OCR Text |
Show ft, jSj&rOODEN jZW SPOIL Me laughed and put his arm abom her. "I can't believe he will teS forevermorc. Just because I want take you nway from him. No, de r 1 tall tell him, but not today Vrhnps rot, see, with lea, than three mon 1., what will happen to us?" N "I" the Interest very much!" It Is not tho Interest, Hilary. It It iM.nC,,, U"ary' U ,s a uuud nnd fifty thousand dollars." Hilary looked glum. There was nc chanco of raising that amount any. where. And It was his turn to despair. de-spair. "Arc you sure," ho nsked, "that the sacrlllce Is worth your whlle7 I feci like n thief, to rob your father and you, unless you urc sure'" And It was her turn to bo llopeful. "I am sure that I love you, dear," she unswered. "and that tho sacrWeo my father expects of me is nn unjust one." So they rcsolvsd to ipenk no more about It. to tell Rosny as soon us an opportunity occurred, nnd to wait, though tho waiting for something to eventuute which would resolve tho difficulty dif-ficulty seemed useless. Only n miracle could save tho seigniory from Brous-Beau's Brous-Beau's grasping hands. There wus one thing that had puzzled puz-zled Hilary for u long time, nnd now It stayed In his tlioujfctx and would not leave him. Why was Hrousseau willing to spend unlimited money to oust him from his timber rights? Why Old he not balk at murder? Ho broached this subject with Madeleine, Ma-deleine, who looked at him In wonder. J'I never thought of It In that way," she answered slowly. "I thought it was Just Just because he sensed that wo were going to caro for each other, and so wanted you away." "It may bo bo," mused Hilary. "But somehow I fancy there must bo 8 deeper reason." Ah he concluded Madclclno stopped suddenly und clutched his arm In agitation. agi-tation. They had reached tho side of the Chateau. From where they stood the front of the building was visible. A buggy wus nt the door, und Hilary recognized tho horse as Brousseuu's. He was stnndlng In tho living-room when they went In, facing the Seigneur Seign-eur across the table. Ills rage, which lie imide little effort to hide, was pat-iMit. pat-iMit. It was pitifully clear that be wau the dominating force there, und that ltnMiy had been endeavoring to placate pla-cate him without avail. "Come In, Mudelelue," said the selgn-neur, selgn-neur, turning to her. "You will excuse ex-cuse us. I urn sure, Monsieur Askew," ho milled to Hilary. "Not" shouted Ilroussenu. "It will be Just ns well llntt your friend the American bhull understand the situation. situa-tion. I urn u plain man, und 1 speak without concealment to any one who cares to listen. So you have been Implicating Im-plicating mu In your troubles with your men, eh, Monsieur Askew? Because Be-cause ono of the workmen whom you have nssnulted at various times draws a knife on you and cuts you xllgbtly, while halt unconscious from your blows, you allego a plot on my part to murder you?" Without answering him, Hilary turned to the Seigneur. "If Monsieur Broutscau's business Is with me, no doubt you and Mademoiselle Rosny will excuse us," he said. "It nln't with you," retorted Brous-seau, Brous-seau, scowling. "I was Just telling you my opinion of you, tho snmo ns I'd tell any mnn,.no matter who ho waB. It's with you Rosny," he continued, nddresslng tho Seigneur nguln. "And It ain't prlvnte. Prlvato? Diablo, It's too public I It's made me the laughingstock laughing-stock of St. Bonlfuce, and Ste. Murlo too. Every one's seen Mademoiselle Rosny riding and driving with me. Now she says sho won't have any moro to do with me. Why? Have 1 changed? Ain't I tho man I nlways wns? When I mnko a bargain I stick to It." "Monsieur Brousseuu," protested the Seigneur, "we Rosnys do not break our pledges. Whatever my daughter has contracted to do will bo done. But this Is hardly tho occasion, or the manner man-ner " "I know It nln't," said Ilroussenu, mbsldlng; nnd Hilary felt Madclclno a hand, which had gripped bis arm tightly tight-ly to restrain him. relax Its tension. 