Argosy All-Story Weekly, August 9, 1924 — page 53: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

WITHOUT FEAR. and bully that he was, his spirits had risen with the liquor he had consumed and he was in a most objectionable state of boorish intoxication. “T fear that monsieur will find few op- portunities for exercising his talents in this country,” observed Bienville at the conclu- sion of the last of Bourdelais’s coarse tales. The Swiss laughed slyly and he leered at the speaker. 7 “My dear young Canadian savage,” he chuckled, ‘‘ Raoul Bourdelais has never yet encountered the woman who could resist his advances.” Bienville clenched his strong white teeth together. Although, at the time only a youth of twenty he had proved himself the worthy son of an illustrious father and quite the equal in intelligence and bravery of his numerous distinguished brothers, of whom Le Moyne d’Iberville was the most con- spicuous example. Between the young Can- adian and De Sauvole, the governor of the colony, a friendship had sprung up, en- gendered by the many hardships and dan- gers they had braved together, and the two men exchanged glances of impotent anger at the patronizing and insulting attitude which the Swiss assumed toward them. ‘The only women here, monsieur,’’ pro- tested De Sauvole, “ are the virtuous wives and innocent daughters of the settlers.” Bourdelais shrugged his shoulders. ‘“T cannot afford to be particular,” he re- turned. ‘ And mayhap among the women here are some pretty wenches who—” He straightened up and arose clumsily to his feet as at that moment Felice Paradis entered the room, and Bienville, who had been about to protest against his superior’s aspersions upon the morals of the women- folk of Biloxi, restrained his temper and rushed forward to take the maiden’s arm. The impressionable young man had quite succumbed to the beauty of this fair stranger, and his growing resentment against the gaucheries of the renegade Swiss were forgotten as he smiled into the face of the woman who had captured his heart, and he bowed as he presented his arm to her. “ Will mademoiselle allow me the pleas- ure of escorting her into the dining hall?”’ he asked eagerly. 203 Felice looked anxiously about the room as if in search of some person and a twinge of jealousy disturbed the young Canadian as a disappointed sigh escaped the maiden’s lips. But, looking up into his face, Felice returned his smile and, under the influence of the girl’s beauty, Bienville forgot his momentary qualm. “ Monsieur is most kind,’ murmured Felice as she took his arm. “He is most presumptuous!” declared Bourdelais with a scornful smile as he rude- ly interposed himself between Bienville and the girl. “It is my right to take madem- oiselle in to dinner!”’ Bienville backed away, his face white with passion and he would have drawn his sword had not the indignant De Sauvole clutched his arm and restrained him, al- though he himself could scarce restrain his anger. Bourdelais, heedless alike to the muttered indignation which his action pro- voked among the assembled people, as he was to the wounded susceptibilities of the boy he had insulted, grasped Felice by the arm and haughtily led the frightened and angry girl to a seat at the burdened table in the next room. “IT want it thoroughly understood,” he declared as he stood swaying at the head of the table and watched the silent and wrathful company take their seats, ‘“ that I am now in command at Fort Maurepas and that I will visit my extreme displeasure upon any person who dares brook my authority. Is that plain to you, Bienville?” He scowled upon the young Canadian who entered the room with De Sauvole, and Bienville, heedless of the remonstrances of the governor walked swiftly up to the drunken man and stood, trembling with anger before him. “Your insufferable behavior warrants a most drastic remedy, monsieur!”’ he cried, his flushed young face pushed close to the sneering countenance of the Swiss. ‘“‘ You are drunk now and therefore unaccountable for your insulting words and actions—to- morrow I will demand that you apologize to me for your rudeness this evening! ”’ He turned on his heel and walked toward the door of the room. “ Pardieu!”” muttered Bourdelais in as- GOMIGIOO S (C@