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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1933-12-14, Page 6THURSDAY, PEOEMBER 14. 1933 THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE Captain Midnight by L. Arthur Cunningham So now, for her, it was on with the , Girard with veiled malice and de­ farce, let it be done and quickly; as rision with a contemptuous glance the victim in the tumbril bearing him to death would speed the slow cart to the scene of execution. She refused, as she knelt there, to think of past or future and she lived thro’ the present as one in an ugly dream, bound by its fetters. But the monk's voice was real and in the ancient chapel was a musty odor of death and decay and no flower was there, no sign of gladness. Sonorous in the mortal silence the monk’s voice roll­ ed forth sounding Latin periods— And sacriegeous, solemn farce, was Captain Midnight. The door banged as if a fierce wind The mystic figure man was for a moment framed in the entry, like a shadow that had no substance to cast it there. Then he strode forward to the altar, pistol in hand, his spurs a-jingle, his heels making a great clatter on the thin, echoing flagstones. "A piece of mummery this,” said he. "And all in God’s name. It shall not be.” Simon Girard’s face, pallid by na­ ture, turned a sickly, greenish hue; Paul Caron fumbled with his sword «hilt — Captain Midnight heeded neither of them, not yet the fright­ ened maid-servant. From behind the masque, his eyes, like points of steel, held Yvonne’s in which was no fear of his ominous presence only curiosty and surprise. She had heard much of this strange man and his white steed, Barca. A sort of Robin Hood was Coptain Midnight, and it was suspected though never generally announced, mat the gold he took from the Intendant’s men was quietly given back, here and there, to the honnetes gens and the poor, from whom it had been stolen by the clever thievry of la friponne— the public’s derisive name for Fran­ cois Bigot and his coterie—the swindle. "How would you prevent it mon­ sieur?” It was Paul Caron who questioned Captain Midnight. "It is my sister’s wish that—” "It is not,” said 'Captain Midnight at Captain Midnight, "That is no problem, mademoiselle, to show your gratitude to this knight-errant, this gallant masquerader, you might con­ fer upon him the great favor and honor of Yvonne i smirking readable Midnight, mantled her white cheeks and she stared at the floor. "It is a kind suggestion, Monsieur Girard,” she said softly. "But takes two to make a bargain.” •Captain Midnight bowed low. "I am eternally at your service, milady. I can think of no greater happiness in the world than to be your bridegroom—even if it be only in name, as it shall be if you wish.” 1S0 spoke Captain Midnight, but in his heart was the first fear and ner­ vousness he had ever known; a chaos in his heart of conflicting emotions—yet his whole being seem­ ed to sing with delight, with joy in­ credible. A smile twisted his firm mouth as he stepped to her side. "Twere a pity,” said he, "to en­ dow the State with a fortune, when such a mere trifle as a husband stands between that fortune and you mademoiselle.” Girard laughed. "Would you buy a pig in a poke, Yvonne? Why not ask him to re­ move the masque and disclose to you his handsome face. You owe her that m’sieu’. A bridegroom’s face should be a matter of great moment to his bride. I would counsel you, as a matter of good sense, milady, to see what you are getting, lift the masque—just for a If you do not—” Yvonne hesitated, eyes her newly elected bridegroom. Still about his lips that mocking ghost of a. smile; still in the slit-like eyes J behind the masque that steely, intent regard. “I do not ask it,” she said quietly, confidently she placed her hand«in Captain Midnight’s, his strong fing­ ers closed over it, and the scandaliz­ ed but patient monk resumed his sternly. "It is your own folly and ' orion. cowardice, my friend, mat forces | her to this.” Paul’s hands clenched and he made an angry sound through his teeth—but did no more. "You know it cannot be, Girard,” continued Captain Midnight, his pis­ tol held carelessly, yet menacingly. "Here is your father’® will, made­ moiselle. Read it—and see why this man would wed you and also under­ stand that he can do you and your brother no harm. You have only to show this document to Bigot or the Governor to place Monsieur Girard in the position more awkward than ’ your brother’s Am I not right?” Eagerly, with Paul reading over you a new trust- her should, Yvonne read the will, as you did not guard your sister.” Gladness, relief, gratitude were in | the dark flashing smile she gave Captain Midnight—and then a little frown of worry drew her