The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-04-09
PAGE FTF.EEEN

MNaRGAleA4M w the increasing malLEeNLmEME
OF his beloved mistress, the old fellow had
determined to fulfill his oft repeated
threat to interfere. But he wanted backing
when he did so ana, despairing Of getting
any from the count, he meant now TO
appeal to RaOul, should he be at home.
The count continued with his reading,
deaf to the faint sounds Of violent discOrd
that may have reached him. He was in
costume d'interieur, slippers and a dressing
gown. It was ten Of the morning. Then,
about ten minutes after Auguste had gone.
there came a sharp rap at the door, and
Miguel entered the study without waiting
to be hidden. He was in rough tweed
knickerDockers, a guernsey, and norfolk
coat.
"Annik does nothing but sulk," he said.
"Since she refuses to go to BayeuX, I have
decided to sail over to st. Heller Ton
Jersey and about twenty kilOmeters).
But the weather is v~illainOus," the count
objected, land / have given Pierre 1.-THE
mOusseC permission to go to BayeuX."
"There is a little mist, but no great
amount of wind. / think it is going to
clear. And / can pick up a boatman in the
buvette."
It was evident that Miguel was deter
mined. He was an obstinate young man.
The count then decided that this might be
better than for him to remain at home in
a bad humOr. Very WE'LL" he said. SIN
that case / should like to go with you. But
l shall have to dress"
Bon" Miguel grunted. "Then I shall &c
down and make sail"
He went out and took the path down the
cliffs. The count watched him disappear,
then slipped up to speak to his daughter.
He found her on her bed, sObbing. One
bare round arm showed the purpling inn
prints Of gripping fingers, and there was
a chair capsiZcd.
Il am going for a little promenade on the
sea with Meguel," said the count softly.
Let us hope that it may improve his tenn
per-" (The foregoing was the testimony Of
an eaveSdrOIping maid.)
The count dressed in his boating costume
and went out. At the head Of the path, near
the brink of the cliffs, he met RaOul, who
was alone. The count asked where Auguste
might be.
"He is returning presently with some
people who are going to BayeuX in a car
lRaOul said. Il did not wait, The road to
BayeuX led up past the chateau.
Then you might as well sc back said
the count. For one thing, you have ne
right to interfere or listen to servants
gossip, and for another. Miguel and l are
going to sail over to st. Melier.'
RaOul did not argue. He went back down
the path with the count. They parted at
the foot Of il. RaOul going to his house, the
water. He found Miguel below in the cabin,
against the quai inside the little break
smoking and nursing an ankle which he
said he had given a bad twist coming
down the rough path. At the counts sug-
gestion he took off his shoe and stocking
and Put his foot in a bucket Of cold sea
water.
A mile or so off shore, Miguel came up,
saying that his ankl was all right, merely
a sharp wrench Of no consequence. He took
the tiller from the count, who hOlsted the
main sail. Such exercises were his single
recreation physically and he enjoyed them.
Miguel had learned to steer by wine and
compass and took pride and pleasure IN
his new accomplishment. The boat was, IN
fact. the ONLY bono of sympathy between
the two, but a strong one. 1t is not intre-
Quently that inlanders develop a sudden
passion for close contact with the sea, as
though it were an element that supplied a
Hong felt if unconscious want. In tacC, II
had been said by sundry of the household
that because his sOn-in-law so greatly
loved the sea, the count forgave him every
thing.
Thinning counter now to weather wisdom,
the wind, instead Of hauling, backed south
west and the weather thickened. The count
advised that they return. but Miguel in
sisted that they hold on for Jersey. A
vicious chop sprang up, the tide running
ebb. The count went below to get into OIL
skins and sea boots. The boat was SWaSn-
ing through a tide rip, stanchly but with
a good deal Of connection. While strug-
Cling into his damp boots the count heard
lSway up the peak halyard or something OF
the sort. The boat trimmed pretty well
but had the fault Of sail balance common
to most French fishing boats IN carrying
a bit Of a lee helm with the big 1ib hauled
flat, so that if left to sail herself too long
alone she was apt to wear and Jtbe.
This now is what evidently happened.
1.-THE count, feeling a IuIl Of movement and
STRENGTHENING Of angular heel. shouted
uD the cOmpanOnway, one boot half on. AT
the same moment the boat Jibed. She wal
lowed in a confusion Of tOrmented cross
chop, nothing alarming under intelligent
control. or without it, for that matter. But
as the count showed his head and should
ers up through the hatch, he discovered
to his anguish no sign Of Miguel.
And there continued to be no sign Of Mi
= guel, either aboard or overheard. He was
gone, evapOrated, consumed or swallowed
M. There was no longer any such living
lnnwunn And un for nNGn fhnwn had hnnU
discovered no such dead one.
Such was the statement Of the Count de
DOmcOurt. 1t would appear at first glance
a fairly inVulnerable one. And such II
might have remained had not COrentine
d raging like a she bear deprived Of her cub
It attacked it fang and claw, with vast wealth
y and the legal skill and shifty testimony
le that such can buy.
The prOcureur de Ia republic had now 3
terrible Indictment of the count prepared
to launch. Some parts if it were true, Others
d obviously bought, this latter consisting Of
n threats never uttered but sworn to on 3
he stack Of sacred relics If required Threats
10 made by the count in the hearing OF
le Miguel's imported servants, these obviously
S, false but legal evidence.
ID The count, for his part, had steadfastly
r refused to prepare any defense at all. H'
ID would not discuss the tragedy with q law
" yer or anybOly else. Having once MADE nu
Ip sworn deposition, he rested his case, al
il one might say, and would there continue
e, to rest it. In England or America, wher'
u the OuuS Is on tue prosecuting alLuAnNy y
q" LrOve the guilt Of the accused, he would
IS have been safe enough. especially in TN
d. presence OF a corpus deficit. But in France
er where the accused must prove his tnnoeens.
Id and the factor Of motive is given sucl
N tremendous Importance, it was different
Especially as here was COrentine ravini
e. for his head, buying perturers wholesale
he ready and willing TO buy life annuities fO'
J. judge and jury, pension the whole Servic'
he de 10 Correction, provide for the press
ID and generally plaster that region witt
Id Argentine gold If only she could drag he
T. brOther-in-.aw to the guillOtine.
a Everybody in the blace believed that th
Id count had lured Miguel out for a sail
e. watched his chance, and showed him over
board. And nobody in the place blame'
he him. But a court Of law would blame him
lg COrentine's lawyers would take care o
lg that.
be Copyright 1925: by Henry c. ROwlandl
re TO be Concluded In Next Weeks Issue
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