The Red Cloud chief., 1881-04-28

%olutely On the bed, from which I had no
wish 10 dislodge her. Again 4 put oss
the candle, and again l got into bed.
early morning. when / vas aroused by
Fanchette jumping down on the floor
and upsetting q little low stool, with >
candle on t. which I hsd placed by the
bedside. She made her way across the
room TO the screen. behind which she
disappeared, and my curiosity made re
follow her. To my surprise she made
q sudden dart at the wall. which TO nv
still sleepy eyes appeared TO open and
allow her to pass through. and then 10
close again. A minuter inspection
showed me that there was 3 door there,
covered with paper ike the rest Of the
room which worked on 3 spring. and
though it opened easily with . sudden
push, instantly closed again. and fitted
so perfectly into the wall that its exist
ence could scarcely be detected. Ii led
to a flight of stone steps that a later
exploration made known TO me led into
the courtyard of the house.
When 1 descended TO the breakfast
saloon | observed by the e~oantenances
of the family that it was arelieft 70 them
TO see me appear alive and well.
"Have YOU been disturbed?" inquir-
ed NJ. Dumas, anxiously.
81 have had an adventure" was nv
reply; may, more than that, | have hal
a companion all night, but it was no
worse than poor Fanchette, who
took up her quarters with me-"
Then | described all that had passed,
and how the dog had taken her depart-
ure early through the invisible door in
the wall.
Il had forgotten the existence Of that
door, said NJ. Dumas. nor had | any
idea that il was unlocked. II has been
unused for years. 1t was made By a
former occupanto f this house. who used
that room, and wished 10 be able to get
from il direct into the garden without
disturbing the family, aS he was a very
early riser, and liked to be out AT sun-
rise"
Il suspect" said /. THAT Fanchette
has been the night disturber of the
house. for by the way in which she
came in and settled herself | am sure it
was not her trst visit"
We examined the door. The wood
work was old. and had SO crumbled
away around the part into which the
lock shot that il no longer confined the
bolt. Although the KEY was turned, the
door opened with q push; aud IS tho
door was a swing one, it closed instant
ly again. fitting so close that no strang-
er's eye would detect its being there at
all.
Il think understand it all now"
said VI. Dumas. "Fanchette used to
sleep here always with nv poor son, but
Was not allowed to come into the room
after he died because she howled so
much after him. But we were assured
BIZ the man who has charge of the sta
bles that he locked her in every night
with the horse and released her in the
morning-how, then, 4 she have been
here?"
Anxious to unravel the mystery, w
went TO the stables and spoke to the
man. who told us that Fanchette was al
most ALWAYS in the stall with the horse
when he closed the door for the night
and in the same place when he came in
the morning.
And is there no way. no outlet. BY
which she could go ont and in?" !
asked.
None, SIR" was the reply.
But adjoining the stable was 4 sort OF
barn or house in which hay was kept,
and at the back of a great pile of hay |
noticed 4 window with n wooden shut
ter drawn only half across. and while /
was coniecturing whether it would be
possible for Fanchette to squeeze her
self through. she decided the question
herself by suddenly appearing and
springing through the window on TO
the hav. The case was clear now.
Turned out from her beloved masters
room into the stable. the aNectionate
animal had discovered the door in the
wall by which she could 60 TO her old
quarters unubserved under cover of the
night. She hal doubtless gone late
for fear Of being discovered and turned
out, and the same instinct made her
return TO the stable early in the morn
inc. The noises in the bed chamber
that had caused so much alarm were
doubtless occasioned by Fanchette
walking about and shaking the brass
rings on the rod round the bed. as was
the case when she sprang on the bed or
moved in her sleep. Henri's slippers
and boots bad now and then een found
pulled out of n cupboard, and one or
two other things belonging to him had
been moved from their places. much to
the disnsy OF the terrified tensne-de-
cha,a6rs, who was convinced it was the
work of spirits.
| Ill Ill 9, bann c,nDp,aI that thn
panic was caused by the sorrowing ami
NAL clinging to the spot where her
loved master used to sleep, and where
everything reminded her of him. Who
can say what pangs of grief were felt
by her when she took out the shoes and
boots. no longer in use, yet well re-
membered rs being on the feet at which
she had so often lain? 1t is, indeed.
impossible to sound the depths of a
! dogs nature.
So the mystery was cleared up. great
" to the satisfaction of the whole fam
ily. had to leave them in the after
noon. and the last that | babe adieu to
was poor Fanchette, who was standing
ut the gate As | drove out. looking up
wistfullv at the carriage, as though she
had a hope her lost master might be in
it. / saw NJ. Dumas about two years
afterward in Paris. He told me that
Fanchette was dead. She was suffered
to spend her nights in the Don she
loved. but she gradually dropped and
pinned away. and At last caught a severe
cold. which. in her weakened state,
ended her life. I could not but feel
glad that her devoted heart had ceased
TO beat.-Weesiy He'com:
ReOtiAg q Branch. sas@@
TL. Inew,.; u lid IN ha a Chinnsa