lafc lCapcd nj Pierre. ana his bony
! fist caught the outlaw beneath the
! chin. Pierre went down in II heap
Hilary made for Leblanc, whose cx
preston would, under other circum-
stances, have been comicaI In its sur
prise
lie turned upon the girl ana
knocked her down savngcly. Then,
without another glance at Hilary. he
made for the Sloop.
Leaving Pierre where he had fallen,
Lafc joined in the pursuit But lie
blanc had several yards start and his
experience of IIiIary's prowcSS lent
wings TO his feet. He plunged into the
water and, by Il miracle of strength.
swung the Sloop clear of the sand on
which she had been bcnchcd. As the
vessel was carried clear by the swift
flowing tide the cX johbcr scrambled
aboard. dripping, ana pushed Off with
the oar. Lafc ana Hilary stood baf-
fled, upon the brink Of the water
while Leblanc. ut an ever increasing
distance, began 10 put NJ the sail,
shouting back defiant curses mean
while.
They heard sound Of feet upon
the Shinglc behind them. ana turned
quickly. IT was Pierre. but he was
boiling for the woods. They ran Mt
him. but he had gained the shelter of
me trees, and il was growing too dark
TO follow. They stopped and looked
back. Leblanc was now quite n dis
lance from the island and making for
the north shore upon the incoming
tide.
Let's go" said Hilary and he took
Marie gently by the arm. She went
with him obediently, and Lnfc fol
lowed with Nanette. whose lip was
bloody from Leblnnc's blow.
The tide was running fairly for St
Boniface. II was almost dark now,
but the wind had died away and the
stars were brilliant Hilary, taking
OF his overcoat, wrapped 1t about
Marie. The girls bewildermcnt had
yielded to abject gratitude. She
raised Hilary's hand to her Inns and
pressed 1t. Beside her Nanette,
wrapped in Lafe's waterproof was
sobbing wildly and wiping her
wounded lip. The words that passed
were drowned in the sound OF the lap
ping waves before they reached the
ears Of Louis. at the tiller.
Nov, what happcned?" asked Hill
airy Of Marie. Tell me. and welI
clap those rufiians into jail, | assure
you. How did they get you into that
boat?"
Marie sobbed ont her explanation
but when Hilary gathered, with diff |
Guilty from the broken words, STAN
mered in French, that she had gone |
aboard with Pierre to marry him In
Quebec. he could hardly believe his
ears
And your father knows nothing Of |
this?" he inquired, when she had
ended.
He knows nothing, monsieur. All.
you saved me before. and ]
1 was ungrateful Promise me.
swear to me. that he shall never
lnow!"
"And you, Nanette," continued Hill
Try, addressing the weeping girl,
'what have you to say, who lured her
lere, knowing thisY
II did not know, monsieur" cried
lanette. pierre told me that If /
ring her he would get me back my
weetheart."
Leblanc, eh?"
''Oui. monsieur Then ne take me
o Quebec, and we get married. And
e promised me wedding ring of
old monsieur"
And he told you that he was going
0 marry Marie?'
"Oui. monsieur, we all 20 to Quebec
ogether. Only just before we land
e tell me That we all stay on the
Stand together first, and have hol-
ny"
"Nanettc, Leblanc never intended
> marry YOU" said Hilary. "They
ere using you to get Marie into
erre's power. Nanette-"
He bent toward her and touched
or on the shoulder She looked up at
i'm, her lips quivering. her face pa
letic as Il scolded chlds.
rs it long since you left your
ome?"
Two years. monsieur"
"Nanctte. you were child then, like
[arie here? Leblanc came TO YOU and
I'D You of the great world outside,
nd how he would marry you and be
ind to YOU Two years have passed,
nd he has ruined your life. and he
rs not kept his promise, and still he
,ceives you with his promises. Would
III go back to him?"
Never. monsieur. He struck me
'el Not in just anger as n man
rikcs his wife who nags him, but be
luse he was afraid. See where his
Il fell-see y
yet, Nanette, even rs Leblanc did
YOU. YOU would have had Pierre do
Marie here"
Monsieur ! thought he was to
AIRY her Pierre told me, If / bring
arie to ste. Marie no harm Is done