Show bayo iw ir fi effion u u aa aa OP DF PARRISH aw A AC C CLIF 20 4 41 CO SYNOPSIS 7 adela la Ches nayne a belle of new la I 1 s among conspirators at her un cle a e hou house s e cassion the commis has bas enlisted her uncle chevet s aid against la salle D cartigny la salles salle S mend friend offers his services as guide to cas ion adon a 8 party on the journey to the wilder aass the uncle informs adele that he hag has betrothed her to cassion and forbids pt t her to see D cartigny again in quebec I 1 t f adele visits her friend sister celeste who brings DArt D cartigny igny to her she tells him her story and he vows to release her from the bargain with cassion bartig ny leaves promising to see her at the dance cassion escorts adele to tl e hall she meets the governor la barre and hears him warn the comm a against ainest DArt D cartigny igny D cartigny s ticket to the ball lias has been recalled but he gains entrance ty by the w ado v adele informs him of the governor governors s words to cassion for her A eavesdropping at the ball adele Is ordered by the governor to marry cass on at once and to accompany h m to the ill country he lie summons chevet and directs that he attend them on the journey they leave in the boats adele s future depend ing on the decision of D cartigny whom she now knows she loves casson cass on and DArt D cartigny Igny have words uncle chevet for the first time hears that his niece Is an heiress and beg ns to suspect cassion s i motives adele refuses to permit her hus band to share her sleeping quarters chevet agrees to help her madame cass on loathing the husband who got her by fraud and threat feels certain that she has a true confederate an ally ready to do her b dd da ng in rene D cartigny but d sap piles upon her in a ens cris s she learns she must fight alone how she resolves to win against all odds and get revenge is described in st aring manner in this installment I 1 CHAPTER IX continued leaning far out grasp ng a branch to keep from falling I 1 dist the canoe at the upper landing and the indians busily preparing camp at first I 1 saw bothin nothing of any white man but was gazing still when D cartigny emerged from some shadow and stepped down bes de the boat I 1 know not what instinct prompted him to turn and look up intently at the bluff towering above I 1 scarcely compre bended headed either what swift impulse led me to undo the neckerchief at my throat and hold it forth in signal sinal an instant be he stared upward shading hia his eyes with one hand I 1 must have seemed a vision cling ing there against the sky sly yet all at once the truth burst upon him and with a wave vave of the arm he sprang up the low bank and joined his in deans I 1 could not bear hear what he said but with a IL single word he left them and disappeared among the trees at 14 the e foot of the bluff he must have scrambled straight up lk it the steep face of the bluff for it could F have been scarcely more than a I 1 min ute when I 1 heard him crunching a pas 4 sage through the bushes and then saw him emerge above the edge cling r ing to a tree limb his eyes sought eagerly to locate me and when I 1 stepped forward he sprang erect and bowed jerking his hat bat from his head there m nas as about h s action the en ell of a boy and his face glowed with an eagerness and delight which instantly broke broe down donn every barrier between us you waved to me he exclaimed i you wished me to come aes ea I 1 confessed swept from my guard by his enthusiasm I 1 hav have e been anxious to confer with you and this Is my first opportunity why I 1 thought you avoided me ibbe e burst forth it is because I 1 felt t so that I 1 have kept away there was nothing else I 1 could do but pretend I 1 exclaimed gaining control over my voice as I 1 spoke my every movement has been watched since m ve c left quebec thia this is the first moment I 1 have been left alone it lf indeed I 1 am now and I 1 glanced about doubtfully into the shadows of the forest you imagine you may have been followed here by whom cassion by himself or some emissary pere allouez Alloi iez has been my ailer b it t chances to be disabled at present the commIss alre permitted me to climb here alone believing you to be safely camped above the yet his sus pic lons may easily revive his ills suspicions suspicious the laughed softly so that then Is the trouble it Is to keep us apart that he bi Is me make separate camp each night and assigns me to every post of peril I 1 feel the honor mademoiselle yet why am I 1 especially singled out for so great a d he suspects us of being friends he knew I 1 conferred with you at the convent and even believes that you were with me hidden bidden beb i d the cur tain in the governor governors s office yet it if all that be true he ques tinned his voice evidencing hs h s sur ur prise why should our friend sh p arouse his antagonism to such in ex tent I 1 cannot understand hat crime I 1 have committed mademoiselle it la Is all mystery even why you should hould be here with us on this long journey 14 surely you had bad no such thought when we parted last you do not know what has oc burred I 1 asked in astonishment no one toll vou you told met me how I 1 have scarcely held speech with anyone but the al goncu n chief since we took to the water cassion has