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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1934-01-25, Page 2THURSDAY, JANUARY 25th, 1931 >*- M Captain by L. Arthur Cunningham * SYNOPSIS Yvonne Caron, one of the most beautiful ladies of early French Quebec is being forced into mar­ riage with and by Simon Girard, an unscrupulous lawyer. Her brother Paul is deep in debt thro’ gambling with Girard. The cere­ mony, however, is interrupted by the notorious Catain Midnight, Robin Hood of the French colony, who marries Yvonne in order to save the girl’s vast estates. your him- fear- is gone. .So there—but why when all about greater worth? greed, of un- If he me it “But he could not come into private apartments to possess self of that,” said the lawyer fully, and under his cloak he felt for the stout butt of the pistol thrust in his belt. “Nonetheless, it many come and go should they take it were things of far It could not have been for It gave me a shock, a thrill easiness when I saw it gone, took it—and something tells is in his possession—he can want it again,—and it may well be between the ribs.” “No! No!” said Girard. “Not that! We must kill him, shoot him down like a dog or a wolf. We are fools to delay. It’s on me he would be avenged—not on you, my lord. I —I think sometimes, I will lose my reason. Perhaps you will tell me it is already gone when you hear this. But I—” Girard laughed that Bigot stared through the gloom at the dank shadow riding beside him. “What is it? Take a grip on your­ self, man, or pardieu, I must believe that you are not right in the head.” “I cannot help it, I tell you I can­ not! You have not seen this man— you have not .seen Laurent. He is no longer Laurent de 'St. Hilaire; he is a fiend. But I have seen, him. I beg you sire, not to think me mad. I saw him—at my window—” The Intendant made a sound that was both a prayer and a blasphemy. “I do not doubt you. Why did you not tell me before? And where was this—and when?” “At the window of my room. Just to talk of it now makes by blood run like a stream of ice. speak before. have no; such face masqued face— the masque and- "Yes, yes! what did you see? Speak Girard! Tell me what you saw—” “Something out of hell—some­ thing grinning and ghastly!—that grinned with the eyes and the tat­ tooed brow—a masque of the devil. Mad; no wonder that ancient man went mad! I, too, if again I must see him, will gibber and mouth and fear the dark that can conjure up such horrors. I screamed like a frightened child. The servants came a-running. I told them it was a night­ mare—but I heard his awful laugh­ ter in the night. I have not slept since. My lord, we are in terrible danger from this man. “This girl who is his wife—does he come to her? She must know something of him. Where to find him. -Can we not use pressure on her to make her speak. How did you bring her to the point where she would wed you?” “■Some gaming debts her brother owed me,” mumbled Girard, not dar­ ing, even in this extremity, to. tell the truth to Bigot, who loved money more than life itself. “Through her brotner, eh,” said the Intendant craftily. “Come, Sim­ on, is there not some way in which you can use the same weapon?” “I know of none, sire. But it sug­ gests something to go on and I shall think about it this night. It seems only through her can we lure him within striking distance. The habit­ ants will not betray him—they even supply him with food, and they fear and admire him.” THE EXETER TJMES-ADVOCATE *■■I— Why ARE You Always Tired? Why do you have to go thrQugh days that seem endless—days when your whole body seems, listless and weary? probably you will be surprised when you learn the answer. . That answer is very likely that your system is not providing complete elimination of body wastes. Don’t shake your head. Regularity of habit doesn’t mean complete elimination. In fact, incomplete elimination troubles thousands who never suspect it because they are regular. That IB why headaches, indigestion, and drowsi­ ness occur. Sane, sensible habits. pIub an occasional re­ freshing, pleasant-tasting glass of Andrews Liver Salt will keep your system in fine tone. Eat moderately, Bleep sufficiently, take plenty pf fresh air and exercise, and once or twice each week enjoy an invigorating glass <f Andrews, to help Nature keep your system thoroughly clear of impurities. Do these sensible things and you will keep fit, Your appetite will be good—and you will escape tiio dreary days of physical depression. Get Andrews Liver Salt from your druggist to-day and adopt these simple inexpensive rules against the common little ailments. Jn tins, 35o and 60e. New, large bottle, /de. Sole.