'Mnybo I forgot myself. I don't want to bo anything but a gentleman In the presenco of ladles, but Its Hard. Uoiwleur Rosny, when everything s ns rood as settled, to have It put back n tho melting-pot. Meaning you. Mon-ileur Mon-ileur Ahkewl" he continued, sneering nto Hilary's face. "That's where you omo Into this business. When people n St. Boniface began to talk about Mndemolsello hero having thrown me iver for hlm"-ho was addressing the Seigneur ugaln-"lt's moro thun uesh mil blood can stand." Tho Seigneur looked pitifully dis-iressed. dis-iressed. Ills fuce. Hushed with resent-ncnt resent-ncnt nt Brousseau'a Insolence, was nolded Into Impotence by conulctlw. mpulscs. Ho stepped forward. "I am euro, gentlemen, that there xists no cause ror Disagreement, no inld. "Monsieur Askew Is entirely ;ulltless of what you suggest. Fleas cmembcr, Monsieur Brousscau, that le is my guest. Madeleine, my dear, ( suggest that you and Edouard have i quiet talk together. I know that you lold your word as sacred ns we Itos-lya Itos-lya havo always held our word." Madeleine was ts pale as death, but tho stood forward bravely. "1 never Madeleine Wat at Pale at Death, but She Stood Forward Bravely. pledged my word to you, Monsieur Brousscau," sho said in a low tone. "You know It. You nsked mo to bo your wlfo and I refused. You took a good dcnl for granted. You took mo for granted. You made a mistake. When you treacherously conspired to cut Monsieur Askew' boom, when you planned bis death, you lost whatever chance you bad ever had. I shall never mnrry you." BrousRPnn staggered backward, came up against the table, nnd stood star Ing nt her In Incredulity, In fear, In fury, his own face whiter than hern: Tho Seigneur sat down In his chuli heavily, seeming to collapse there. Then Brousscau flung his fear aside and laughed, and It was the most evC Inugh that Illlnry hnil ever heard. lie nddressed Rosny; nnd ns he spoke ho continued to advance toward him, until un-til he was xhakliig his list In the old Seigneur's face. "I understand now," !h sneered. "This line American has been nt work In this matter. It Is ho who hns been spreading these lying stories nbout me. I don't blnmo your daughter, Rosny. A woman Is easily influenced by n new face. So's n man, for that matter. "1 don't blnmo her. I expect my wife to be true to mo after we're married mar-ried no moro and no less. I'll take caro of tho love. I ain't a hard man. I can make allowances for human nature. na-ture. I expect to mold her nnd to keep watch over her. Maybo aho'd do the same with me. "But Ibis Is different, Rosny," ho shouted furiously. "He's been telling her lies nbout me. Ho came up here and started In to crush me. Ho wants to drive me out of Ste. Marie. I'm not the man to allow that, Rosny 1 You know what I mean. I'll deal with hlra when tho times comes. I'll speak to him nguln presently. I'm speaking to you now. Is she going to mnrry mo or ain't she? You know what It's going to cost you If she goes back on her word." Rosny groped her way to his feet. The, old duelist, who In his younger dnys would tight nt tho drop of the hat, had been brought pitiably low, but not so low as Ilroussenu thought. His face was aflame. He opened his mouth, stuttered, nnd pointed townrd tho door. "You can go. You can go, Monsieur Brousscau," bo stammered. "Custom custom and courtesy forbid Insult n guest go before I forget myself." "I'll go. then," shouted Ilroussenu, and moved toward tho door. "You'vo bad your chance. Once more, Is sho willing to bo reasonable? I keep my word, In friendship or enmity. Will Mie keep hers? If so I'll forget. I'll cull It n whim. I" "No, I shall never be your wife," snld Madeleine quietly. Brousseuu swung upon Hilary. "Somo day I'll get you, you lying dog I" ho swore, nnd raised bis bund threntenlngly. Madeleine dnrted between them. "You cownrdl" sho cried. "You coward, cow-ard, to threuten n wounded mnn, whom you do dnro not look In the fnce In anger when he Is wclll" i, nn.vpii n Hpoulders nnd turned toward the door, 'the malignant ma-lignant smllo tiimn his face seemed frozen there, giving him tho aspect of a satyr'a mnsk. Hilary emtio forwnrd nnd tried to draw Madeleine nslde. but she still confronted Brousseuu with biasing eyes. But It wns the Seigneur's look of ngony nnd shntne thnt was the most vivid part of tho picture. Rosny stood like a statue beside the door, watching Brousseuu mako bis way along tho corridor toward the entrance. en-trance. Hilary put his arms about Madeleine, supporting her. Her cour-ngo cour-ngo wna gone, nnd she was weeping uncontrollably. The front door slnmmed nnd Rosny turned back Into the room. He burst out in passionate words. "It Is all gone!" he cried. "Everythinghome, "Every-thinghome, Innde, Inheritance. And It Is well gone. The Rosny seigniory Is nearly everything to me, but you nro more, Madeleine. Our nnme means ltttlo enough now, but