Charlevoix county herald., 1920-02-06

Il
that In to you by tomorrow Mr.. Askew
will sue him criminally as well as civ
lily for what he's done to us, because
we've got the confession Of the man
that sawed the boom for him."
BrOusseau swung on his heel sud-
denly and strobe toward the door. He
turned and shook his fist at LATE. "Pll
pay you for this, you and that other
blackmailer he swOre. "I'll smash
your rotten concern. I'll"
He broke off with q derisive snort
and made toward the entrance. But
LATE strobe past him and blocked his
way.
"Just a moment" he said. "Mr.
Rosny's got something to say to YOU"
Brousseau tried to fling himself
past, but Lafe. standing like an iron
sentinel, completely filed the OPEN
ing.
Monsieur Brousseau," said the
Seigneur, there are just few words
to say before you go. When Monsieur
Connell came here he did not meet
with encouragement. He proved his
case, and you have proved it by your
actions. When you were boy l adj
vanced YOU, interested myself in you.
You climbed high, and YOU tried TO re-
pay me by ousting me from my lands
and stepping into my shoes. You
sought to dishonor us through my
daughter, who was wiser than / in her
recognition of what you were. /
thought that you were only ill-bred,
but you have proved yourself a scoun-
drel as well. You will repay me
everything YOU have stolen or 90 TO
jail. Good-day, monsieur"
! That's all, guess" said Lafe and
opened the door.
Brousscau dashed through and along
the corridor. LATE followed him at an
interval: hut Brousseau did not wait
for him. He pulled the front door
| open and slammed it behind him.
When LATE reached il BrOusseau was
already dragging his horse, already
harnessed 10 his sleigh, out of the sta
Ibles.
LATE watched him drive away and
turned back into the hall. He hesitat-
ed to return into the room, but as he
stopped uncertainty in the corridor be-
hind the entrance Madeleine came to.
ward him.
"My father thanks you, Mr. Con-
nell,' she said, and though the tears
rained down her face she smiled. at
is like the lifting of a nightmare" she
whispered.
"Yes, mademoiselle," said LATE. "But
it was you l wanted chiefly to see."
You saw me. What else is there to
say? Mr.. Connell, if you have come
here on any other mission it 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 LATE, and
conscious of the ineptness of the be
ginning, hesitated. I'm forty years
Old" he continued Not old enough
to he your father, mademoiselle, hut
old enough to be sort of uncle,
though amt 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
| than yoc. mademoisele.
| Il seen enough to learn one thing,
and thar - that Misunderstanding are
the cause of nearly all the trouble in
the world When Mr. Askew come
here ] wasn't altogether too much
pleased. I'd been meshed into the
crooked work that Morris and Mon
Sieur Brousseau was doing with the
scigniory lumber. Then when | got
to know Hilary Askew saw that he
was clean straight through
He let his hand fall lightly on the
girls shoulder The gesture, which
might have been an offrnse in some,
was instructive and, like most in
stinctivc actions, fitting. Lafe, I'M
routh. unlettered, standing before
Madeleine ROsny. seemed like be-
ncvolent guardian.
"Whcn he came to like you l was
glad" continued LATE. But when you
came TO like him l was just about as
happy MS when was leading Clarice-
my wife, / mean-Out of the First
MethodiY church at ShOeburypOrt,
Mass, on August II, 1902, with her
white veil hiding her, and them orange
flowers she was carrying seeming up
the place not quite so glad. may
be, but not far shy of It, And you
think he wasn't true to you? What
man in his senses wouldn't beT
II won't hear you!" cried the, girl,
suinmonng her defiance to her aid.
"He should have spoken for himself.
What right have you to speak for him,
sent or unsent?"
"Why, thought I'd explain that,
namzelle Just because I'm, his
friend" said LATE. 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 / got to say, because
| it's true. You haven't acted rightly