The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1920-03-26
WOODEN SPOIL
By VICTOR ROUSSEAU
B MYERS


rie Dupont"
"I'm going that way" said LATE. "rll
go with you. I'm Hilary Askew's
friend. And I'm uneasy about him..
I've just been to the camp, and they
tell me he's gone back to st. Boniface."
1t was growing dark. The two set
out with quickened pace, but it was
quite dark before they saw the cot
tages of st. Boniface before them. AS
the wharf came into view LATE uttered
an exclamation.
'The schooner's gone!" he cried.
whose, Mr.. Lafeg'
"The captains. That other ones
laid up for the season. 1 hope to God
Hilary amt done anything foolish and
slipped the cable"
They almost ran to the captains
house. The interior was. dark, save
for the dull flicker from the stove.
The cure flung the door open. They
heard sobbing within. Carefully Fa-
Their Lucien struck match and Lit the
lamp. disclosing Marie Dupont kneel-
ing, her face in her hands, beside the
embers. She looked up with an ex-
preston of utter despair.
where is thy father"
HE has sailed, with Leblanc and
Pierre, and Monsieur Askew is aboard.
and Madeleine Rosny-"
"Whatw shouted the cure, pulling
her to her feet. "Thou art dreaming,
child"
They planned to kill Monsieur AS
kew. went to mademoiselle, and we
drove to the wharf. She sprang
aboard, and the ship sailed, half an
hour ago. They will kill Them"
Father Lucien went white and began
to tremble. Marie Dupont, swear to
me" he began.
"Ah, mon Dieu, it is true. / swear
it,"
"Why didn't thou come to me?"
Il was afraid"
The cure translated to Lafe. 'If
she speaks the truth" he began.
1T is true, / guess" said LATE.
"Quick, father, let's get the other
schooner and go after them. It's our
only chance. I'll go. Darn it, if they
hurt hair of Hilary's head, or-or
mademoiselle's, I'll send the. gang to
hell y cried LATE, half sobbing.
But it is impossible!" cried the
cure. "Who will sail her?'
eCome with me, father" answered
LATE, flicker Of whimsicaIity appear
ing on his face, as in such moments.
"Iguess I'm in charge now, see? Let's
go to the store"
There were the usual loafers inside.
Yes, it was true the schooner had
sailed, and 1t had surprised every
body, because Captain Dupont had
announced that he would not sail for
some days. And he had left his crew
behind. But then every one knew
that he was going out of his mind
LATE cut the gossips short. "Ask
them who can sail the schooner" he
said to the cure.
Only one man could sail the schoon-
er through the ice. All the rest were
in the woods. Jean-Marie Baptiste I'M
derstood the coast and the currents.
"Where is he?"
The storekeeper shrugged his shout
ders. she was here half an hour ago
to buy more traps, but he has gone
into the woods again"
At that instant Baptiste entered the
store, saw LATE, and scowled.
"This trap is broken" he began,
holding 1t up for the storekeeper to
view IT.
The cure pounced on him. 'Baptiste,
come with me. Thou dost not go into
the woods tonight. Thou must take
us aboard the schooner"
Baptiste's jaw fell. Mon pere, it is
impossible" he stammered
Dupont has gone"
"Gone?" cried Baptiste, running to
the door.
The cure followed him. "Baptiste,
thou must sail the schooner and find
him. He is mad. He has left his
crew behind him and taken Leblanc
and Pierre. And Mademoiselle Rosny
is in their hands"
"What?" shouted Baptiste. 81 go.
At once go"
"And Monsieur Askew, whom they
have sworn to murder"
81 do not CO." said Jean Baptiste,
and stopped dead.
The cure caught him by the arm.
"Listen to me, Jean. His life and that
of Mademoiselle Rosny are perhaps at
stake"
81 do not go" cried Baptiste again,
and snatched up his trap. He strobe
to the door and turned fiercely upon
Father Lucien, who followed him. "Let
him die" he shouted. "You know,
mon pere, you know what he has done
to me and minep'
LATE, who understood hardly word |
of this colloquy, caught precise sense
of what Baptiste was saying, partly of |
the gestures, but more by his faculty
brought. out through dialogues ,on
many evenings with his friend Trem-
biay. He tugged at the cures arm.
''Tell him that story amt true, IA
ther," he said. That's what's worry
ing him."
But Father Lucien resumed, as if he
had not heard:
"Even so, Jean, Mademoiselle Ros- !
ny's life. perhaps, is in danger. And
even If that were not so, thou must |
return good for evil. Else his blood is
upon thee"
"Let 1t be there would have killed
him, only the pulled me away"
SIT Is thy duty. my son." said the
cure quietly. sit is hard test, Jean,
but when God calls man to duty. he
must obey.
Baptiste began to break down. "Ah,