The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-03-13

| her. God be with JneG, Nanette, he
said gently.
The girl fed from him, soothing, and
Hilary could hear her sobs after She
had been hidden by the pines.
where is thy father?" asked the
cure.
HE has gone to the store" faltered
the girl. Monsieur Tester"
81 shall say nothing" answered
Father Lucien. But do not let this
happen again. Marie" he continued,
| man."
Her face hardened, and she looked
sullenly az the priest.
| "A girl should think long before re-
| fusing a good man who loves her"
| She cast her eyes down; and there
was the incarnation of rebellious stub
bornness In the rigid figure.
The captains steps were heard,
crushing the wood chips into the shin
| gle. The old man came quickly for
ward into the arc Of lamplight; quick
ly, as If he feared the realization Of
some terror gnawing at his heart. For
a moment Hilary saw the pale gray
eyes with the same menace upon his
own. Then Dupont knew him.
"Bonsoir, Monsieur Askew,"he said,
extending his hand.
| He opened the cottage door, but the
cure did not enter.
Captain Dupont" he said, "there
| has been trouble between Monsieur
Askew here and Monsieur Norris"
Il have heard of it," replied the cap
tain.
"Ask him If he Is willing to accept
his orders from me-" said Hilary.
The cure translated and the captain
answered him, stroking his gray beard
and speaking with slow emphasis.
1T is all right," said Father Lucien
finally. Captain Dupont takes his
freight where he finds it. He takes
from your company in accordance
with his contract. He will not break
1t. If Brousseau refuses him freight
he can pick up all he needs on the
south shore. You can rely on him."
Hilary felt deeply satisfied. If the
captain was staunch, not Morris nor
Brousseau nor all his men should pre-
vent him from getting out record
cutting before navigation closed.
"Tell Dupont we'll keep him busy"
Hilary said.
When he was with Father Lucien
upon their homeward way he asked
him a question about q matter that
had puzzled him.
"Why does Dupont look at me as If
I were his mortal enemy?" he asked.
"Ah, Monsieur Askew," said the
cure, stopping to thump his stick upon
the shingle, there Is a story there.
So he looks at every man when first
he meets him. He fears for the girl
Marie-and unfortunately he is right
in his fears. For she has her mothers
nature.
1T was many years ago, nearly
twenty, I think, and before l came
here, when Capt. Jules Dupont was a
fisherman in st. Boniface. He was
married to Marie Letellier. who was
much younger than he. and gay and
thoughtless. People said 1t was an ILL
made match; but she loved him, and
they were happy.
"When he left his young bride to 60
sealing off Newfoundland the tongues
wagged. but he trusted her, and when
he returned there was the child Ma
RE and a warm welcome. So three
years passed.
"When Jules Dupont returned the
fourth year his wife was gone. With
whom? Nobody knew. l know more
than anyone in st. Boniface, but /
never knew. Some wanderer from the
south shore; and six months later she
WAS back with the child, pleading for
forgiveness. He sheltered her until her
death soon afterward. Since then his
fear has been that Marie will have in
herited the mothers nature. He
never makes a voyage but he returns
in fear and haste. And he wishes her
to marry Jean-Marie Baptiste. who
loves her-but you have seen tonight
to what her mind is turning.
1.-THE women recall her mothers
fate. and their dislike has made her
j secretive and solitary. And 1T is lone
Nv here. and Ste. Marie so near. Mon
sieur Askew, you saw the girl Nanette'
She is from st. Joseph, of decent par
ents. who mourn for her. She was
lured from her home to Ste. Marie,
and I have fears that some one Is
using her as tool to get the girl Ma
RE Dupont into his clutches. But what
can do save watch and wait?
Therefore, Monsieur Askew," con
tinued Father Lucien. much agitated
II implore you to prevent this evil
from spreading to st. Boniface. 1t Is
Brousseau who debauches those poor
people there. 1t is he who is RESPONSE
BILE for all this evil. He cares nothing
for the people, so long as he wields
their votes for his creature in the par
! lament at Quebec. And this. mon
! sieur, was chiefly the cause OF my
visit to you tonight, to urge you tt
keep the brandy and the dance halls
, out of st. Boniface. for hear it beinf
!; said that one Of the Duvals boasts az
, will open q dance hall there"