The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-11-12
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,)ggsisterS.
BY rEoNpE T1NsEAu.
tFrom "short Stories'D.

O.. which is situated in the midst
of the immense Nor bihan heath. be-
tween Pontivy and the sea. G.
does not pride itself upon being pro-
gressive city. 1t is twenty five kilo-
meters from any railroad, and tele-
graphic connection was only estab-
lished after great opposition, even
against the unanimous vote Of the
municipality, which positively refused
to furnish the five hundred francs,
which was their quota of the expense
demanded by the government.
Cavalry had not been seen in C.
aimee the uprising in 1884, with the ex-
eeption of four men and a corporal OF
the mounted police.
On the first day the squadron en-
tered G. a bout o'clock in the even
In half dead with hunger an fatigue
"Where do you lodge, D'Avricourt?"
asked q comrade of q lieutenant by that
name.
II really do not know" replied the
other. II have troubled myself very
little on the subject"
Taking piece of paper from the
pocket of his dolman, he exclaimed:
why. holloa! The Marquise dc la
Meaugnon! That name sounds we'll
must leave my card on the family"
The Marquise lived ON the public
square, in house built in the time of
Louis XIV.
Raoul d. Avricourt has only to give
gentle push to gain admittance into
the home of his noble hostess, as the
heavy oaken doors opened inwardly.
The sight which met his eyes in the
dim twilight of the courtyard was so
strange that he hid himself behind
huge evergreen tree, in order TO see
without being seen. Before the house
stood a superannuated carriage. with
never horse to it. but not without
eoschman. for an old man with white
hair was seated on the box, as proudly
as though he had under his whip two
coach horses worth five thousand
francs An old lady, supported by two
young girls, came down the steps and
prepared to get into the vehicle.
Madame de la Meaugnon settled her
self on the back seat her two compan-
Ions took the front one. Two servants
In caps removed the monumental car
riage-steps and one of them went to
open the folding doors of the porte
cochere, while the old coachman noise
tessly descended from the box. sig
nailed authoritatively to two vigorous
lads, hiden in corner of the wall; they
responded by quietly placing them
selves between the swing bars; Thegon-
mac took the head of the pole and the
two servants stood behind ready to
push.
From the interior of the carriage the
Marquise's voice gave the commands:
ITO Madame Du Faouets"
Immediately the human team
strained their muscles, the carriage
started, got safely over hesill and dis
appeared into the street. After the de-
parture of the coach, every thing was
90 quiet that the lieutenant almost inn
eGined himself the only human being
eround. AS he stood cogitating how
he could find his way to his room in
Ghis deserted dwelling the sound of
spurred boots was heard approaching
tn the darkness.
lis that you, Moreau2" called the Of
acer.
Eyes, lieutenant I am waiting to
ponduct you to your room"
"Well?" said the lietenant while
Moreau was drawing off his boots,
what sort of tomfoolery have gotten
mixed up with? Are these people
srazy? Or is it the custom of the coun-
try to harness coachmen instead Of
horses? You are not the man. Moreau,
10 have been here for over two hours
and not to have found out the history of
Che house"
Thanks to old Thegonnac" replied
the soldier valet II have found out q
great deal We are in the house of the
Marquise de la Meaugnon. who lives
here alone with her two grandaugh-
terra"
That does not explain why she uses
men instead of horses"
Her horses lieutenant, have drawn
the Auray coach for more than two
gears But the old lady, who is blind
and three-fourths deaf has no sus-
picion of that fact should tell you
besides that she had son-in-law. the
Count de Pordic. who invested all his
fortune in q banking house But there
Was"
"a crashr'
Precisely, lieutenant; the Count
died from remorse and the two young
ladies to prevent their grandmother
from knowing anything about it, have,
with all due respect to you, sir bam-
boozled her for the space OF two years
You saw the carriage trick, but saw
ehe dinner trick"
"And what was that?'
II was in the kitchen, having need
Of hot water from Francheluche. I
caught glimpse of the service with
out being seen and ] understood the
trick. 1t was simple enough, however.
4 chicken wing for the old lady and
wheaton pancakes for the young ladies.
&c o,,f nd <,,,t rOvartu