Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-03-19

fere, but at least the truth should be
known. / am going to see the girl Ma
rie Dupont"
I'm going that way" said Lafe. ''Tll
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 Lafe uttered
an exclamation.
The schoOner's gone ~ he cried.
Whose, Mr. LafeT
The captains That other ones
laid up for the season. hope to God
Hilary amt done anything foolish and
slipped the cable"
Ihey 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-
ther 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 fatherY'
He has sailed, with Leblanc and
Pierre. and Monsieur Askew is aboard
and Madeleine Rosny-"
"Whatp shouted the cure. pulling
!
child !'
They planned to kill Monsieur AS
kew. l 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. 1 swear
itr
why didn't thou come to me?"
Il was afraid"
The cure translated to Lafe. eff
she speaks the truth" he began.
1T is true, l guess" said Lafe.
"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" cried Lafe, half sobbing.
But it is impossiblep cried the
cure. ''Who will sail herr"
Come with me, father" answered
Lafe, a flicker of whimsicality appear
Ing on his face, as in such moments.
Il guess 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 it 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.
Lafe cut the gossips short. "Ask
them who can sail the schooner" be
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 un
derstood the coast and the currents.
where is her
The storekeeper shrugged his shoul
ders. 'He was here half an hour age
to buy more traps, but he has gon'
into the woods again"
At that instant Baptiste entered tn,
store, saw Lafe. and scowled.
'This trap is broken" he began
holding it up for the storekeeper t,
view it,
The cure pounced on him. "Baptiste
come with me. Thou dost not go int
: the woods tonight. Thou must TAX
US aboard the schooner"
, Baptiste's jaw fell. Mon pere. 1t 1
impossible" he stammered
dupont has gone"
> "Goner cried Baptiste, running t
the door.
The cure followed him. "Baptistt
thou must sail the schooner and fin
!, him. He is mad. He has left hi
: crew behind him and taken Leblan
). and Pierre. And Mademoiselle Rosn
is in their hands"
: "Whatf" shouted Baptiste. ST g,
At once / go"
"And Monsieur Askew, whom the
have sworn to murder"
"I do not CO." said Jean Baptist
and stopped dead.
The cure caught him by the arm
Listen to me, Jean. His life and ths
of Mademoiselle Rosny are perhaps
stake.'
81 do not got" cried Baptiste agai
and snatched up his trap. He strot
to the door and turned fiercely upc
Father Lucien, who followed him. ''L
him diel" he shouted. 'You kno,
mon pere, you know what he has dor
to me and mine!"
Lafe, who understood hardly a wol
of this colloquy, caught precise sen!
of what Baptiste was saying, partly
| the gestures, but more by his facul
brought out through dialogues
many evenings with his friend Trel
blay. He tugged at the cures arm
"Teu him that story amt true, f
, ther," he said. That's what's worr
: ing him."
But Father Lucien resumed, as If
. had not heard:
Even so, Jean, Mademoiselle Re
=. ny's life, perhaps, is in danger. Al
even If that were not so, thou mu
return good for evil. Else his blood
/ upon thee"
.r. "Let it be there! would have kill
him, only the.- pulled me away"
'Tt is thy duty. my son." said t
d. cure quietly. ut is hard test, Jea
but when God calls a man to duty,
h must obey.
do Baptiste began to break down. "a
.rt mon pere, you ask me the harde
,e- thing in my life," he groaned.
the forests 1 have seen his face befo
vs. me. / have dreamed that 1 had b
ny by the throat, and started up with j.
he have struggled, and have contriv
a to fight down my desire to slay hi
And now you tell me must save hi
IRE No. no. mon pere. Save the girl-y
But let some one else sail the schot