Mountain advocate., 1920-01-02
CHAPTER x-contInued.
8

M. ouCnalne mas Deen n recluSe Tor
many years." he said, land of late. his
mind has become affected. II is said
that he was implicated in the troubles
of 1867, and that, fearing arrest, he
fled here and built this chateau In this
desolate region, where he wOulM be
safe from pursuit. Solitude has made
n hermit of him and taken him out Of
touch with the world of today.
IT believe that Leroux has discov-
cred coal on his property, and by
threatening him with arrest has
gained a complete nscendency over
the weak-minded old man. However,
the fact remains that his daughter
was married by me to NJ. d'Epernay
some ten or twelve days ago at the
chateau.
"Mv duties took me to Quebec.
There ! learned that Mme d'Epernay
had fed on the night Of her marriage,
and that her husband was In pursuit
Of her. Again II was told me that she
was living at the Chateau FrOntenac
with another man. 1t was not for me
to question whether she loved her hus-
band but to do my duty.
II appealed to you. You refused to
listen to my appeal. You threatened
me, monsieur. And you denied my
priesthood. I shall not help you in
the pursuit of her, NJ. Hewlett, for you
are actuated solely by love for the
wife of another man. Is that not so?"
he ended. bending over me with a pen
etrnting look In his blue eyes
Eyes, 1t is so. But I shall go to
the chateau" l answered.
Pere Antoine rose up.
"YOu will find food here" he said,
"and II you wish to take exercise
there are snowshoes. Try to find the
ehateau-do what you please; but re-
member that If you lose your way /
shall not be here to save you. I shall
return from my mission in q week and
be ready to conduct you to ST. Boni-
face. And now, monsieur. since we
understand each other. shall prepare
the supper"
swallowed a few mouthfuls Of food
the morning when I awoke the cabin
was empty.
i spent the next two days recover
Ing my strength. and on the third
found myself able to leave the hut for
q short tramp.
found one OF the pistols in the hut,
and In the pocket of my fur coat were
q couple Of cartridges which I had
overlooked. The rest had fired away
IN my delirium.
The cabin was situated In a valley,
around which high hills clustered.
Btrapping on the snowshoes 1 set to
work to climb a lofty peak which
stood at no great distance.
must have turned Off at a slight
angle which took me some distance
out of my course, for my progress was
suddenly arrested by mighty wall of
rock, a sheer preeipice that seemed to
descend perpendieularIy into the val
ley underneath. Somewhere a torrent
was roaring like miniature Niagara,
i stopped to stare in admiration.
fdr DelOW nc lne uuTIOW Ndlty nhu
widened into q smooth, snow-coated
surface of q lake.
And on a point of land projecting |
from the bottom of that mighty wall
saw the chateau
II could have been nothing else. II |
was a splendid building-not larger
than the house Of country gentle
man, perhaps, and made Of hewn logs
but the rude splendOr Of II against
that Icy. rocky background transnxed
me with wonder.
On each side OF the chateau a cata-
ract plunged, yelling itself in an opac-
.ty OF mist. tinted with all the spec
rial hues by the rays OF the westering
pm. -'7.'.
Why. that position was impreg-
\pIef Behind It tho sheer preclpice.
Which not even bird could walk
I. ~. ~ u. - !. II. -.