The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-06-10

By VICTOR ROUSSEAU
illustrations by irwin Myers


couth. unlettered, standing before
Madeleine Rosny. seemed like q be-
nevolent guardian.
"When he came to like you I was
glad" continued Lafe. "But when you
came to like him was just about as
happy as when l was leading Clarice-
my wife, / mean-out of the First
Methodist church at Shoeburyport,
Mass. on August II, 1902, with her
white veil hiding her, and them orange
flowers she was carrying scenting up
the place not quite so glad. may
be, but not far shy of 1t. And you
think he wasn't true to you? What
man in his senses wouldn't be?"
II won't hear your cried the girl,
summoning her defiance to her aid.
"He should have spoken for himself.
What right have you to speak for him,
sent or unsent3"
"wby. thought I'd explain that,
mamzelle. Just because I'm his
friend" said Lafe. ut amt true. Not
a word Of that story's true. I'm going
to tell you the truth. But first I'm go
ing to say what I got to say, because
it's true. Yo~ haven't acted rightly
| toward him-no, you haven't, mann
zellew
The passionate gesture, the sincerity
OF his tone dominated her. She tried
| to nnd her voice and could not she
tried to find indgnatiU.. szt eoRld not.
"We went to Ste. Marie together to
see conditions there, to see what
sort OF place Simeon Duval was run
ming. The girl was there. 1t was the
night Of the raid. and we helped her
away. She got hcme, and her father
never knew. Little Beptiste knew and
| others who'd seen her with us. They
| told Brousseau. and he started those
lies ABOUT Mr. Askew, who never knew
| about it-never knew anything.
THAT fellow Pierre, Broussecu's
man, had his eye % the girl. You know
the sort of work he's done along this
coast. Maybe you ONT. but It's dsvil's
work. mamzelle. AMI he and Leblanc
lured Marie into q boat by means OF
| their decoy, Nanette BOnnat. and took
her to the island. We found them
there, and saved her, and brought the
| girls back. That's all. Now you
| know. Now ycu understand how
you've done Hilary a wrong. If you
don't believe me-" Lafe continued dog
gedly, "just tell me how much you
don't believe, Pnd I'll prove II. tn
prove every word; you don't have to
take me on trust"
do you thirk am capable OF SEEK
ing evidence that a man is true to
mel" cried Madeleine. do you think
l am going into st. Boniface to pry
into your friends sctionsf
"You love him, mamzelle," said Lafe.
with patience that would not be
thwarted. 81 can read that in your
face. You love him. and you've dont
him wrong. We'll, mamzelle, you
can't lie down under that. You canr
bear 1t. You've got 20 right It."
She burst into helpless tears. Il
hoped that he would come to me-" she
whispered.
Hillary Askew amt that kind Of
man." said Lafe.
'He refused to eefend himself"
He'd promised Marie to say poth-
ing"
LET me pass. have heard you!''
But Lafe stood In the way. "You'r
going to tell him It's all right" he said.
"Fll arrange ii So II won't hurt your
pride, If that's worth keeping"
"How dare you insult me? Let blA
come to mel Let him come an1
plead"
"Mamzelle!"
81 shall never go to him"
And Lafe had reached the END. Hh
outraged justice had led him 20 thu
goal; but It was the wrong goal. Ho
was helpless, he was beaten. He
stepped aside, and she ran psea him.
hurrying up the stairs. whose faded
carpet was held by tarnished rodA
that cleaned between her moving feet.
Lafe looked along the gloomy hall
at the portraits In their gilt frames,
and he felt the unreasoning, stubborn
Rosny spirit that looked out Of the
eyes of each, az 1t had looked out Of
Madeleine's and spoken by her. And
II had met such another spirit In Ri-
ary. w
" guess you're wrong all of ycn,"
Lafe muttered. ~ guess you manu-
factured your code and thought It was
breeding and pride, and you can't help
1t. You got your foundations crooked
You can't help 1t; that's ALL"
And with the same logged patienc~
but with an added air of hopelessnesA
he put on his snowshoes and ploddeA
from the Chateau.
CTo BE coNTINUED)