The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1921-12-23

languishing beauty In a raccoOn hat. I'd like 10
see you settle down with Va-de-bon-Coeur He's
richer than oil the rest Of your handles put to-
gether. Mais, 1 won't insist, I'm no ogre. Choose
for yourself, but you must choose now. You've
willy-nillied long enough I"
Claire stepped close to him, threw back her head.
II won't marry anyone but Philippe Beauclerc!
And you know IT."
"Ugh!" the deer slayer. Bah. he couldn't win
you In a fair fight"
"Oh. couldn't he! Give him a chance"
"Sacre, 1 Will! We shall have a public match
at Noel time and If he isn't wiped In the dirt you
can have the moOn-struck fool"
tires bien ~ Claire was defiant and joyous. 1t
was plain that she had no doubt Of her lovers
prOwess.
Buc on second thought the old warrior decided
he could not pick out the husband Of his petite
ange" through a public brawl. SO, thinking shrewd-
ly Of old Va-de-bon-C Occur, he decided on a race
with sleighs Christmas day. "And whoever wins"
he concluded, "you shall marry him and he shall
have all your lands"
Now in the village good horses were a great lux
ury. Va-de-bon-COeur had his stables full of the
best ponies that money could buy. But Philippe
had but one horse, unused to being driven with a
sleigh, a good, sure-footed bay, excellent for hunt.
ing, but for cutter racing-Claire sighed doubtfully.
Sieur Beauvais decided on a race of sixteen
miles on the Ice OF LAnSe Grouse, the shallow lit
tie bay on Lake st. Claire. A twisted tree on the
far side was selected as the eight-mile turning
point.
The contestants commenced to train their ponies.
Old Va-de-bon-COeur was out every morning, lash
ing his choicest black stallion up and down the
street, as he leaned forward in his light steel-run-
nered cutter that had been sent from the East.
Officers were seen impatiently nagging their or
derlies to more careful grooming of their fine roam
mares. Even the tradesmen bought horses, the
best they could afford, and went flying along the
snowy roads.
Only Philippe Beauclerc remained aloof from the
general excitement. AS usual, he was gone into
the forests at dawn, where 1t was said he spent
the day hunting with the Indian chief, Menotepah.
Whenever he rode he was seen astride the same
pony that had always borne him. 1t was known
throughout the town that he had not even pur-
chased a sleigh. 1t was wondered at, for his de-
votion to the fair Claire was an open secret.
Wasn't he going to race? The villagers cast COM
passionate chances at Beauvais's lovely little heir
ess. Her preference for him was an open secret.
too.
AT length Christmas morning dawned. Right
after mass was said In the old church Of Ste. Anne
the crowd collected on the bank of the bay.
A little apart from the crowd stood Claire Beau
vais and her father. Claire looked like an ethereal
lied holly berry In great red dolman. Her eyes
flashed with excitement and her little round chin
was held up proudly out Of her great collar. The
good old Seigneur strutted about with a self-im-
portant air, giving orders and waving genial salu.
tations to the tOwnsfolk.
There were II contestants, Of every kind am.
condition. There were cutters, jumpers. trains.
pungs. sleds and carioles. The impatient drivers
were ACQUIRED in devious ways; some in leather
dOublets, some In furs. some i'm military manner,
some I'm great wooden blanket-coats Of rich color.
And In all that group of contestants none was
more impatient than old Va-de-bon-Coeur' com