pretty brows down. She shrugged, bit her lip in perplexity. "I thank you monsieur,” she said. “You are indeed my benefactor—•” "He is a meddling thief and cut­ throat,” said Girard bitterly. "A gal­ lows-bird—” "To the contrary,” countred Cap­ tain Midnight, in a tone of awful menace. "I am a man of great for­ bearance—of great mercy. Were I * not, I should send a bullet crashing into your brain. You know that.” Simon Girard stepped back a pace all his bluster gone from him. "Be not afraid,” continued Cap­ tain Midnight. "Your time has not come yet. Such a death were far too easy for you.” He turned ne. "Even with the ugly of being this man’s from you, milady, happy?” "Happy, yes. But profane; in that the coming of I against the wall had forced it in, of the highway- wife you to Yvon- prospect removed are not it says here if I am not wed before my twenty-first birthday, all the lands and monies I would inherit go to the State. It is most unfortunate. In a few mo­ ments, at the hour of midnight, I shall be twenty-one—sad to confess, And what woman before me was fac­ ed with the grim necessity of find­ ing a man to her liking and giving herself to him in wedlock, in the space of a few minutes? What is one to do?” "That is simple,” put in Simon Dr. Wood’s Norway Pine Syrup marrying him.” stared, gazed from Girard's* visage to the masqued, un­ countenance . A slow, of Captain lovely flush it Bid him moment. accounts Paul and lifted to | Simon Girard, strangely enough I for one who had aspired to possess her, seemed pleased with the turn of events. I-Iq smiled, hiding the smile with his hand. He seemed full to bursting with a secret too wonderful to hold. But Captain Midnight, when it was done, strode to him and stared hard into his face, causing the grin to fade. "Fool,” said Captain Midnight and his gauntlet swung sharply, cracked against the lawyer’s cheek. He turned to Paul Caron, placed Yvonne’s hand in her brother’s. "You are free from worry now,” he said to the youth. "But I give ■to guard my wife strange ner more Her own He drew she would said puzz- light was such a morning as would damp­ en the spirits of even the .most cheerful, but Simon Girard, by na­ ture a carper and pessimist, a man of dark moods, felt still a tingle of elation as he climbed from the great four poster bed where, brideless, he had slept pleasantly. He parted the ■ curtains of white damask ornately hroidered with flowers of gold and •Silver. He wiggled his feet into fine red kid slippers and bellowed for his man to throw all the shutters wide and let in such light as there was to be let in a morning so som­ bre. "I must confer with Bigot at once he decided over the crisp trout and syrup-covered scones at breakfast. It is quite the most ridiculous thing that has ever happened nere. I could not have her myself, thanks to the confounded meddler’s cleverness in producing that will, but it was a brilliant stroke on my part—and one Bigot will praise me for—to marry her off to a man she can never—” •His thoughts became unpleasant. He shuddered with distaste and pushed his half-finished breakfast away from him. These were not the thoughts for a dark morning. ‘He got up quickly, donned cloak, and hat and was on the steps waiting impatiently when the groom brought his mount. I Simon Girard’s good spirits return­ ed as he galloped towards Quebec. ! He knew that, so long as he kept silent about the irregularities in Paul 'Caron’s ' Yvonne would say nothing about the I will be had so long held back in the , hope of winning Yvonne to wife and getting control of her considerable , fortune. That long cherished dream ' was dead now, but his failure at the last moment to carry his plans thro’ to success, did not disturb him greatly. He had plenty of money, there were good pickings to be had in New France; and any amount of • ligitation, despite the poverty of the I people and the fact that the King’s Granaries bulged with corn while the farmers who had raised and harvest­ ed it had barely enough to eat. And here, in this marriage Yvonne and Captain Midnight, was a situation rich in the irony and de­ feat that Girard loved to see visited on others. There hovered an un­ wonted smile about his thin lips as he entered at the gate of the Inten­ dant’s Palace, dismounted and went in to have audience with Francois Bigot. The smile vanished forthwith as Bigot turned from the window , and his survey of the rainswept ' river and leaden sky—more angry and forbidding than a storm-wrack i over the great S. Lawrence was the Intendant’s saturine visage. “Fool!” grated Bigot. "Fool of the devil!” "Fool—” Simon Girard’s face took on a craven look. Fool—'Captain Midnight had called him fool, too. But why? What was there—” "I am sorry if I