The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-02-08

Tain SiDoul
The gaze of Ba'tiste Renaud was
strained as he asked the question,
his manner tense, excited.
maybe you know the reason al
ready-through Thaycr. But if YOU
don't Ba tiste, how much of it do
you mean when you say you are a
mans friend?"
"Ba'teese may joke" came quietly,
"but Ba'teese no lie. You look like
my Pierre-you help where it has
been lonesome. You are my frien'."
"Then ! know you are not going
10 ask me for something that hurts
in telling And at least. l can give
you my word of honor that it isn't
because of my conscience"
Get is enough" came abruptly
81 like you'll not ask. You look
like my Pierre-who could do no
wrong. You have trouble? Bate csc
help"
Owe had plenty of that, in the
last two years." came quietly. a
think I've got plenty ahead. Wha:
do you know about Thayer?".
Gle no good. He have narrow
eyes. Beside, he make love to
Mcdaniel"
Barry laughed.
Evidently that's a sore spot with
you, Ba'tiste."
"If my Pierre had live, she would
have marry him. And to have
M'sieu Thayer take is place? Meb-
be" he said it hopefully, "mebbe
you like Medainc, huh?'
81 do! She's pretty, Ba'tiste."
"Mebbe you make love?"
81 can't make love to anybody,
Batiste. l haven't the privileges Of
most young fellows. Pm little
hampered by circumstance. I've
besides, if l ever do marry, it
won't be for love. There's girl
back east who says she cares for
me, and who simply has taken it for
granted that think the same way
about her. She stood by me--in some
trouble"
Ba'tiste scowled.
"You dam fool,'' he said. "Bus
'em present. Thank 'em, merci
beauccup. But dom marry 'em un-
less you love EN-"
"But you don't know the story
behind it all, Batiste. / got in some
trouble. 1t broke my fathers heart
and his his confidence in me. He
he died shortly afterward."
."And you-was it your fault?"
"Ba'tiste, believe this: it wasn't
He left willLwith stipulations.
was to have the land he owned on,
here at Empire Lake; and the flumt
site leading down the right side ol
Hawk Greek to the MILL Someone
else owns the ether side of thu
lake."
"Oui. Medaine Robinette."
"Father wouldn't leave me tn,
mill. He seemed to have a MOTTO,
that I'd sell it all off. The mill i.
rented to me. The land is mine, ant
l can do everything but actual.
dispose of it. But on top of tina
comes another twist: if l haven
developed the business within fiv.
years into double what it was at tn,
peak of it's best development, bacl
goes everything into trust fund
out Of which l am to have hun
dred dollars month, nothing more
I'm out here, Ba'tiste, to find GU
why, in spite of the fact that Nv,
worked day and night now for
year and a half, can't get it
Something or someone is blockin,
me, and Pm going to find out VIVA
and who it is! think / know on
man hayer. don't care what hap
pens to me personally. I'm goinI
to make good my fathers mem
ory."
"Bon--good!" Old Ba'tste leane
over the foot Of the bed. "My Pierr
he would talk like that. Bon! Nov
what is it youNlook for?
81 don't know. I've got one lead
as soon as Pm able to get into towr
How big a telegraph office is Their
at Tabernacle?
GLOW, big?" Ba'tiste laughed. Ee
is about the size of the-peanut."
Continued In Our Next Issue)