Part 44 (1/2)
”Well, what of that?” said Burrell ”We'll hire it--buy it--take it!”
”It's no use; she ain't got but three dog-power to her engines,” Lee explained ”She's a down-river boat--has to run with the current to ave in, reluctantly ”She'd only lose tiot to wait for one of the A C boats”
”Wait!” cried Burrell ”Good God! we've done nothing but wait, WAIT, _WAIT_! Let's do soo back yonder and set down,” co”
The arrival of the tiny Mission steamer was never of sufficient importance to draw a crowd to the riverbank, so the impatientup abreast of the town It was little Johnny Gale who first saw Necia and Poleon on board, for he had recognized Father Barnum's craft at a distance, and stationed hiood, kind old man welco Necia's naone to the rear of the store
”Understand! You leave Runnion to”No man shall lay hands on him except me--” His voice trailed away; he rose slowly to his feet, a strange light on his face The others turned to see what sight had drawn his eyes In the opening, all splendid with the golden sunlight, stood Necia and Poleon Doret, who had her by the hand--and she was sreat cry and went tosave his lips, and stood dazed and disbelieving He saw the towards hireat distance, saw that the Frenchman's eyes were upon hi her back to you, M'sieu'!”
Doret laid Necia's hand in that of her lover, and Burrell saw her sly, and he could utter no sound There was nothing to say-she was here, safe, slory in his eyes, understood
Gale caught her away from hi into the store, and, seeing the group, paused at the door--a shapeless, silent, shawled figure in silhouette against the day The trader brought the girl to her foster-ue with a rapidity none of them had ever heard before, her voice as tender as soether around the store into the house Poleon had told Necia all the aht, all that he had overheard, all that he knew, and uessed
The priest came into the store shortly, and the ained froed and weary, and who had said but little
”Yes, yes, yes!” laughed Father Barnum ”I'll tell you all I know, of course, but first I must meet Lieutenant Burrell and take hi, particularly when he caravel bar which no man had seen, and of which Poleon had told hiood priest was of a littered and flashed like an old crusader's
”It was a wondrous combat,” he declared, with all the spirit of a spectator, ”for Poleon advanced bare-handed and beat hioodness and le wound from this desperado--a hteous cause”
”But where is Runnion?” broke in Burrell
”Nursing his injuries at some wood-cutter's caenerosity and forgiveness which pro have I known in all h you have ever been an unGodly fellow”
The Frenchht so dam' hard”
”You couldn't find no trace of him?” said Lee
”No trace whatever,” Father Barnue where we can pick him up, for the days are still mild and the woods full of berries, and, as you know, the streams overfloith salht live a fortnight without inconvenience!”
”I'll be on the lookout for hiht I'll send Thomas and a couple of men down the river”
When the voluble old priest had at last exhausted his narrative he requested of Burrell the privilege of a feords, and drew him apart from the others His face was shrerinkled and ith understanding
”I had a long conversation with hter to me, and I discovered the depth of her love for you Do you think you are worthy of her?”
”No”