Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-02-06

xI SG1E - " ~ ~ .sG- ". ~ ~ wi
sier," he said. Il knew nothing of this
until the deed was done, or should
have used every effort to prevent it.
These people asked me to speak for
them. They say that they broke down
the stable door and saved his life when
he was about to be cut to pieces"
His life!" cried Father Lucien,
scornfully. His life hangs by thread;
and if he dies his murderers shall
hang for it. And you are guilty equal
ly," he continued, addressing the
crowd, which seemed to melt under his
burning tones. "You left him lie there
and bleed to death. And listen fur
ther. You think that Monsieur Askew
brought the revenue officers to Ste.
Marie. Do not hate Ste. Marie more
than he? Yet even would not bring |
the officers here until I had used every
means to clean up the evil there. 1t
was Monsieur Morris who brought |
them, for he told me so.'
There was sensation at the priests
words. An excited babble broke out.
the bandaging, halted with one foot
upon the step of the buggy and turned
to the lumbermen.
"Yes, you left him to die !" she cried
| in scorn. "You were afraid, and you
| forgot that strangers who come upon
our land, upon our seigniory, are under
our protection" Her eyes blazed as
l--l, IL
gotten your ancient loyalty in these
| days. Messieurs. You have no memory
of your Seignieur and what you owe
to him-still your Seigneur, although
you no longer grind and hew for him
| You have forgotten !'
There was another movement among
the crowd. Her words seemed to stir
them even more than the priests had
done. "No, no, mademoiselle !" cried
several voices. mo! We have not
forgotten!"
Macpherson came forward again.
"They thought" he said, "Mademoi-
selle, that Monsieur Brousseaus ene-
mics were yours"
Lafe saw the girl stagger as if she
|
hand upon the buggy wheel and leaned
thus for a moment, staring into Mac
Pherson's face. Then, without word,
she stepped in, took up the reins and
. began to urge the horse, very slowly,
along the road. The cure came to the
: side of the vehicle.
81 shall come to the Chateau, then,
Mademoiselle Rosny," he said.
Madeleine did not answer him. Pres
: emily Lafe, crouching in the bottom of
the buggy, heard her sobbing again
, low, heartbroken sobs that she could
not check for long time. Sometimes
: she took her eyes from the road to look
: for a moment into Hilary's face, and
once she stopped for a moment.
"How is he?" she asked.
HE is living, Mademoiselle," sai6
Lafe, And that was all he dared tt
J say.
There was no lantern, and Madeleine
needed all her watchfulness to avoi(
!, the stones and ruts in the road. Luck
j lily the moon was bright and the hors'
steady. Once. as the buggy SWUNG
round bend, Lafe, looking out, say
J. the cure trudging behind, shaking hi
heavy stick. He heard Madeleine still
e sobbing. His own heart was heav
l enough; he blamed himself for Hi
ary's misfortune. He should hav
stood by him. And he had meant to d
l. so. But he had not calculated tina
u Hilary would walk so fast or go to 81
Boniface so soon.
u The trees fell away, disclosing tn
Rosny chateau. The buggy stopped be
g fore the door in front of which tn
+ Seigneur and the old retainer wer
L standing. with anxious faces. Made
q leine bent swiftly over Hilary an
, raised his limp hand; then she turne
t. her eyes to Lafe's. mutely asking hi1
IS that question which could net b
u spoken.
HE is no worse" said Lafe.
% The Seigneur and his man came tt
y ward them. Macpherson telephone
Is to the post office and they brought m
re the news" he said. "You did quit
er right, Madeleine. Gently, now, MOI
t. sieur," he added, addressing Connel
and together they raised Hilary fro
le the buggy floor. Remember the step
y Now, will go backward-so."
ze They were inside the Chateau, carr
ing their burden between the rows
d. portraits into a room which had bee
as a drawing room in bygone days, flu
nished with spindle-legged furnitur
of gilt mirrors and ormolu cabinets.
p bed in corner showed that it's use hf
TT been converted, probably because tt
upper part of the Chateau was
q longer habitable.
81 Madeleine Rosny came in with h
n arms full of bed linen, diffusing Il
g scent of wintergreen. Lafe and b
father got Hilary to bed. He was st
ring now, beginning to toss his arr
N and mutter in delirium. The pull
~ was stronger, but the flush which h,
supplanted the pallor denoted fevt
= Presently the cure entered and we
straight to the bedside. The three M
looked at Hilary and at each other.
;, II have seen men who were wound
N worse recover" said Edmond Rosr
M "He has bled much, but the heart
M uninjured, and unless the lung
M gravely hurt =. well, we shall S
Gg to it that he gets WELL" he end
q abruptly.
IL There was nothing more Conn
could do. He would have stayed, b
he felt that he must await the iss
N in patience. Madeleine was ,alrea
II established at Hilary's bedside.
~ Lafe went in softly. II shall cor
IA early in the morning, Mademoise
= Rosny," he said. 81 want to say
about what you said to Father Lu
inn tonight mean it was my fault.
4is guess I'm the only one to blame.
ought to have stood by him, and
went away. You did more than n
,ul, mademoiselle, and it wasn't up
vas you. I mean, 1t wasn't your busine
She to save him."
rig "No?" whispered Madeleine, raisi