^Agents: John A. Huston Co., Ltd,, Toronto. 10 QJIjf Exeter Simw-A&naratf Established 1873 and 1887 Published every Thursday morning at Exeter, Ontario SUBSCRIPTION—$2.00 per yeaT 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, or Found 10c. per line of six word*. Reading uotices Card of Thanks vertising 12 and Mernoriam, with extra verses 25c. Member of The Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association Laghter—low, chuckling, eerie; laughter that sent a shiver through every man about the board; laughter like laughter from the tomb— "Up there!” someone whispered, and pointed to the shadowed balcony that ran along three slues of the room. “Up there—” And out of the deeper shadow stepped that figure or darkness in cloak and tri-cornered hat and mas­ que—all of darkness—Captain Mid­ night. And the masque for an in­ stant was lifted’—lifted to disclose a face of which the upper half was gargoyle. And some there mutter­ ed, “Jesu—” and some looked away. When these looked again, -Captain Midnight was gone—through a door to the outer balcony, from the bal­ cony to the back of the waiting Bar­ ca. And they heard the faint thun­ der of hoofbeats and above it the wild, weird laughter. Captain Midnight had come and gone, and they might have thought him a spirit of the. darkness—.but quivering in the board inch-deep, in front of .Simon Girard there stuck! a knife with, on its blade, a ruby that looked like a drop of blood. The drinking-bout ended prema­ turely; neither Bigot nor bis guests had any stomach for wine. It had a dark and bitter taste. Simon Gir­ ard sat in a stupor of fear and drunkenness, staring glassy-eyed at the dagger stuck ini the stable only a foot away from his heart, at the ruby that glowed so warmly red. To be given the lie like that—to hear j himself answered by that awful voice—-he looked at Bigot but found no strength, only a fear matching his own, in the Intendant’s swarthy face. The others talked in low tones and presently, in groups of two and three, took their leave of their host, who was not loath to see them de­ part, and rode back to their lodgings or to the barracks. All zest was gone from the night; even the young gallants felt that they had 'witnessed a phase of a drama too tremendous "Aih,” said Bigot thoughtfully. ‘So they do—admire him, He is a sort of popular idol with them—? Let me think, Simon. Surely with our combined efforts and all the soldiery in Quebec we can put an end to this scourge—we can—we must!” They came to Beaumanior; candles made little stars of light in the win­ dows. Some of the guests- had arriv­ ed before their host and his hench­ men, and the rest came shortly. About the fireplace in the long ban­ quet-hall, before a bla-zing fire, they gathered—young officers of the gar­ rison mostly, wild and eager for the husks of wine that Bigot fed them from his cornucopia. He loved youth, but so does the devil. He loved it only to debauch it and, for him, in­ nocence had a beauty that it was beautiful to destroy. They sat to table. The board was decked with fine linen and crystal, with great silver goblets and huge decanters and excellent cutlery brought from France. There were roast piglets and fat capons stuffed with chestnuts, brown and steam­ ing in their gravy; sweet pastry. And eggs .cooked in the sugary syrup of the maple, and the wine of Burgundy and Champagne ran freely. They pursued the sermes business of eating and drinking with loud talk and jest at this and that in Que­ bec—at the old fogies at Castle St. Lois who were forever tramping up and down their railed promenade and staring frowningly at the river. “Damme!” said Guy de Lauzier. “An they look hard enough they will see what they expect to see—a fleet, a dozen fleets, of English vessels. All things come to him who waits, they say. As- if the nnglish, even should they venture to attack us, j would have a chance. Why, if the Greeks had had a fastness like Que­ bec instead of Thermopylae they' could have taken time off for a bit I of luncheon. Children could defend j this stronghold against old Ian’s best.” • “But children aren’t all slyly said a young lieutenant of the1 for them to grasp, though among i Eng- and with patent relief