The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-02-24

ing his voice; the squirrels you gave
me were excellent, my son. 1t was
good of you to think of me-" he added,
laying his hand on Rene's arm.
oh, I'm glad if 1 have pleased you,
Father Beret, for you are so kind to
me always, and to everybody. When
I killed the squirrels 1 said to my
self: These are young, juicy and ten
der, Father Beret must have these,
so I brought them along"
The young man rose to go; for he
was somehow impressed that Father
/ Beret must wish opportunity to read
his letter, and would prefer to be left
! alone with it. But the priest pulled
| him down again.
Stay a while" he said, Il have not
had a talk with you for some time"
| Rene looked a trif1e uneasy.
You will not drink any tonight,
my son." Father Beret added. You
must not; do you hear?"
| The young mans eyes and mouth at
| once began TO have a sullen express
/ sion; evidently he was not pleased and
felt rebellious; but it was hard for
/ him to resist Father Beret, whom he
4 loved. as did every soul in the post.
/ The priests voice was sweet and
/ gentle, yet positive to a degree. Rene
| did not say a word
! Promise me that you will not taste
/ liquor this night" Father Beret went
on. grasping the young mans arm
more firmly; promise me, my son.
/ promise me"
] Still Rene was silent. The men did
/ not look at each other, but gazed
! away across the country beyond the
! Wabash tOwhere a glory from the
/ western sun famed on the upper rim
! Of a great cloud fragment creeping
along the horizon. Warm as the day
/ had been, a delicious GOODNESS now
/ began to temper the air; for the wind
| had shifted into the northwest. A
! meadowlark sang dreamingly in the
/ wild grass of the low lands hard by,
/ over which two or three prairie hawks
/ lowered with wings that beat rapidly.
Eth bien. I must GO" said Rene
/ presently. getting to his feet nimbly
/ and evading Father Beret's hand
/ which would have held him.
Not 10 the river house, my son?'
said the priest appealingly.
No. not there; have another
letter: one for M'sieu' Roussillon; it
came by the boat too. I go to give
I it to Madame Roussillon."
Rene de Ronville was dark.
/ weather-stained young fellow. neither
/ tail nor short, wearing bucksllin
/ moccasins. trousers and tunic His
/ eyes were dark brown, keen. quick
/ moving. set well under heavy brows
/ \ razor had probably never touched
! his face, and his thin, curly beard
/ Crinkled over his strongly turned
/ cheeks and chin, while his moustaches
/ sprang out quite fiercely abov. his
/ fuu-npped. almost sensual mouth. He
looked why and active. man not 10
/ be lightly reckoned with in a trial Of
/ bodily and VIII power.
Father Beret's face and voice
/ changed on the instant He laughed
dryly and said, with a sly CLEAN in
his eyes:
You could spend the evening
pleasantly with Madame RousiIon
and Jean. Jean. you know, Is a very
amusing fellow"
Rene brought forth the letter Of
which he had spoken and held It up
before Father Berets face.
Maybe you think I haven't any
letter for Msieu Roussillon." he
,lurted; and maybe you are quite
certain that / am not going TO lie
house TO take the letter"
Monsieur Roussillon is absent. YOU
know" Father Beret suggested. But
cherry pies are just as good while
he's gone as when he's at home. and
l happen to know that there are some
particularly delicious ones in the
PANTRY Of Madame RoussiIon. Ma
demoiselle Alice gave me a Juicy
sample; but then 1 dare say YOU do
not care to have your pie served by
her hand. It would interfere with
your appetite; Ell. my SOM"
Rene turned short about waggine
his head and laughing. and so with
bis back to the priest he strobe away
along the wet path leading to the
/ Roussillon place
Father Beret sazed after him. his
face relaxing to a serious expression
IN which trace Of sadness and
gloom spread like an elusive twilight
He took out his letter, but did not
glance at it, simply holding it tightly
gripped in his sinewy right hand
Then his old eyes stared vacantlv as
eyes do when their sight is cast back
many, many years into the past The
missive was from beyond the sea-be
knew the handwriting watt of the
flowers of Avignon seemed to rise
out of it, as if by the pressure of his
grasp.
A stoop-shOuldered, burly man went
by. leading a pair Of goats, a kid fol
lowing He was making haste ex-
citedly, keeping the goats at a lively
trot
Bon jour, Pere Beret," he flung
out breezily, and walked rapidly on.
All, ah; his mind is busy with the
newly arrived cargo" thought the old
priest returning the salutation: his
throat aches for the liquor-the poor
man."
Then he read again the letters
superscription and made a faltering
move, as if to break the seal. His
hands trembled violently, his face
looked gray and drawn
Come on, you. brutes." cried the re
ceding man, jerking the throng Of
skin by which he led the goats.
Father Beret rose and turned into
his damp little hut, where the light
was dim on the crucifix hanging on
posite the door against the CLAY
daubed wall Ii was a hare nm