The Arvada enterprise., 1921-12-15

Ianguishing beauty In a rnccoon hat I'd like Z"
see you settle down with Vade-bOn.COeur. He's
richer than all the rest Of your dandies put to.
gethcr. Mails, won't insist. I'm no ogre. Choose
Tor yourself. but you must choose now. You've
willy-niIlied long enough"
Claire stepped close 10 him. threw back her head.
Il won't marry anyone but Philippe Beauclerc!
And YOU know IT."
"Ugh!" the deer slayer Bah, lie couldn't win
you In "A fair fight"
"Oh. couldn't he! Give him a chance"
"Sncre. will! We shall have a public match
Mt Noel time and II he isn't wiped In the dirt you
Gun have the moonstruck fool"
Tires ben!" Claire defiant and Joyous. II
was plain that she had no doubt Of her lovers
prOwess
Bur on second thought the old warrior decided
he could not pick out the husband Of his "petlte
ange" through public brawl. So. thinking shrewd.
ly Of old Va-de.bon- Occur. he decided on . race
with sleighs Christmas day. "And whoever WINS
he concluded. "you shall marry km and he shall
have all your lands"
Now In the village good horses were n great luz.
ury. va-dc.bon.Coeur had his stables full Of the
hest ponies that money could buy. hut Philippe
had hut one horse. unused TO being driven with 4
Sleghr xOOd sure. footed hay. excellent for hunt.
ing but for cutter racng-Clare sighed dOubtfully.
Sieur Beauvsis decided on race Of sixteen
miles on the ice Of LAnxe Creuse. the shallow lit.
tie hay on Lake ST. Claire. A twisted tree on the
far side WAS selected ay tho eight.miIe turning
point.
The contestants commenced to train their ponies
Old vs-de.bOn- Occur WAS out every morning. lash.
ing his choicest black stallion up and down tha
street. he leaned forward In his light seel.run.
nered cutter that had been sent from the East.
Officers impatienty nagging their or
derlicx to more careful grooming Of their fine roam
mares Even the tradexmcn bought horses. tho
hest they could AFFORD. and went flying along the
snowy roads.
Only Philippe Beaucerc remained aloof from the
general excitement. As usual. he WAS gone into
the forests ut dawn. where II said he spent
The day hunting with the Indian chief, Menotepsh
Whenever he rode lie nstride the same
pony that Ind always borne him. II was known
throughout the town that he had not even pur.
chased \ sleigh. II WIS wondered ut. for his de-
vOtiOn to the fair Claire WAS open secret
Wasn't he going to race? The villagers cast COIN
passionate glances ut Heauvaisx lovely little heir.
ess. Her preference for him WIS open secret
TOO.
At length Christmas morning dawncd NIsh,
after mass WAS said In the old church Of Ste. AIMS
the crowd collected on the bank Of the bny
A litti. apart from the crowd stood Claire Beau.
vns and her father. Claire looked like nm ethereal
lied holly berry In grext red d0imnn Her eyes
flashed with excitement and her little round chin
was held up pro6dly out Of her great collar TIL.
good old Scigneur strnttcd about with n self.irn.
pOrtant Hr. giving orders and waving genial sAIu.
tations TO the townsfolk.
There were IL contestants. of every kind and
condition. There were cutters. jumpers. trains
pungy. sleds and cariOtcs The impatient drivers
were 1ccoutred In devious ways; some In lenthrr
doublets some In furs. S0fne In military manner
some In grcnt woolcn blanket costs Of rich color.
And In all that group Of contestants non. wns
more impatient than old Wade. bon Occur. com.
q