The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1894-01-12
Grandpa, grandpa, "lisped my dar-

Grandpa, grandpa, " lisped my dar-
ling boy.
Then came the words, half inarticu-
late:"My children, it is paralysis. God
bless-remember, Claud; it's there -
And his eyes Were directed to the
desk. There wa a written sheet direct
ed to me. l raised it from ehe desk.
His eyes followed my hand.
"Yes. leave Chanson. | have seen a
vls-vision. Chanson will be swal-
swallowed up by the waters that sur
round it."
He made n effort to raise his feeble
frame and sank deeper in the chair. A
gasp, and Don Ignace had Joined his
ancestors. l bore my weeping wife and
little 1gnace from the room.
"Coreta, darling, we must bear up
under this great bereavement"
"Oh, Claud! Claud! Now 1 have
only you and our boy"
The written instrument left by the
don was as follows:
DEAR CLAUD-When you have laid my re-
mains in the vault, do not delay, but leave the
island at once. If not, | tremble for your safe
ty. Do not permit Coreta to visit the vault. /
want no priest. Read the simple burial service
over my remains, and you and Pedro, Juan
and Manuel can lay me in the vault. / feel
that my time is short. Goodby. God bless
you. Coreta and my boy.
IGNAcE DE FLoREMo.
Pedro was heartbroken, for he had
spent a lifetime in the service of the
don. The day after his death we pre-
pared his body for its last resting place.
My wife, with little Ignace, had TAX
en- a last look at the features of the
dead. I read the simple English burial
service " him in their presence and
that of the servants, and that night we
bore the body of Don Ignace down into
the vault and laid him beside his father.
Horror was depicted on the features
of Manuel and Juan. Pedro was one
who would have been surprised at moth
ing. After they had retired I was hours
bearing the contents of the casket over
which Martell had 80 long held guard
up to our room. l had to return many
times, but at last l had emptied it. On
the empty casket 1 replaced the skele-
ton, showed back the levers, closed the
wall and left the vault forever.
Up the ladder, the last of the jewels
about my person, the lantern in my
hand, l showed back this last lever.
The iron sheet closed to with a clang.
Going through the armory, l took a last
look at the somber array of old time
weapons on the wall-weapons that had
taken human life. AS l reached the
door two sabers fell to the floor. The
rust OF the blades, to my fancy, looked
like human gore. One of them rolled
over twice. What caused it? "Ha,
ha, ha, ha! The last of the De Flore-
most" Did 1 hear those words? 1
glanced around. The weapons on the
walls seemed swinging to and fro. A
large glass decanter fell from the side
board and broke into dozens of pieces.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha! The last of Chan
son!" Was I paralyzed3 1 managed
to insert the key in the lock. Were the
flags above my head waving from the
wall? Surely some one was pounding
on the iron plate I had just closed.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha! Robber, robber,
robber! The pirates curse! The pirates
curse! Take it! Take it,"
Thank God, the key was turned. 1
passed out with a shudder, locked the
door and was soon in our ROOM.
"Oh, Claud, dearest, do not leave me
again! But what ails you? You are
trembling like a leaf and are, oh, so
white!"
Nothing, dear. I have but fulfilled
a part of the don's last wish. Tomor-
row we will fulfill the rest. We will
leave the island. 1t was his wish. dear
est. Do you regret to go?"
What was his wish. Claud, and is
yours is mine. There is little to re-
main for now"
True, darling; there is nothing but
the remains of our dear old friend"
I went to bed, but could not sleep.
and when I did get in a doze I would
start up in horror. A feeling seemed