followed the Inten- shuttered seclusion of lackey was summoned man, well Then was 10c. per line, 50c. Legal ad- 8c. per line. Id one verse 5Oo. each. II dared not' I thought it might■ been my nervous fancy. But He laughed—God, monsieur, I hideous- laughter* I saw his; pressed against the pane—the • •and then he removed j I I____________ : gardu, named Paulin, newly come themselves they whispered tht it was- ' from France. | ’’ x “Nor can it be said that all in ( Quebec are fools,” retorted de Lau- zier, his eyes bright with wine. ■ “Would you say that all who bear ( arms in the colony are fools?” | “Eh bein' No, I would not go quite so far)—there is, for example, Captain Midnight.” “Captain Midnight!” A hush, that seemecr to begin with young Paulin and Guy de Lauzier, spread itself over the entire com­ pany seated around the great table of pinewood. Bigot, his goblet sus­ pended midway between table and lip, stared at the pair of wranglers, and Simon Girard, who had been trying hard with wine to forget that haunting name and the bore it, turned a face, haggard, towards them. Paulin, being a stranger, did not know history of the man caned Captain Midnight. He knew only of Capt­ ain Midnight’s escapades, his brav­ ery, his fearless affronting of the government of New France, its foun­ tainhead., Francois Bigot. The others knew the story; all qf them remem­ bered Laurent de St. Hilaire; some were aware too, that Bigot, persuad­ ed by Simon Girard, had sent him on an expedition that meant death, and that the Iroquois had refused to take ransom for him. “Why this mortal stillness, mon­ sieur©?” demanded Paulin, amazed but unpreturbed by the silence he, apparently, had caused. “What have I said—?” “A name we do not wish to hear,” sai|d ^'imlon Gjrard harshly. “The name of a man who, as Laurent Le­ moine de St. Hilaire, was one of us —a soldier of France, but who now skulks like the jackal of the night along the dark roads- about Quebec —a thief, a footpad, who dare not show his face among his fellows or fools,” | man who white and comparative the intimate (IMarMlakMI . Mrs. Errol Hamilton, R. R. 1, Cataraqui, Ont., writes:—-“My husband had been suffering, for a whole year, from severe pains in his back and they were so bad at times ho could hardly move. He tried many different remedies, but got no relief. I was told to get Doan’s Kidney Pills for him, which I did, and he has never been bothered since, and his kidneys work fine.” For fiftio at all drug and general stores put up only by The T. Milburn Co., Limited, Toronto, Ont. surely Lamont de St. Hilaire that his hatred of those who cruelly exiled him from life, justifed. Some said ger had been meant ard’s throat or for Paulin—he who discussion said no. “I saw have seen when it is with had Guy hurl and had was dag- Gir- hut that the for Simon his heart, precipitated the La u zier—de the dagger—I and know him it done before done deftly. Had he wish- • ed to stick the thing between Gir- ! ard’s fingers without marring them, ■ I feel sure he would have done it. No, it was just a warning—and I, for one, should hate to receive a warning from a man who might have ■ killed me at the moment of warn­ ing. I would not like to stand in Monsieur Girard’s shoes- this mom­ ent.” Paulin knew whereof he spoke. From Beaumanoir, the guests had 1 all departed; Bigot and Girard were ’ left alone. They stood before the smoldering fire, silent, busy with their unpleasant thoughts. The In­ tendant took snuff, but offered none to his companion. Girard indeed did not notice the ommission; his eyes were glued on the dagger, so small, so ominous, that still stuck in the board, its ruby glowing with malevolence. Abruptly, with an oath, the tendant strode over to the table and • j.erked he embedded blade from its shaathing in the hard pine top. He held the thing in the flat of his hand scowled at it, seemed to apostrophize it. Slowly he walked back to join Girard and, planting himself direct­ ly in front of the lawyer, looked at him with a gaze steady, disconcert­ ing, contemptuous. "It is more than time to act, Gir­ ard,” he said. "It is your life, haps my own1—or Captain night’s Have you thought of thing?” ’Nothing as yet, my lord.” “Bien! I have something. Wait- ■Sharply Bigot stared up at the shadowed balcony as if he thought to find someone lurking there. Something had moved—ah, there it was — a curtain blowing Im the wind. “Let us go to our rooms, sire,” suggested