New-York tribune., 1896-09-27
A WHEELMAN'S STORY.
VIE ,,o,rsE OF THE BRONZE FOX.

THE HOUSE OF THE BRONZE FOH'
had had all kinds of predictions OF wi,a. VIM,
might happen in that region put YET eAauu' ~
nothing had although an olcia' oa oa one sav rs
dissement had detained us two days. ! say s 90,
for although had started alone lro ue"oa ,,,
the long 500 miles wheel. | had come, eaiS es.,
along the Cornice Road, on & rle's1n Snn,or,ng a
chan from Manchester, who was uep'oIinS
punctured tire and whom helped WIN my NV; NV;
He too. was in search OF adventure anu ,or, ie,
easily into my purpose. i lnaeeu bVn h;r, In The
long distances beyond Marseilles, wheh on .Ie M
fourth day W. fell into a region or peasah'ly
speaking a patois that was ABOUT as uease W. 80
their superstition and distrust OF strangers. Iet
all well enough until that afternoon Wnei III III d IL
desolate stretch of moor we RODE lnto nov nov iiI,s
thunder and rain the way ier, ,a dsbaariened T1
the moor seemed limitess. We must nave erred
at a cross road, for the inn we hoped ior uu no. M
appear-not a house, nor human peiiis 10, no,
dog nor sheep. We might have turned back' Dul
we had come so far that 1t seemed peter u
pedal on The scurrying wet bit our races ta1 pIus
ishy and our legs were like mechahcai iie.a' a
cylinders had 1t not been for their acning, anu;
to add to our weary dismay the night reacheu
across the waste, crushing US with feafsohie
shadows , a
denly a burst of livd lightning showed great
battiemented house to which the path lea ~
rectly we on 1t, and, leaving tne Wheels,
poked toward II, wondering why none nad given
us question. and why there was no gieain ol W
light through any chink. great outer gate
was open and we groped to an inner one at
the bottow of the narrowing passage; ana then
n more penetrating fash struck a glare over
a broad door. and there looked down g@reat @
bronze foxs head. with the knocker ring hahs'ns B
lstless from its jaw. Our impatience Iett US
no discretion: the nackness was provoking, ana
| raised the ring. which struck chill through
my gloved finger. The spot where IL fell may
have been cushioned, for we were dumfounueu
nv silence when the door opened as of its
own yolition-sending a certain splendid glow
over us-the light Of many candies ana 'he
,uh ,nt ia
a burning log in deep nreplace AT Ions
halls end The furnishings elaborate IN the eN,
treme were of Henri Quatre. Portraits ana
mailed figures lined the walls. The flickerlng
light sought the polish Of the oaken flooring and
ceiling and close at the door was a lackey-
tall. dark fellow. with a dash or the hired
bravo Won gather from old books and old pct
ures: for he was dressed in livery htting the
period Of all the decoration or TINS interior.
His voice surprised us quite as mucn as TINS
unexpected splendor Of light that no chink nau
revealed to us when cropping outside-a faint
sounding yet distinct tone in French that we
understood although 1t seemed not exactly the
French we were sChooled to-
The Sieur de Bellaire, sirs, has been waitlng
YOU and despairing of your appearance mas
sat down to dinner-I am to show you tnere
| began and Pierson bore out my disclaimer
| that he was mistaken; that could not be eX-
| pected; that were simply itnerant bicyclists
lost in the blindness Of the storm on the stretcn
/ ing moor. And wondered who this gentle
| man could be who displayed so bizarre a taste
in furnishing and dress of his lackey in this for
saken spot. adding this new alteration M 70
many previous ones in my observation OF the
| eccentricity possible in eccentric millionaires
| Surprise was doubled by the mans quick retort:
| "Ah. gentlemen. no mistake mas peeh h'aue'
| assure you.
And although he looked at us slyly, yet his
manner seemed to reflect a masters cordiality.
| thought Of all had heard of strange personages
| who kept their doors open for chance guests
| Perhaps a glass had revealed US struggling on
| the moor along the path ending in this uneX'
| pected welcome. And, mistake or no. our con-
Z, dition and weariness and hunger, made us ac-
| cept after our proper disclaimer had been dis
| allowed. We asked but TO go back for our
| wheels when the man said he would care for
| them and that his master ought not to be kept
waiting longer The master would excuse our
| appearance II we would join him at once; and
| We now inclined to see the adventure to Its
| end followed with some amazement that the