have offended my lord,” he began in a voice that drop­ ped with servility. of—” "Sang de Dieu!” “Did you stand by —this lovely girl become the bride of—” ".She ed her, masque She did Bigot gestured him to silence with an angry fluttering of his fingers. Restlessly for a moment the Inten­ dant paced up and down the red rug, hands lacing down, brow. rested "I would to God this had not hap- [pened, Girard,” he said worriedly. I "It may have seemed a jest to you; a few days ago it nad seemed droll 'to me too. And I have not lost my hnnca nf hiimrtr, What dO yOU knOW of "It is because snarled Bigot, and let this girl would have it so. I warn- sire. I told her to lift the and disclose his face to her. not heed me—” •Swiftly he bent to her and kissed her lips lightly, with a gentleness that thrilled than if he had hurt her. hand touched his cheek, away quicky, as if fearful pluck the masque from him. "Farewell, my bride,” he smilingly looking down at her led face—her face that was and shadow and piquant allure— crimson lipped; with eyes blue-black as the starry night, long-lashed and gazed into his with wonder, with girlish mischief. "Am I not your bride?” she ask­ ed. "And—and this our wedding­ night?” "My bride,” he smiled at her, as upon a little child. "Aye, you are my bride—but I am Captain Mid­ night”. And they heard in the night the muffled thunder of Barca’s hoofs. Quebec was agog. It hummed. It buzzed with gossip. The steeples seemed to lean towards each other ( and whisper together, even the trees .sense of humor, even the pigeons seemed to know of °f this man they call Captain Mid- ,,____ ___ clasped behind him, fingers and unlacing, his dark brows drawn, a scowl furrowing his At length he sat down and his chin on his hand. night?” "Very who you was with from the tod you that he had seen the face of Captain Midnight as the highway­ man stopped to rest and partake of food in a clearing. The old fellow 'said it was a hideous face—that the ____ ______ _ _ brow was scarred, and indelibly a gray rock under an ashen sky. It stained with pigments in streaks and it—’Yvonne Garon was the bride of Captain Midnight. They beseiged her with questions, they scolded her, teased her—but only a few dared to laugh—and one of these was Simon Girard. The morning following those very strange nuptials was dark- and dis­ mal; a fine rain fell on the sodden grass and made the slate rooftops glisten, made Quebec* a gray city on little, sire; only, in fact, heard yourself the day I you and that old woodman forest of fSlllery came and Her Little Girl Had a Bad Cold Mrs. Thomas Lees, Lansdowne Station, N.8., writes:—"My little girl had such a bad cold she would cough so hard at night she could hardly get her breath. I tried everything I thought would improve her, but to ho avail, until I saw where Dr. Wood's Norway Pine Syrup was good for cold ailments. After giving her two bottles she was, greatly improved. I am never without Dr. Wood’s’ in the house in cases of emer­ gency.” Price, 35c a bottle; large family size, 66c, at all drug and general stores; put up only by The T. Milburn Co., Limited, Toronto, Ont. stars, much like a clown’s Iroquis have done that to o’-e this. And, of course, one reason why Captain , would never show his face­ face—the prisoners that was Midnight r Bigot shook ihis head impatiently. "That man,” he said, "that old -has gone mad—stark, raving He swears he has gazed upon upon a man mark­ curse, The thing man- imad. ’ the face of Evil, ed with God’s haunts him—” Simon Girard contemptuously, ‘‘Some credulous peasant. I would only laugh at this we would at a clown, a mountebank/ "Yes?” said Bigot unsmiling, "I shrugged laughed You and fellow as assure you we wounldn’t my friend —know you who this Captain Mid­ night is? Have you not even sus­ pected it—?” Girard stared at the Intendant, plucked nervously at his dry lips, licked them with his longue. He had begun to share Bigot's dread, though he knew not why. A hint of fore­ boding, of danger, came to him; the room felt chill, though a fire blaz­ ed on the hearth. He shivered, "This man they call Captain Mid­ night,” said the Intendant. "This man with the face of a demon, a face to drive me mad ie—Laurent Lemoine de fit. Hilaire! Am English prisoner told this—” The lawyer’s moutn opened, his jaw sagged and into his small eyes flew a gleam of sheer pitiful horror. "Dead,” he said in a whisper. "St. Hilaire is dead, my lord. You know that. Why, I myself paid the Iroquis __M "Silence ” said Bigot fearfully. "It is St. Hilaire who roams the high­ ways about Quebec and he only bids his time, Simon, It is my life and yours he seeks—or mayDe it is a living death like his own he would i t "God’s mercy ” Girard looked fearfully around as