but given orders and chevet Is mum as an oyster I 1 endeavored to find you in montreal but you were safely locked behind gray walls that something was wrong I 1 felt convinced yet what it might be no one would tell me I 1 tried ques dioning the pere but he only shook his head and left me unanswered tell me then mademoiselle by what right does thia this cassion hold you as a uP captive tive my I 1 ps trembled and my eyes fell yet I 1 must answer he is my husband monsieur I 1 caught glimpse of his face picturing surprise incredulity he ile drew a sharp breath and I 1 noted his hand close tightly on the hilt of his knife lour our husbands hus bandl thit cur surely you do not jest IN would that I 1 did I 1 exclaimed losing all control in sudden wave of anger 0 no o monsieur it is true and I 1 told him swiftly the story of my enforced and nd hugo chevet your uncle 1 did he be remain silent make no protest he be asked I 1 gave a gesture of despair he ile never did he even conceive whit occurred until I 1 told him later on the nver river even now I 1 doubt it if his sluggish brain has grasped the truth to him the alliance wis an honor an opening to possible wealth in the fur trade through hission s in fluence with la barre he ile could per belve nothing else except his good luck in thus ridding himself of the care of a poor n ece who had been a sorry burden but you explained to him I 1 tried to but only to regret the effort giant as he Is physically his intellect is that of a bis big boy all he can conceive of Is revenge a desire to crush with h s hinds he ile hates cas sion because the man has robbed him of the use of my father fathers s money but for my position he cares nothing to his mind the wrong has all been done to him and I 1 fear he be will brood over it until he be seeks revenge if he does he lie will ruin everything D stood silent evidently in thought endeavoring to grasp the threads of my tale how sd you attain the summit of this bluff he be questioned at list I 1 lender onder there Is a deer trail lead lag ing down bild nd you fear cassion may follow he will likely become suspicious it if I 1 am long absent and either seek me himself or send one of his men this la is the first moment of freedom I 1 have experienced since we left que bee I 1 hardly know how to behave myself and we must guard it from being the last he exclaimed a note of de termination and leadership in his voice there are questions I 1 must ask so that we may work together in bar har mony but cassion can never be al owed lowed to suspect that we hive corn com mum muni catlon let us go forward to the end of the trail where you came up lip from there we can keep watch below I 1 he ile still grasped my hand and I 1 had bad no thought of withdrawing it to me he was a friend loyal trustworthy the one alone to whom I 1 could con fide together we clambered over the rough rocks to where the narrow cleft led downward CHAPTER X on the summit of the bluff securely screened from observation by the low growing bushes clinging to the edge of the bluff and yet with a clear view of the cleft in the rocks half way to the river D cartigny found me a seat on a hummock of grass but remained standing himself the sun was sinking low warning us that our time was short for with the first coming of twilight I 1 would certainly be sought if it I 1 failed to return to the lower camp ion ovi would question me monsieur I 1 asked doubtfully it was for that you jou led me here les instantly aroused by my vo ce but m ith eyes still ng the trail and there is no time to waste if iam I 1 am to do my part intelli gently you must return below before the sun disappears or monsieur cab ion m suspect you hid bid lost your way you have sought me for assist ince counsel perhaps but this state of affairs has so taken me by surprise that I 1 do not think clearly aou hive a plan scarcely that monsieur I 1 would ascertain the truth and my only means of doing so is through a con bession by francois cassion arro gant he is and conceited deem ng himself admired and envied by all especially my sex he has even dared boast to me of his victims but there in lies his very weakness I 1 would make him love me he turned now and looked search into my face no glimpse of a smile in the gray eyes pardon I 1 do not understand he said gravely you seek his love I 1 felt his manner a rebuke a ques dioning of my honesty and swift in dig dIgn atlon brought the answering words to my lips and why not brayl pray must I 1 not defend myself and what other wea pons are at hand do I 1 owe him kind ness or tender consideration the man married me as he would buy a slave you may be justified he admitted regretfully yet how la is this to be done I 1 arose to my feet and stood before him my face uplifted and with one hand thrust aside the shade of my i hat monsieur deem you that ble his ills lips parted in a quick smile re the white teeth and he botved bow ed low alln fling O 0 ng his hat to the ground and stand ng bareheaded mon alon dieu io not mons eur cass on Is to be congratulated I 1 let et it was my thought you said yonder that you despised the man I 1 do what reason have I 1 to feel teel otherwise yet there lies my strength in this battle he ile laughs at women plays with them breaks their hearts it Is his pride and boast and his sue