It shnll never become allied with thnt of tho scoundrel scoun-drel who has robbed mo or everything else." Ho raised his clenched first nnd shook It in tho air with n passionately dramatic gesture, ns If to register his vow. HlB face wns strangely mottled with red and white, nnd be seemed to hnvc aged ten years within ten minutes. min-utes. "I offer yon my humblest regrets for wimt hns occurred this morning, monsieur," mon-sieur," he said to Illlnry. "There wns a time when I should havo exacted personal requital. .Now, alas, I cannot can-not I I enn only hoar the blame. But ns for you, monsieur, you who enme hero In nu evil day to cut my trees, you who nre my guest, what have you to say who havo brought this ruin upon mo?" Mrulelclno started forward ns if to protest, but he Mlenced her with n gesture ges-ture of his open hand. "I nsk you what you havo to sny, monsieur," ite repented. "I nek you how you Justify yourself, you who are a guest In my home and have presumed pre-sumed upon thut fact to turn my daughter from me?" "I lovo her," nnswered Hilary simply. sim-ply. Tho words seemed to sting Rosny to the quick. "You arc presutjiptuous, monsieur!" he cried. "Perhaps you, too, thought that the heiress went with the trees?" Mndclelno cried out and laid her hands appcallngly upon her fnther'a arm; he did not repulse her, but continued con-tinued speaking ns If ho wero not conscious con-scious of her presence. "She shall never bo your wife. Tou have dona hnrtn enough here, monsieur. mon-sieur. When you are well my cnlcche Is at your disposition, to take you back to your mill. And henceforward, unless un-less you claim the InBt Inch of your legul rights to cut. about the Chateau which I do not think you will" ho added add-ed with reluctant Justice "let us sea you no more." "You ure unJusU" crlcif Madeleine. "Wo love each other. There exists no reason why we should not love. Monsieur Mon-sieur Askew Is ns good us any man." "An Amcrlcur?!" cried Rosny hotly. "This Is not bis country, nnd our wny ure not his. He is not one of us." "Yet jou wero not too proud to pledge mo to thnt other inuu, who It not one of us cither, except by remote rnco. Against my will. Without my knowledge." "Enough I" cried Rosny. "It is all past!" "The memory is not pnst Yes, you pledged me to him nnd placed tho first links of the chain nbout my neck, hoping hop-ing thut the understanding, to which I was no party, would gradually enmesh en-mesh me, rupture me, thnt I should become be-come his wife Und save your lund for you." The Seigneur turned on her n look In which humiliation struggled with linger. He seemed stupefied by her outburst. Illlnry Interposed. "Monsieur Rosny, I lovo Madeleine, und I Intend to marry her," ho Raid calmly. "But I rcallzo your feelings, nnd I understand how great a shock this has been. You Invited mo to do-part do-part when I am well. I am well enough to depart now. But I shall return, to seo her und to plead our causo frankly frank-ly with you. There exists now no renson, no valid reason " t'You sltntl never como hero I" thundered thun-dered the Seigneur, losing all self-control. "Tho day when I sold your undo tho timber rights over my land was tho most cll duy of my life, do If you tiro well, go I My cnlecho is rendy for you. Go, monsieur, In Uod's numc, und I trouble me no longer I" He raised h(s voice and shouted, "Robltalllel Robltalllol" From bomo plnce In the recesses of tho Chatueau n feeble, quavering cry unswered him. And through the doorway door-way Hilary saw the ancient serving man come shunting to obey his muster. And, us he looked nt him, his resentment re-sentment died. The two old men Rosny In his brown swallow-tails and tho tight trousers Btrapped uudcr his boots. Itohltnllle, In the faded butler's uniform, seemed playing a purt, acting In some scene laid In the long pust. Or, rather, they were the past. They had no place In tho modern world, thoso ancient figures In their ancient dress, nnd with their nnclent wnys. They cumbered tho stngo of life, lingering lin-gering tltero when their exits wero long overdue. They were unreal ns phuntom figures glimpsed In n wild drenm. Pity for the two futile old men choked Hilary's throat. Ho could feel nothing but thnt ns he watched Robltnlllo como to tho door, bobbing und shuffling, with stiffened Joints thnt mitdo lilin moro like u marionette. But he felt, too, tho urgency of taking tak-ing Madeleine away, Into n world of reality, before