United States or Belgium ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Thinking what it would do for La Vaune; five thousand seven hundred and twenty-four dollars." Bruce rolled the words out slowly. Though they said no more about it, the old man's story was the inspiration of many a wild plan. The truth is, it was destined to play an important part in shaping their future. "He's here! She's it's here!"
He was thinking, also, of La Vaune working her way through the academy when money, much money, belonging to her lay idle; and of Timmie, who awaited their return to assist him in the retrieving of his good name. But there came the after-thought: had it not been for the Major's trust in him and in Barney, none of these things would have been possible.
"I've got the money here in the cabin, every cent of it. God knows I didn't mean to do it. But the temptation was too great. And and once I had done it, I was afraid to go back. I would have died in prison. How did you come? Are you going back? Will you take the money to the little girl, La Vaune?"
La Vaune, the little black-eyed French Canadian, had taken quite a liking to her handsome young fellow-countryman, Bruce. "Well, noo," said the old Scotchman. "Thet's the lass noo. An' should you find the money noo, it will all be hers. An' ye'll be lookin' fer it noo, won't ye? Many's the time I took a wee snack and a blanket an' made a wee pack an' gone into the woods to find him.
Contractin's a fearfu' uncertain business; fearfu' uncertain." The old man shook his head slowly. "Any heirs?" asked Bruce. "Heirs? To the partners? Yes, one. A girl, noo. Ye'll be kenin' the lass thet helps in the boardin' shack where you and the bosses eat?" "La Vaune?" grinned Barney, poking Bruce in the ribs. "Do you know her?"
"Bruce here, and I," began Barney, and Bruce grinned at the mention of his name, "have a very special mission that takes us cross-country rather than by water. Much as we should like to accept your kind invitation, our mission makes the other route imperative, if it is at all possible to take it." He told them the story of La Vaune, of Timmie and the ancient pay-roll.
The very steadiness of the Major's tone told Barney that this experienced man of the North expected the worst. As they rushed down the white expanse, many thoughts raced through Barney's mind. It seemed that hunger and cold grew upon him with every whirl of the engine-shaft. He thought of Bruce and La Vaune. Would they ever return to La Vaune with the money which was rightfully hers? And Timmie?
Ten days later, a girl in her late teens stood shading her eyes watching a tiny object against the sky. The girl was La Vaune. She stood there watching till the plane had dwindled to a dot, and the dot had disappeared. Holding her apron to her eyes to hide her tears, she walked blindly into the house. The adventurers were well on their way.
Timmie, we're here to help you; to tell you that you were forgiven long ago." "Is is that true?" The man faltered. "The logging company?" "The partners are dead. Their only heir, La Vaune, forgives you." "And the Province, the Red Riders?" "The Province forgot the case years ago." "Thank thank God!" The man choked, then turned to hide his face. He faced them again in a moment and spoke steadily.
"We're going farther," smiled Bruce, happy in the realization of what all this meant to the maid in the camp. "We're going on. We flew here and will fly back or try to." "And we'll be more than glad to return the money," he wished to add, but remembering that he would not have that to decide, he ended, "La Vaune is no little girl now, but quite a young lady. She needs the money, too.
Word Of The Day