suc cess in the past his ministered to his self conceit he ile thought me of the same und kind but has already had h a lesson do you not know what that means to a man like him more than ever he will des re my favor A week back he cared eared nothing I 1 was but a plaything awaiting hia his pleasure his wife to be treated as he be pleased he ile knows better now and already his eyes follow me as though be he were my dog and that then Is why you send for me that I 1 may play my part in the game I 1 shrugged my shoulders yet there was doubt in my eyes as I 1 faced him Is there harm in such play mon I 1 asked innocently with so important an end in view not tint thit I 1 seek amusement but I 1 must find out where this king kings s pardon la Is h I 1 uen len who concealed it and obtain proof of the fraud wh ch ell compelled my marriage my only hope of re lease I 1 es in compelling francois cas s q on to confess all he be knows of this foul conspiracy I 1 must possess the facts before we return to quebec but of what use he be insisted you will still remain his wife and your property will be in his control the church will hold you to the mar nage contract not if I 1 can establish the truth that I 1 was deceived defrauded and married by force once I 1 have the proofs in my hands I 1 will appeal to louis louls to the pope for relief these L J 6 yet you would make him love level you men thought me a helpless girl friend less and alone ignorant of law a mere waif of the perhaps I 1 was but this experience has made of me a woman in montreal I 1 talked with the mother superior and she told me of a marriage in france where the pere offic officiated under threat and the pope d the ties it if it can be done for others it shall be done for me I 1 will not iemann the wife of franco s cassion yet you would make male him love you 9 in puni punishment ament for his sins in pay ment tor for those he has ruined W yi a duty I 1 shall not shrink from monsieur d cartigny even although though il you may deem it unwomanly I 1 do not mean it so nor hoi hol I 1 myself immodest for the effort why should 19 1 1 I but war against him with his own wea pons polls ind my cause Is just and I 1 shall win whether or not you give me your aid how can I 1 fall mon fleur I 1 am young and not ill to look upon abis you have already con confessed fesse here in this wilderness I 1 am alone alon the only woman he holds me his hi wife by law and yet knows he mus must sti stil win me there ere te months of ft ff to loneliness before us and in 1 i ill not look upon the face of another wh te woman in all those leagues ire re any french of my sex it fort st louis no nor at st ignace pere allouez assures me I 1 shall have no rival then in all thia this wilderness you think me harmless monsieur look at me and say I 1 do not need to look 1001 you will have your game I 1 have no doubt al though the final result may not prove what you desire you tear fear the end it may be so you play with fire and although I 1 know little of women nomen yet I 1 ha have hae e felt the wild passions of men in lands where there Is no restraint of law the wilderness sees many tragedies fierce bitter revenge fal ful deeds and its best you use care my ray belief this francois carslon might prove a devil once his heart was tricked have you thought of this I 1 had thought of it but with no mercy in my heart yet as D spoke I 1 felt the ugliness of my threat more acutely and for an instant stood before him white lipped and ashamed then before me arose cas sion slon s face sarcastic supercilious hateful and I 1 laughed in scorn of the warning thought of it I 1 exclaimed yes but for that I 1 care nothing why should I 1 monsieur lias has the man shown mercy to me that I 1 should feel regret because he suffers As to his revenge death is not more to be dreaded than a lifetime passed in his presence but why do you make plea on h a behalf the man is surely no friend of yours I 1 I 1 make no plea for him he an strangely sober and ind claim no friendship any enemy to la salle Is an enemy to rene d but I 1 would front h in as qs a man should it Is not my nature to do a deed of treachery you lou hold this treachery what else you propose luring him to love you that you may gain confession from his I 1 ps to attain th s h end you barter your honesty your womanhood you take advantage of your beauty to enslave him 3 ou on count as ally the loneliness of the wilderness ay and if I 1 understand aright you hope through me to awaken the man s jealousy Is this not truel I 1 drew a quick breath my eyes star ing into his face and my limbs trem bling ills words cut me like a knife yet I 1 would not yield would not even acknowledge their truth you are unjust unfair I 1 burst forth impetuously you will see but the one side that of the man I 1 can not fight this battle with my hands nor will I 1 submit to such wrong with out struggle he ile has never thought to spare me and there la Is no reason why I 1 should show him mercy I 1 wish your goodwill good will monsieur your respect but I 1 cannot hold this plan which I 1 propose as evil do you he ile hesitated looking at me with such perplexity in his eyes as to prove bis his doubt I 1 cannot judge you he admitted at last only that is not the way in which I 1 have been trained neither will I 1 |