Girard. "I-—I do not like it here. I am not a coward, I will fight if need arises, but this—» this is like striking at thin air, at a phantom which, itself, -can hit you hard, can deal out death to you. There Is something diabolic about this man. Who, par example, Would care to come to Beamanoir and— was eye In- per- Mid- any- “No other. That is why he came; because he knew that he would neither be watched for nor taken The safest place is not always the fartherest remote from danger. It is this fellow’s very a(udicity, fils utter recklessness, that so upsets our wits and makes us unable to deal with him. It is only by scheming by subtle planning that we can lead him into a trap, Yes, we shall go to my room, There we can -converse, Come." Obediently, Simon Girard dant into the his room. A and made to kindle the hearth-fire, for the -place seemed chill. Bigot waited impatiently till the leaving glasses and decanters within their reach, had gone, he gestured the lawyer, who glancing idly over a volume of Cor­ neille, to a chair, and again bent upon him that .steady, speculative glance. “What is it, my lord?” demanded Girard uneasily. "It is, as I told you—our lives or his. That is what I am thinking of and I am wondering, too, if you realize that at any cost—since our lives are precious to us—we must be rid of him once and for all.” “I do realize it to the full. And I will do anything—anything” “Good! You said a while back that you were not a coward. I think no man is a coward where his own life is at stake. There is a way we can rid ourselves of this man1—provid­ ing of course, that Yvonne Caron knows where he is or has a means of summoning him. Think you she has?” “I do indeed! From words that Paul has let drop, I gather that she is quite a changed person since she met this man. I know not if she has really learned his identity—or what he really is. But I can find that out. I am her lawyer, you see, and it is a simple matter to call up­ on her and by ardoit questioning— well, we can often learn more from a person’s silence than from their speech—especially if it is a woman one has to deal with.” “^Aye,” said the Intendant, "All their speech says nothing. Bon! I shall take for granted that she lias some communication with this man. What leads me to- think so is this: I held some converse with Colonel - Menard. He told me that he had seen Yvonne Caron this afternoon at the Inn of the Fox, on the road to Sillery; that Melusine d’Artois was with his party and she, after the catlike nature of her rufous sister-! hood, did go up to Yvonne to felici­ tate her upon her union with outlaw and to Melusine she speak of his being strong and. hon­ est, which she could not know if she had seen no more of him than the single glimpse she had they were wed. the us, she my ecoute! "It seems- she makes a little God of this brother extreme it come save his neck—ah, it is a priceless idea this of mine, good -Simon, but it requires careful execution and to you alone can I entrust the essential details. Has Paul Caron some enemy some rival-—?’ “He has many,” said Girard.. “Here for instance, is an enemy, for he sided with this accursed meddler Martel—but there are others. For instance—” He stroked his chin thoughtfully*—"ah, I nave it—the Jew, Moise Cordet, with whom he is , in for more money that I care to- j think about. It is common know­ ledge that Paul once struck him with his whip and more than once threatened his life—■” "Excellent!” murmured Bigot. “The very man—the ideal one. You do not love him either, Simon—-this Moise Cordet?” "I could with relish send a bullet into his vulture’s -skull.” "Good! Good! gleefully laughed Bigot. "That, my dear friend, is the very thing I have planned for you to do—put a bullet into his vul­ ture’s skull—” Girard rose partly from his chair, his mouth agape. He wbuld have smiled but in ^Bigot's eyes- that held his in a manner hypnotic was a' look of chill­ gleam of the orbs ’Mil, Hnd eyes. Slowly, to his chair, dant smiled contempt. "Do not with you. endangered night will be the murder—Captain "But you said Professional Cards We shall see that his going noticed. If he has been so much the better. No and the money-lender will the did the night It may well be that wedding was a lucky thing for my friend—and perhaps when is a widow—but I wander from carefully thought-out plan— weak-kneed milksop of a of hers and will go to any to save his face. Now if to the point when she