The Connecticut labor press., 1920-04-03

l fere, but at least the truth should be known. I am going to see the girl Ma rie Dupont"
 'Tm going that way" said Lafe. ''I'll go with you. Pm Hilary Askew's friend. And Pm uneasy about him. I've just been to the camp, and they tell me he's gone back to St. Boniface." :" l It 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.
 l The Schooner's gone !" he cried.
 Whose, MT. Lafe?"
 ''The captains. That other ones laid up for the season. hope to God Hillary ain't done anything foolish and slipped the cable"
 They almost ran to the captains 1 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 a match and lit the lamp, disclosing Marie Dupont kneel- ing, her face in her hands, beside the ernbers. She looked up with an ex- pression of utter despair.
 "Where is thy father?"
 He has sailed, with Leblanc and Pierre, and Monsieur Askew is aboard. and Madeleine Rosny-' | "What!' shouted the cure, pulling her to her feet. Thou art dreaming child '"
 'They planned to kill Monsieur As 1 4o 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, 1t is true. swear it!''
 "Why didn't thou come to me?'
 '1 was afraid" The cure translated to Lafe. eff | she speaks the truth" he began. 'It is true. guess" said Lafe. Quick, father, let's get the other 1 schooner and go after them. It's our only chance. I'll go. Darn 1t, if they hurt hair of Hilary's head. or-or | mademoiselle's, I'll send the gang to l hell!' cried Lafe, half sobbing. "But it is impossible !" cried the cure. "Who will sail herr" Come with me, father" answered Lafe, a flicker of whimsicality appear 1 ing on his face, as in such moments. T guess I'm in charge now, see? Let's go to the store."
 | There were the usual 1oafers inside. Yes, it was true the schooner had l sailed, and it had surprised every body, because Captain Dupont had l 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 l them who can sail the schooner" he said to the cure.
 Only one man could sail the schoon- CT through the ice. All the rest were in the woods. Jean-Marie Baptiste un- derstood the. coast and the currents.
 "Where is he?"
 The storekeeper shrugged his shoul- ders. "He 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 Lafe, and scowled.
 '''This trap-is broken" he began. holding it up for the storekeeper to view it..9
 E The cure bounced op him. .Baptiste, come, with me. Thou dost not go into the swoods. tonight. Thou must take us aboard the schooner"
 BaptistessS 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. 'T go., At once I go" , And Monsieur Askew, whom they have sworn to murder" ? q do not go," 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" .E
 "I do not go!" cried Baptiste again, and snatched up his trap. He strode 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 mine!" Lafe, who understood hardly word of this coIloquy, caught precise sense the gestures, but more by his faculty brought out through dialogues on many evenings with his friend Trem- play. He tugged at the cures arm.
 "Tell him that story ain't true, fa-, 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 it be there would have killed him, only the. pulled me away"
 "It is thy duty, my son." said the cure quietly. ''It is hard test, Jean. but when God calls a man to duty, he must obey.
 Baptiste began to break down. "Ah. mon pere, you ask me the hardest thing in my life," he groaned. ''In