if expecting Captain Midnight to stalk from the shadows and do him to death. "I— I cannot believe it, sire—•” "Nor could I at first. But it is the truth. He was driven from the English colonies, forced to cover his waful visage. You know what those fiends can do to a man with their knives and their accursed pigments. What a ghastly thing they must have made of him—of Laurent who was so handsome, so porud of his fine brow, his eyes—” The two men looked uneasily at each other, and away again, as if neither one could bear what he saw so clearly in the other’s eyes. For they had done this awrui tiling. Their thoughts were much the same—once again they saw a scornful lackey usher that ancient, toothless man into this very room. Adeliard Morin di Langois was his name, he said, clutching his red toque in fingers, gnarled, brown and auguish. From under tufted beetling brows from out a face dry and taut as parch- men, in which the mouth was a slit, his little watery eyes had roved from Bigot to Simon Girard. "I have seen him, my lords,” he piped. "I have seen Captain Midnight. At dawn it was, in the clearing by the Lake of Sorrows. Scarred and stained and like a merry-andrew’s was his face —a devil’s face, masters. He is a devil, this -Captain Midnight.” And Bigot, with an oath and a piece of silver had sent him on his way. They had thought little of the old man’s information then; for it meant nothing. They had heard of what the savage Iroquis sometimes did to their prisoners, but. neither of them had ever gazed upon the barbarous handiwork of the witch-doctors. Once in France, Girard had seen at a cir­ cus the fixed, ,heart-sickening grin of a poor wretch whom the capricic- os had mutiliated in childhood—a horrible memory. Girard shook his head to drive the picture away, blink­ ing his eyes, stared at his hands. "A woman,” muttered Girard. "This for a woman. A pretty face—■ for that pretty face of Melusine d’ Artois, she wlio looked too kindly upon this youth—Jesu, could she see him now—!” (Continued next week) Sunday School Lesson PAUL IN ROME Sunday, Dec. 17—Acts 27:28 Golden Text I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:14). The Roman Governor Festus had said to Paul. "Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.” And a greater than any Ro­ man Governor, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, had said to Paul the pris­ oner in Jerusalem: "Be of good cheer, Paul; for as thou hast testi­ fied of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.” Another mighty potentate tried to defeat these plans. Scripture tells us that Satan, Christ’s implacaole en­ emy, is the prince ot tne air” (E-ph. 2:2) and it is entirely reasonable to suppose that the terrible hurricane that overtook Paul’s ship on me voy­ age to Rome was an attempt of Sa­ tan to destroy the life of the great apostle, who was Christ’s chief hu­ man instrument working incessantly and 'triumphantly against the mach­ inations of Satan. The twenty-seventh chapter of Acts is one of the .great accounts in all literature of a storm at sea. It must be read through to be apprecia­ ted. It was written by Luke, whose standing as a historran of faultless accuracy, even apart from his divine inspiration,, has met the severest tests of historical scholarship. There are certain outstanding facts and lessons in this experience of Paul. Although he was a prisoner, taken on board in custody of a Roman cen­ turion, he was so evidently a man of extraordinary character, presence, education and common-sense that he was given unusual liberties and Courtesies. The same thing has happened to real Christmas over and Lifo’a Changing Outlook Have you ever thought how in­ secure are the hopes and plans of the poor, who, dependent upon their daily earnings, llpd life’s outlook so greatly changed when sickness comes? They bear a double cross, for in addition to physical suffering, poverty stares them in the face.There is one disease most dreaded by this class. It is consumption, which, fostered by their mode or life, preys upon them. Nourishing food, fresh air, rest, the only known cure, is beyond their means. What then is to be done? There is no alternative. They must be helped.The Toronto and Muskoka Hospi­ tals for Consumptives with their new buildings, can give better ser­vice now than ever before, their only handicap being lack of suffi­ cient funds. There are but few patients who can pay anything to­wards their keep. There is NOT ONE for whom the whole cost of maintenance is received. For the difference, amounting to many thousands of dollars in the year, these institutions must look to you and to other warm hearted friends. Will you please send what you can to George A. Reid, Treasurer, 223 College Street, Toronto 2. Qtye Exeter QJimw-Abtiarate Established 187.3 and 1887 Published every Thursday morning at Exeter, Ontario SUBSCRIPTION—00 per year in advance. RATES—Farm or Real Estate for sale 50c. each insertion for first four Insertions. 