The Connecticut labor press., 1920-03-20

stopped uncerCalniy 10 G9S SS34e9Sx .3@ hind the entrance Madeleine came to- ! ward him.
 "My father thanks you, MT. Con- nell," she said, and though the tears rained down her face she smiled. 'fIt I is like the lifting of a nightmare" she | whispered.
 "Yes, mademoiselle," said Lafe. "But 1t was you I wanted chiefly to sec" "You saw me. What else is there to say? MT. Cornell, if you have come | here on any other mission 1t Is hope less. Why did you let him send you for-for that?" she continued, reading his face.
 Because he's my friend" said Lafe. ''But he didn't send me here. He's talking of going away. That's why came"
 He saw her start, then control her self.
 I'm forty years old," said Lafe. and conscious of the ineptness of the be ginning, hesitateG. 'I'm forty years old" he continued. Mot old enough | to be your father, mademoiselle. but | old enough to be a sort of uncle, though ain't got your education. That don't matter. It's experience that counts, and knowledge of the world. | And I seen a good bit more of life l than you, mademoiselle. 'I seen enough to learn one thing, and that is that misunderstandings are the cause of nearly all the trouble in the world. When MT. Askew come here I wasn't altogether too much r11n Soko @ho crooked work that Morris and Mon sieur Brousseau was doing with the seigniory lumber. Then when I got to know Hilary Askew I saw that he was clean straight through He let his hand fall lightly on the girls shoulder. The gesture, which might have been an offense in some, was instinctive. and, like most in- | stinctive actions, fitting. Lafe, un- couth, unlettered, standing before Madeleine Rosny. seemed like a be- nevolent guardian.
 | 'When he came to like you I was glad," continued Lafe. But when you came to like him I was just about as happy as when I was leading Clarice- l my wife, I mean-out of the First Methodist church at Shoeburyport, Mass, on August IT, 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?'
 'I won't hear you!" cried the girl, summoning her defiance to her aid. "He should have spoken for himself. What right have you to speak fer him. sent or unSent?"
 "Why, I thought I'd explain that, mamzelle. Just because I'm his friend" said Lafe. 'It ain't true. Not 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. You haven't acted rightly toward him-no, you haven't, man. zelle! !'
 The passionate gesture, the sincerity of his tone dominated her. She tried to find her voice and could not she tried to find indignation and could not
 "We went to Ste. Marie together to see conditions there, to see what sort of place Simeon Duval was rum ming. The girl was there. It was the night of the raid, and we helped her away. She got home, and her father never knew. Little Baptiste knew, and others who'd seen her with us. They told Brousseau, and he started those lies about MT. Askew, who never knew about it-never knew anything.
 'That fellow Pierre, Brousseau's man, had his eye on the girl. You know the sort of work he's done along this coast. Maybe you don't, but it's devils work, mamZelle and he and Leblanc lured Marie into a 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 you 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, and I'll prove it. I'll prove every word; you don't have to take me on trust"
 Do you think am capable of seek ing evidence that a man is true to me?" cried Madeleine. Do you think I am going into St. Boniface to pry into your friends actions?''
 "You love him. mamzelle," said Lafe, with patience that would not be thwarted. 'T can read that in your face. You love him, and you've done him a wrong. Well, mamzelle, you can't lie down under that. You can't bear it. You've got to right it."
 She burst into helpless tears. 'T hoped that he would come to me-" she whispered.
 Hillary Askew ain't that kind of a man," said Lafe.
 He refused to defend himself"
 He'd promised Marie to say noth- ing"
 Let me pass. I have heard you.'
 But Lafe stood in the way. You're going to tell him it's all right" he said. ''Tll arrange it so it won't hurt your pride, if that's worth keeping"
 'How dare you insult me? Let him come to me! Let him come and plead"
 "MamZelle!"
 '1 shall never go to himi"
 And Lafe had reached the end. His outraged justice had led him to the goal; but it was the wrong goal. He was helpless, he was beaten. He stepped aside, and she ran past him, hurrying up the stairs, whose faded