tho same dream Infected In-fected her. ijo Lumn un to Illlnry softly au plnced her tlngcra on his nnn, tooK.nf Into bis face wistfully. "You must go, dear, nnd not try to convince him now." she said. "It has been a terrible blow to him. He looks so III. I am nfrald for him. I shall coma to you tomorrow nnd tell you " "Itohltnllle," said tho Seigneur, "Monsieur Askew hns decided, much to my grief, to lenvo this afternoon. Y'ou will hnve tho goodness to pnek his things nnd to prepare tho cnlcche for him. You will drive' him to the mill." The old man muttered acquiescence nnd shunted awiiy. Illlnry turned townrd to-wnrd Rosny. Frankly he held out his hand. The action might havo been Ill-timed, Ill-timed, but It responded, to his deep-aented deep-aented feeling. But Rosny did not seem to see the gesture. Ho stood stnrlng across the room, ono hand clutching his spreading collar, and his face, which hnd been white nnd red, was purple. . Hilary turned away. Ho bad reached the door when he heard a sound ns If Rosny was clearing hla thront. Then Madelnlno cried out In fenr. Hilary Hit Eyes Closed, Hla Arms Drooptd Over the Sldec; Hla Head Fell on Hla Breast turned, to sec Rosny alt henvlly down In his chair. Ills eyes closed, his nrma drooped over tho sides; his head fell on his breast. Hilary ran to him. lie was unconscious, uncon-scious, and breathing heavily. Hilary tried to raise him, to carry him to the sofa, but the mnn seemed rondo of Iron ns bo, lay, a dend weight, In Hilary's nrma. At Madeleine's cry old Robltallle had' turned, too, and he came shuffling bach. As ho perceived his muster lying ly-ing In the chair he began to utter wild, whimpering cries. "Ills father went thnt wuy," bo mumbled. "I always knew he'd go like that. Forty-five years Pve served him. Forty-five years. I nlways knew " "Help me to get him Into the next room, to bed," snld Illlnry. Robltnlllo did not understand, but ho uldcd Illlnry to rulso his master, und together thay half dragged and half carried him Into tho drawing room anil lnld him on nilnry's bed. Madeleine kneeled beside him In despair, her hands clasped, her eyes strained on his face. Illlnry was loosening his collar and the upper part or his clothing. Robltalllo had shuffled shuf-fled out. "I have killed him 1" cried the girl, In puthetlc grief. "I hnvc killed him I" Illlnry could do nothing. Shu seemed distraught, and the Seigneur lay like a fallen tree. His rattling breaths blended with the girl's aobs; nnd there was no other sound In tho room. But soon Robltnlllo canto shuffling back. In ono hand ho carried a basin, In tho other n llttlo rusty knife. A towel was on IiIh arm. Ho muttered something to Madeleine, who rose from her knees and looked ut Illlnry with a bravo effort at self-composure. "He wants to bleed him," she said. !'Ho says that when ho wns n young roan they used to bleed such cases und they got well. He snys It Is tho only chance." Hilary, feeling helpless, took the Inncct from tho old servant's fingers und looked at tho rusty edge. "I've henrd of bleeding In such enses," ho said. "Well perhaps It won't hurt him. But wo must boll the Instrument. Can you get some hot water?" The girl hurried to obey. Sho left the room nnd came back with a llttlo ulcohol stove and u pan of water, injury, inj-ury, having scraped tho rust from the blade, watched her In admiration at her self-possession as she went to und fro, Intent upon hor task. While tho water wns boiling the two men mnn-uged mnn-uged to get Rosny to bed. When the water wus boiled Hilary sterilized tho lancet, Robltalllo looking on without comprehension. But his shaking fingers grew firm ns he performed per-formed tho little operation. When It wns over and the unit bandaged a slight .Improvement in Rosny's condition condi-tion seemed ulreudy mnnlfest. They sat hesldu him nil through the dny, while tho heavy brcntblng gradually gradu-ally grew lighter, nnd tho stupor seemed to bo passing Into sleep. Toward To-ward evening Rosny opened his eyey for n moment and looked nbout him. "I should like to stny, If I can bo of helprsnld Hlnry, "I think you hnd better go, dear, If you nro strong enough," snld Madeleine. Made-leine. "You will bo very careful of yourself, nnd mako your friend, Mr. Conncll, take euro of you? And not go to work In tbo woods till you are strong?" Sho put her arms about his neck. "And I lovo you with all my heart," sho whispered, ns sho kissed him. (Continued Next week) |