25c. each subse­ quent insertion, Miscellaneous ar* tides, To Rent, Wanted, Lost, ot Found 10c, per line of six words, Reading notices 10c. per line. Card of Thanks 50c. Legal ad­ vertising 12 and 8c. per line. In Memorlam, with one verse 50c. extra verses 25c. each. Member of The Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association over again at the hancrs of their cap- tors. With more than half the voyage behind him, they ancnorea at a port in the Island of Crete, called Fair Havens. The dangerous winter seas­ on was at hand, and Paul advised against sailing further, but his. ad­ vice was set aside. The ship’s mas­ ter hoped to sail safely at least to another harbor, Plienice ,not fifty miles away on the coast of -Crete, where they expected to pass the win­ ter and await favorable spring weather. They set sail—and the hurricane struck, They were driven far out of their course. Day after day and night after night passed, with neither moon nor stars to be seen, nd every one gave up hope. All except Paul. God sent an an­ gel messenger to him by night, bid­ ding him fear not and assuring him that he and all on board would come safely through the storm. Miracles were nothing new for Paul, and tney continued to occur, not only in his behalf, but also for those to whom .he ministered. After two weeks of being driven helplessly about in the Adraitic iSea, Paul spoke such words of encourage­ ment and sensible counsel that the centurion and others in authority listen with respect. Even the treach­ ery of the soldiers was foiled by Paul and finally the storm-racked vessel was driven before the wind upon a bar off the Island of Melita now called Malta. The ship broke to pieces under the pounaing of the sea, and every human soul came safely to land, some swimming, some on boards and some on broken pieces of the ship. The isladers showed great kind­ ness to the shipwrecked men, and now Paul had'a fresn opportunity to preach Christ and took it. Sick people were healed, including the father of the chief man of the island, Publius and honors were heaped upon Paul and his shipmates. Three month later, after the win­ ter was past, they boarded a ship from Alexandria and came safely to Italy. "Brethren” met Paul at the seaport Puteoli. He spent a week with them, then moved on until other brethren met them, "whom, when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage." And so lie came to Rome. He was still a prisoner of the Empire, but was allowed to live by himself under guard of a Roman soldier. After three days he called together the leading Jews, and frankly told them his story. He greeted them as "Men and brethren” and he showed that he was truly their brother faithful to their Scriptures, but falsely accused by the Jews of Jer­ usalem, and that appealed unto Caesar. But he wanted to see and speak with his fellow Jews, "be­ cause that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” Courteously they listened. They appointed a day for him to give them liis message in full, and thus "he ex­ pounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concern­ ing Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.” •Some believed, “and some believ­ ed not,” From what follows it is to be feared that the greater number refused to believe, and thus reject­ ed their own Messiah, the Lord Je­ sus Christ. 'Then Paul quoted to them that terrible prophecy in Isaiah, in which God warned his chose'n people Isa- rel; "Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive.” Now came the final blow. "Be it known therefore unto you,” declar­ ed Paul, "that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.” The tragedy of Israel, both then and through the nineteen centuries since, is her rejection of her Mes­ siah whom the Gentiles receive as Saviour. But a better day is com­ ing, as Paul wTote in his Epistle to the Romans, when, "all Israel shall be saved,” and "the Deliverer . , . shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” For two years Paul lived on in Rome "in his own hired house, and received all that came unto him,” It takes more than bondage and im­ prisonment to stop the testimony of any true, Spirit-filled child of God. For, during those two years, Paul was continually "teaching those things which concerned' the Lord Jesus -Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding.” .... mn min 1 rrrvyrrTTT^ Professional Cards GLADMAN & STANBURY BARRISTERS, SOLICITORS, &o. 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