Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-11-20
Lers of q former sous-lieutenant.'

bottle. Monsieur" he protested, 'you
do not hatter my cognac -
81 am enjoying it. sir, replied Steele
pouring himself a drink to humor his
hOSt, to which he added water, for the
brandy was powerful. That the cognac
habit was an old story with st. Onge
was evident and the younger man
wondered what relation fOndness for
strong liquor had to ST. Onge's pres
ence in Canada. Then he opened alb
ruptly:
"By keeping this post active, under
the conditions here in this valley, Las
celles must have realized the chances
he took. | cannot understand fur
trader Of judgment doing such a thing"
The face Of the Frenchman hard
ened. ''Why this post was built in this
place, | do not know; but do know
why Lascelles sent me here" st. Onge
leaned toward Steele as he repeated
bitterly. He sent me hereto ruin
me-"
ITO ruin your" gasped the other. II
don't understand 1t is to his interest
as an inspector that every post In his
district should make a profit" Then
he suddenly remembered the mysteri-
Gus statement of Michel IN sieu Las
celles ees no fool; he not keep eet for
fur; he keep eet for noder reason"
That explained it; the head man knew.
But why" pressed the curious Steele.
The factor rose and paced the floor,
his hands working nervously. Turning
dmpulsively to the man he had met
but few hours before, he exclaimed
why l am telling you this, do not
know. 1t Is an affair the most private,
but l am alone with my troubles-and
you are a gentleman-a man of heart.
You will understand"
Steele tingled with expectancy.
st surprised you to hear that I was
sent here to make failure of the
trade, but that is the truth" went on
the factor.
But for what reason, sir?"
st. Onge shook with emotion. "Be-
cause that canaille at Albany desires
to marry my daughter"
Steele wondered, now, why he had
not guessed. Of course, the failure of
st. Onge as a trader would put him
into the hands of his superior at AL
bany, so he had been sent to the
doomed fur post on the Wailing
you will leave the company, them"
he hazarded, sick with thoughts of the
girl who was the stake in this mad
game of Lascelles.
II must, if I fail here Up to this
year, | have beaten him, in spite of the
odds-shown small profit. And this
year, at Portage Lake, we had a good
trade-better than ever before-in
spite of Laflamme. But the loss of
this fur canoe destroys our four years
profits. Monsieur, | am a ruined man."
There was little Steele could say.
For a space ST. Onge walked the floor
with his bitter thoughts, then he be-
gan:
1--WE have been proud family, the
St Onges. My grandfather fought un-
der the great Napoleon. My father
was killed at Sedan. We have always
been soldiers, bearing an honOred
name, but /, the last, am unworthy of
It, Cards and this" pointing to the
bottle, "have done it. They lost me
my old home in Touraine; my poor
wife died while l was deep in the Sa-
hara, at Lake Tchad. She is all have
left-Denise." The voice of st. Onge
softened as he spoke of his daughter.
Then he finished fiercely:
"Give her to that bourgeois?
Never!"
Conscious of the fact that the voice
of the enraged factor carried to the
remotest corner of the house, the en-
barrassed Steele rose to check further
revelations which could prove only a
source of pain and modification to the
girl who heard them.
1T is very late, sir-we may be dis
turbing your daughter" and he offered
his hand with a goodnight y when
the pat of moccasins drew the atten-
tion of both men.
Clothed in a loose garment, caught
at the waist by a Cree sash, her way
ward hair in great coil at the nape
of her neck, Denise st. Onge stood in
the doorway. She was a figure Of pc
culiar beauty and dignity as she calm
ly said: Father, Monsieur Steele
doubtless desires to rest after his long
journey. 1t is late"
ST. Onge pulled himself together.
Pardon me, monsieur, you are tired.
Goodnight"
Red with confusion, Steele met the
level eyes of the girl who had heard
her personal affairs so intimately dis
cussed with a stranger, and marveled
to find there no humiliation, no anger,
as he murmured good night and
sought his room.
There for time, he sat smoking, as
he watched the moon drift down to
the purple ridge beyond the river. His
thoughts traversed the events of the
day; the meeting with Denise st,