can “To be sure! With a black mask and cloak, any man who chooses can become Captain Midnight, Let me explain; we shall lure Caron to the house of Moise Cordet, which, for­ tunately, is on the outskirts of Que­ bec, there is drinking, doubt he quarrel when Paul finds it is a fool’s errand he has come upon, is your on the to—” "But “None! here. Cordet is a usurer and I de­ spise him and would have him out of the way. And by the sacrifice of his miserable life we can save our own1. Look you—Caron will be taken; he will put the blame on this Captain Midnight, but none will be­ lieve him, for the outlaw has no will believe him except his sister. Think you she will not purchase his life by, leading us to the guilty man? It is well worth no risk to you or Girard?” “I am ready,” boldly enough. “I care neither for Paul Caron nor for Moise Cordet. It is a clever scheme, my seems small­ carry. You my part.” “Bravo!” feel that we time, for we meet Captain Midnight with cunning outmatching his own.’ On the table where he had laid it, the dagger’s crimson eye glowed at him. He .came to her in the garden when two nights had gone by. -Over the wall, lighting softly sward, calling her name darkness, been waiting there; but now came with fear, with a repudsion she could not overmaster and when he -sought to clasp her hands, she would not let him. “I cannot. Why—why did you do this- thing? Why -did you marry me when—? Oh, I am sorry. But I do not know what to think, what to do!’ "You asked me—to marry you,” said Captain Midnight. “I should never have presumed, otherwise, to think of ' such paradise as- being within my grasp. And now you know—the truth. But is it only that, Yvonne? Is there not perhaps another who interests you—-?” “What do you mean? There is no other—” “This Martel. You cannot deceive I see many things and oh the to Sillery a few days- ago he you for a moment in his arms there was- ecstasy that you Then, it task, Girard, to come in up- quarrel, to side with Caron, is there no danger that!—•” You know my power trying and there is me. What say you said the lawyer lord, and chance that it will mis­ may count to me to do said the Intendant. "I shall get our man this on into She came, for she the the had she me. road held and would not admit yourself, in your eyes.” “It is not so,” she said. "No! No! I do not like him. I could not like a man of his stamp—a gambler, a rake, a plaything of the King’s mis­ tress—” (Continued next week) The death occurred of Richard Porter, well-known resident of the 4th concession, Goderich Tonwship. He farmed there all his- life. Mr. Por­ ter’s wife predeceased him in 1926. There are six children living. He had four sisters. GLADMAN & STANBURY 1 BARRISTERS, SOLICITORS, Ac. 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Phone Crediton 30r25 JOHN WARD CHIROPRACTIC, OSTEOPATHY, ELECTRO-THERAPY & ULTRA­ VIOLET TREATMENTS PHONE 70 MAIN ST., EXETER ARTHUR WEBER LICENSED AUCTIONEER For Huron and Middlesex FARM SALES A SPECIALTY PRICES REASONABLE SATISFACTION GUARANTEED Phone 57-13 Dashwood R. R. NO. 1, DASHWOOD FRANK TAYLOR LICENSED AUCTIONEER For Huron and Middlesex FARM SALES A SPECIALTY Prices Reasonable and SatisfacUo® Guaranteed EXETER P. O. or RING 188 OSCAR KLOPP LICENSED AUCTIONEER Honor Graduate Carey Jones’ Auc­ tion School. Special Course taken in Registered Live Stock (all breed*) Merchandise, Real Estate, Farm Sales, Etc. Rates in keeping with prevailing prices. Satisfaction as­ sured, write Oscar Klopp, Zurich, or phone 18-93, Zurich, Ont. USBORNE & HIBBERT MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY Head Office, Farquhar, Ont. President ANGUS SINCLAIR Vice-Pres. J. T. ALLISON DIRECTORS SAII’L NORRIS, SIMON DOW WM. II. COATES, FRANK McConnell AGENTS JOHN ESSERY, Centralia, Agent for Usborne and Biddulph ALVIN L. HARRIS, Miinro, Agent for Fullarton and Logan THOMAS SCOTT, Cromarty, Agent for Hibbert W. A. TURNBULL Secretary-Treasurer Box 295, Exeter, Ontario GLADMAN & STA.NBURY Solicitors. Exeter No. 1 B. C. XXXXX EDGE GRAIN The best grade made at a low pride No. 1. Dry Hemlock barn siding 10 in. wide, any length Matched 2 in. barn flooring at * $30.00 per M •no and fixed like that waits t,0 terror with its sank back in­ In ten- like and deadly menace­ mirth, hard of a snake strikes Girard And iihw the with something I amfear, my friend Yotir own life will not be . You see—Captain Mid- one who does this Midnight.” that I—”Mo. 12,Granton,