The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-09-08

| MOI Willing any f~trohScs ~ -
tlly ran up the stairs. After her. f0
moment. gazed the franciscan, then
shrugged his wide shoulders and
| plunged into the crowd
| While she danced, while she chat
tered and laughed and entered into the
mad galety of the evening, Lucie Le-
that omInous franciscan. How could
danois could not Danish from her mind
he have known? How could he have
| guessed what only she and one other
barely suspected? There was no proof.
| of course; the very breath of suspi-
cIon seemed a calumny against an up
right man,
! Joseph MaIllard had sold that Terre-
bonnie land six months before any gas
or oil had been discovered there. and
| eight months before Lucie had come
into the management of her own af-
| fairs. He had not known about the
minerals, of course; II was case only
of had Judgment. Yet. individually. he
was now shareholder and officer in
the Bayou OH company, the concern
which had bought that strip of land.
Lucie strove angrily TO Danish the
dark thoughts from her mind. Why,
Maillard was a rich man. a banker. an
honorable gentleman To doubt his
honor. although he was harsh and
stern man. was impossible. Lucie
knew him better than most, and could
not believe
| \ ,-dn for NV
came a voice at her elbow. She turned,
to see the Franciscan again beside
her. "With a thousand apologies for
inpertinence, mademoiselle am very
sorry for my faults. VIII not that
admission obtain for me one little
fair Columbne?"
Something In his voice spelt sin.
certify. LucIe, smiling. held out her
hand.
"You are pardoned, holy man. II
you can dance In that friar's robe,
then try II !"
Could he dance, indeed Who could
not dance with Columbine for partner7
So saying. the monk proved his word
by the deed and proved 1t well. Nor
did he again hint that he had recog-
dized her; until. as they parted. he
once more left her astonished and
perturbed AS he bowed he MUIR
INJURED:
Beware, sweet Columbinel Beware
of the gay Aramis Beware of his
proposalsl I"
He was gone upon the word.
Aramis? Why, that must be the
Musketeer, of course-BOb Maillard .
The name, with its implications. was
a clever hit. But who was this brown
monk, who seemed to know so much,
who danced so divinely, whose French
was like music? A vague suspicion was
In the girls mind, but she had no
proof.
Half an hour after this Bob Maillard
came to her, and with impatient words
made path through the circle which
surrounded her. 81 know you now,
Lnciel" he murmured. Il must see
you at once-in the conservatory"
She was minded to refuse. but as
sented briefly. The words OF the
monk intrigued her; what had the
man guessed? If Bob were indeed
about TO propose, she would this time
cut off his hopes for good But-was
II that sort of q proposal?
AS she managed to rid herself OF |
her admirers. and descended to the
conservatory, she was highly vexed
with herself and the Franciscan. and |
so came to her appointment in no
equable frame of mind. She found |
Mailard waiting In the old-fashioned |
he had unmasked. and |
was putting a cigarette.
"By CAD. Lucle. you're beautiful to-
night. Where did you get that collar
of jewels?"
"Indeedl" The girl proudly drew
herself up. "What business is mat
of yours, sr?"
Aren't you one of the family7
On it-Luciel Don't you know that
want to marry YOU"
my dear Robert. certainly do not
want to marry any man who swears
to my face-you least of all ~ she
coldly interviewed. 81 have already re-
fused you three times; let this be the
fourth and last. Now. kindly inform
me why you wished me to meet you
here"
81 have a chance to make some
money for you in a hurry" he said.
Your father left you a good deal Of
and up Bayou Terrebonne way"
"Your father sold some of it," she
,ut In, idly. His eyes flickered to
he thrust.
YES; but you've plenty left. near
Paradis. It's away from the gas field.
tut I'm interested in an oil company.
We've plenty of money. and we're go
ng to go strong after the liquid gold.
That land of yours is good for moth
ng else. and If you want TO make
'ome money out of 1t I'll swing the
company into leasing at a good figure
md drilling there"
you think there's oil on the land?"
"No." He made a swift, energetic
GESTURE of dissent "ro be frank. J.
Ion,t Rut I'd IiIra IN throw hif NJ