Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-02-13

you now. Is she going to marry me or
am She! You know what it's going
word"
hosny groped her way to his feet.
The old duelist, who in his younger
Gays would fight at the drop of the
nat mad been brought pitiably low,
pur not so low as Brousseau thought
his 1ace was afiame. He opened his
mouth, suffered, and pointed toward
the door.
You can go. You can go, Monsieur
Brousseau,' he stammered. Custom
custom and courtesy forbid-insult
a guest-go before I forget myself"
I'll go, then," shouted Brousseau,
and moved toward the door. you've
had your chance. Once more, is she
willing to be reasonable? 1 keep my
word, in friendship or enmity. Will
she keep hers? If so I'll forget. I'll
call it whim. /"
mo, shall never be your wife,"
said Madeleine quietly.
Brousseau swung upon Hilary.
"Some day I'll get you, you lying
dog! he swore, and raised his hand
threateningly.
Madeleine darted between them.
"You coward !" she cried. "You cow
ard, to threaten wounded man, whom
you do dare not look in the face in
anger when he is well 20
Brousseau shrugged his shoulders
and turned toward the door. The ma
lignant smile upon his face seemed
frozen there, giving him the aspect of
a satyr's mask. Hilary came forward
| and tried to draw Madeleine aside
hut she still confronted Brousseau
with blazing eyes. But it was the
Seigneur's look of agony and shame
that was the most vivid part of the
picture.
Rosny stood like a statue beside the
door, watching Brousseau make hi:
way along the corridor toward the en-
trance. Hilary put his arms abou
Madeleine, supporting her.. Her cour
age was gone, and she was weeping
uncontrollably.
The front door slammed and Rosn.
turned back into the room. He burs
out in passionate words.
sit is all gone!' he cried every
thing-home, lands, inheritance. Ant
it is well gone. The Rosny seignior,
is nearly everything to me, but you ar
more, Madeleine. Our name mean
little enough now, but it shall neve
become allied with that of the scou1
drel who has robbed me Of everything
else.'
He raised his clenched first ant
shook it in the air with a passionatel
dramatic gesture, as if to register hi
vow. His face was strangely mottle
with red and white, and he seemed
have aged ten years within ten mir
utes.
II offer you my humblest regrets fo
what has occurred this morning, NOR
sieur," he said to Hilary. "There wa
time when I should have exacte
personal reQuital. Now, alas, 1 cal
not 1 can only bear the blame. BIT
here in an evil day to cut my tree
you who are my guest, what have 20
to say who have brought this rui
upon me?"
Madeleine started forward as if
, , protest, but he silenced her with ge
ture of his open hand.
: Il ask you what you have to sa
!, monsieur" he repeated. 81 ask yo
how you justify yourself, you who al
guest in my home and have pr
sumed upon that fact to turn n
daughter from me?"
81 love her. answered Hilary sir
:. ply.
: The words seemed to sting Rosr
to the quick. "You are presumptuou
! monsieurp' he cried. perhaps yo
too, thought that the heiress went wi
the trees?"
hands appealingly upon her father
: arm; he did not repulse her, but co
. tinued speaking as if he were not co
scious of her presence.
"She shall never be your wife. Y,
= have done harm enough here, mo
sieur. When you are well my calec
, is at your disposition, to take you ba
= to your mill. And henceforward, I
q less you claim the last inch of 70
legal rights to cut about the Chateau
g which do not think you will" he &C
!. ed with reluctant justice-"let US S
you no more"
O. "You are unjust!" cried Madeleil
y eve love each other. There exists
10 reason why we should not love. Mo
If sieur Askew is as good as any man.
,e "An American !" cried Rosny hot
le ''This is not his country, and our wa
ii are not his. He is not one Of u.s."
"Yet you were not too proud
s. pledge me to that other man, who
t. not one of US either, except by reno
Is race. Against my will. Without ]
lg knowledge"
Enough" cried Rosny. "It is
re past!'
le ''The memory is not past. Yes, y
ly pledged me to him and placed the Fl
DC llAhS Ol luG dDOul uly u0Ch, A'
at ing that the understanding, to VIII
r, I was no party, would gradually
We mesh me, capture me, that should
'u come his wife and save your land
IS you"
The Seigneur turned on her lC
ut in which humiliation struggled W
er
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