The Belding banner-news., 1920-09-22


ten dollars for medicines, an that
damn Brousseau-"
Louis. will you sign your name to
thatf"
20 sure. II you get them fellows
an Brousseau f1rst." replied the little
man, edging toward the door. Finding
that he was not pursued. he halted.
Monsieur Askew. / gone back to my
fishing job" he said.
Hilary thought this was character
istic occupation for Louis to take up.
since It afforded him several months
Of idleness before the fishing season
opened.
"You have a boatT he asked, re-
membering his plan to revisit the is
land.
10 sure" said Louis. "New sails
an rudder--all new except the boat.
A YER fine boat. monsieur"
"Could you take Mr.. Connell and
myself over to the island and back
tomorrow"
II think so. monsieur, II the sea
amt running too high"
BE ready with your boat at one"
said Hilary.
1t was practically his last chance
for six months of visiting the island.
He sent a messenger with note to
Lafe at the camp. asking him to be
In st. Boniface at noon. Then he
wrote his daily letter to Madeleine.
n c.oc<tocoI hto x~otaofa1 fourpov
but nothing else. except his love and
his hopes, which were weighty enough.
AS ne entered the store to mall 1t
In the letter-box there he thought the
loafers seated about the place looked
at him curiously. He had several times
noticed a certain furtiveness In their
regard, but had each time ascribed II
to Imagination and dismissed the mat
ter. He did so again. He was walk
ing back when he saw boy outside
the office.
Captain Dupont says he Is ready to
sail, monsieur" he said.
"Tell him I'm coming down to speak
to him." said Hilary.
He went toward the wharf. Dupont
was talking to Baptiste. As he ap-
preached Hilary saw the two cease
their conversation and look at him.
Then Baptiste walked slowly away to-
ward his vessel. Dupont. who had
Just received the message from the
boy, stood motionless where he had
been, waiting.
Hilary became suddenly conscious Of
an atmosphere Of hatred. When he
reached Dupont the old man eyed him
with the same searching and malignant
stare that he had given him on the oc-
casion of their first encounter. But
now the eyes that blazed q foot from
his own did not relax their gaze. There
was a menace there, immediate and
hostile, though the face was immobile.
II flashed through Hilary's mind that
the old man was mad. that his long
brooding had at last broken the fragile
vessel Of the mind.
Disregarding the captains look,
Hilary explained briefly the matter on
which he had come. All the while
he spoke Dupont continued cycling him.
Hilary began to feel uneasy. "Well.
Is that clearf he inquired.
"That much Is clear" answered Du-
pont reluctantly.
"Well. what's the matter, then?" de-
manded Hilary sharply.
Suddenly he perceived that the old
mans face was twisted with passion.
His expression was so fanatical that
Hilary thought he was going to attack
him.
But then the face resumed Its mask
again. Without word, Dupont
swung onto the ship and left him.
Baptiste's vessel was moored next
TO the wharf. AS Dupont crossed II
to reach his own. Hilary saw Baptiste
on deck, bending over a tarpaulIn.
The two men did not speak. and
Hilary. moved by a sudden impulse,
walked the length Of the wharf and
accosted the little Frenchman.
-"Baptiste," he said, "some time ago
I told you didn't know whether you
had any knowledge about the cutting
OF my boom or not. / want to say I'm
sorry. know that you had none, and
shouldn't have spoken as did"
And he put out his hand.A
Baptiste looked up. The little mans
face was like a thundercloud. He
clenched and unclenched his fists
fercely, muttering. Then he dashed
Hilary's hand aside with his.
II don't shake hands with your he
cried. and the tears began to stream
down his cheeks. "You keep out of
my way, or kill you"
And he rushed below. leaving Hilary
utterly nonplussed at his behavior.
When Brousseau, driving furiously
homeward from the Chateau, reached
the cottage Of Jules Dupont, he saw
the solitary figure Of the girl Marie
seated outside the door. He let his
horse rest for breathing spell before
continuing up the hill. doffed his hat
and saluted her.
"Bonjour. Mademoiselle Dupont" he