Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-24

| on in the house to think Of what might
happen outside. Dick reached the lilac
hedge, tore up the hill and in a few mo-
ments threw himself painting on his blank
ct. In the sinslet dock he had cast behind
he had seen that the half dark salon was
now brilliantly lH-where. no doubt, the
whole terrified household was now assem-
bled. He had nO-fear-of being followed:
since his conformation with his own like
ness in the mysterious portrait he under
stood everything. The apparently super
natural character OF This visitation was
made plain to- him. his ruffied vanity was
soothed-hts vindieatioK was complete. He
laughed to himself and rolled about, until
in his suppressed merriment the rose fell
from his BOSOM. and-he stopped. Its
freshness and fragrance recalled the in
nocent young girl he had frightened. He
remembered her gentles pleading voice. and
his cheek flushed well! he had done the
best he could in bringing her back to the
house-at the risk Of being taken for
burglar-and she iwaso'safe now! If that
stupid French parson didn't know the diff
ference between living man and a dead
and painted one-tt wasn't his fault. But
he fell asleep with the rose in his fingers
He was awake at the first streak Of dawn.
He again bathed his horses shoulder. sad
lded, but did not mount him. as the beast.
although better, was still stiff. and Dick
wished to spare him for the journey to still
distant Havre, although he had determined
to lie over that night at the first wayside
inn Luckily for him the disturbance at
the chateau had not extended to the for
est, for Dick had to lead his horse slowly
and could not have escaped, but no sus-
picion of external intrusion seemed to have
been awakened. and the woodland was evil
IDENTIFY seldom invaded. BY dint of laying
his course by the sun and the exercise Of a
little woodcraft, In the course tof two hours
he heard the creaking of a hay cart and
knew that he was near a Travelled road.
But to his discontinue he presently came
to a high wall. which had evidently guard
o5 f@o 20 -
public. Time, however had made frequent
breaches in the stones; these had been
roughly filled in with rude abattis of logs
and tree tops pointing toward the road.
But as these were mainly designed to pre-
vent intrusion into the park rather than
egress from it., Dick had no difficulty
in rolling them aside and emerging at last
with his limping steed upon the white high
road The creaking cart had passed; 1t
was yet early for traffic and Dick present
ly came upon wine shop. bakery. a
blacksmith's shop. laundry and somewhat
pretentious cafe and hotel in a broader
space, which marked the junction of an
other road. Directly before 1t, however, to
his CONSERVATION, were the massive but
Dick did not doubt was the one in which
he had spent the previous night. But 1t
was impossible to go further in his present
plight, and he boldly approached the res
taurant. AS he was preparing to make
his usual explanatory signs to his great
delight, he was addressed in a quaint,
broken English, mixed with forgotten
slang, by the white-trousered, black al
paca-coated proprietor. More than that
he was social democrat and an enthusi-
astic lover of America-had he not been to
"Bostown and New York and penetrated
as far west as "Boofio?" and had much
pleasure in that beautiful and free coun-
try! Yes! It was "go-a-ed" country
you "bet-your-if." One had reason to say
so-there was your electricity-your street
cars, your "steambots' such steam
Nd iarrai1 q h
serve!! compare your rrail rroads and the
buffet of the Pullman-with the line from
Paris. for example-and where is one? No
where! Actually, positively, without doubt
nowhere
Later, at appetizing breakfast-at
which, to Dicks great satisfaction, the
good man had permitted, and congratulated
himself to sit at the table with free-born
American, he was even more loquacous.
For what, tnen he would ask, was this in
competence-this fmbecility-of France? He
would tell. 1t was the vile corruption of
Paris, the grasping of capital and COM
panies the fatal influence of the still cling
ing noblesse. AS, for example, Mon
sieur 1.-The Boofebil had doubtless no.
ticed the great gates Of the park before the
cafe? 1t was the preserve-the hunting
park of enc of the grand old seigneurs, still
kept up by his descendants, the counts of
Observation-Disclosures of acres that had
never been titled and kept wild waste
wilderness-kept for days pleasure in a
year-and, look you! The peasants starry
ing around its walls in their small garden
patches and pinched farms! And the pres
ent Comte de Fontonelles cascadng gold
on his mistresses In Paris. All, bah!
Where was your republican France
then! But time would come. The Boo
f1ebil'' had, without doubt. noticed as he
came along the road, the breaches in the
wall Of the park?
Dick. with slight dry reserve, "reck-
oned that he had"
They were made by the scythes and
pitchforks of the peasants in the revolu-
ton Of 93. when the count was emgre,
or, as one says with reason, "skedadeile,"
to England. Let them look the next time
that they burn out the chateau-"bet your
lif,"
THE chateau" said Dick, with affected
carelessness. 'Wot's the blamed thing
like?''
II was an old affair, with armor and a
picture gallery end bric-a-brac. He had
never seen 1t. Not even as a boy-it was
Kept very secluded then. AS a man. you
understand, he could not ask the favor.
The Comics de Fontonelles and himself
were not friends. The family did not like
cafe near their sacred gates where had
stood only the huts of their retainers The
American would observe that he had not
called it cafe de Chateau nor cafe de
Fontorelles"-the gold of California would
not induce him. Why did he remain there?
Naturally to goad them. 1t was a prnci-
ple one understood. To goad them and
mold them in check. One kept cafe-why
not! one had ones principles. ones con-
victions-that was another thing That
was the kind of 'airpin, was 1t not, that
he Gustav Ribaud, was like
1et Tor all his truculent socialism, he was
quick, obliging and charmingly attentive to
Dick and his needs. AS to Dicks horse he
would have the best veterinary surgeon