The Coolidge examiner., 1931-04-10

u
means that only three years and
eight months lie betwiXt you and
the day when you can be counted
| a man. According to law, you are
kings subject of maturity from
that day and can take life and all
| its belongings into your own hands,
so long as you are honest about it,
and can stand up in equality before
the stiffest periwigged judge in the
| Colonies or New France. In other
words, Jeemsy, | mean that in less
than four short years you will be
full-fledged mani"
Having delivered himself Of this
Introductory perOration HepSibah
finished upwrapping the package,
and never had Catherine heheld
such handsome piece of velvet as
that which her brother displayed in
the candle glow. 1t was, par eX-
cellence, the finest of the treasures
he had brought, a cloth of match
less beauty, a crimson glory so
filled with changing humors and
cOlOrS that it seemed to be alive in
his hands. Surely this was another
present for his mother, JeemS
thought. But to his amaZement and
GATHERINGS surprise HepSibah
thrust the cloth into Jeems' hands.
"For MademOiselle Marie AntOi-
nette Tonteur from her devoted adj
, mirer, Daniel James Bulain," he
announced. "Jeemsy, don't blush.
Twelve and ten are not far from
sixteen and fourteen, when you will
be man and woman, and if ever
seigneur's daughter finds herself
lucky it will be on the day she mar
ries a son of the tribe of Adams.
The writing on it, Jeemsy, tells
where't came from and how much
it cost; and along with 1t | have
brought you some nankeen for
britcheS and clothes, four shirts,
and a three-cornered hat with a
black ribbon, six handkerchiefs,
and a jackknife, two pairs o. serge
britches, as many of new shoes,
and-this," and from the now COM
pletely emptied pack he drew forth
a beautiful long-barreled pistol, his
eyes aglow with a fighting mans
pride as he fOndled it in the light
of the candles and pointed out its
merits to Jeems. "As long as you
live, you must never part with this
pistol, Jeemsy." he said. at isn't
new, you see, but it's record is one
of glory as long as my arm, and I'll
tell you about it some day. It's a
killer, lad, a killer deadly and sure,
good for hundred PAGES with less
than an inch of drop" and he gave
the weapon into Jeems hands.
An instant of disapprOval gath
cred in GATHERINGS eyes.
1T was kind of you to bring the
cloth for Antoinette but | do not
care for the pistol, Hepsihah." she
said. "a pistol makes me think Of
men fighting men. And here we
are at peace, having need only OF
the rifle and of Jeemsy's bow and
arrows TO bring us meat. | feel il
is not best !"
AS she spoke thus confidently ot
peace, cloud came over Hepsi-
bah's face, but in a moment he had
laughed it away and was telling
her that within a week she would
be as proud of her boys marksman-
ship as she now seemed fearful Of
the pistols influence upon his
future.
The next day was the day of the
auction sale at Lussan's place. Lus-
san was a wealthy farmer at the
edge of the next Seignehrie, ten
miles away. He was returning TO
his old home near the Isle of Or
leans, a country he liked better
than the Richelieu, and was selling
most of his goods. Among these
were a plow with an iron point, a
forty-gallOn soap kettle, and a loom
which Jeems' father wanted, so he
had planned to start with the or
early in the morning. Jeems had
heard TOnteur say he intended to
buy Lussan's three slaves. a moth
er and father and daughter, and
that the young wench was foi
Toinette. TOinette would be with
her father. He would take his
treasure package with him to Lus-
sans and find an opportunity tc
give it to her.
Should Paul Tache be there and
dare to overload him again, or
laugh in his meanly suggestive
way, or speak sneeringly, or Sc
much as say word against his
gift for Toinette.
A rumble of fresh-growing thun-
der was advancing out of the west.
and preceding it came a roar OF
wind and deluge of rain. Light.
ming cut once more in vivid flash.
ings across the narrow panes OF
the bedroom window, and the roof
seemed to bend and groan under
a sudden tOrrential bOmbardment.
Jeems fought in unison with the
elements. His spirit mounted say.
agely with the turmoil. He had his
enemy down and was thrusting his
head into wet and Shiny mud. He
was beating his face and eyes, and
spelling his splendid raiment, and
pulling out his hair. And Marie
AntOinette was looking on. With
the gorgeous red velvet in her
hands and her eyes big and starry,
she was watching him as he choked
and kicked and pommelled the life
out of Paul Tache!
The Outburst of thunder and
wind and deluge, a whim of playful
spring, In passing. it left Jeems
breathing quickly and fercely In