The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-17
Ey M. A. HOVER.

! all flashed upon me, how he was lad
had known well at st. Malo.
"Sylvestre!' cried. lis it not Sylvestr
| Plouzun?" He started. and stared at me
| then suddenly he ran toward me. AM
! kneeling at my feet, caught my hand ant
kissed it.
"Mademoiselle. Is It possible?" he ex
claimed. falling back into the familiar
Breton speech. ''Alademoiselle Genevieve
you are alive. you have come back!
Blessed be God and the holy virgin
'And see. Sylyestre. here is my aunt and
Madame de Tourelles."
''Ah.' cried the young fellow. saluting
them with deep reverence. Who had
thought of this happiness? Helas! We had
mourned you all as dead
And these your friends. Sylvestre?" ]
said. looking TO the other men. who stood
just within the doorway. do / know
them?'
Il think not. mademoiselle. Yves is from
Paimpol. and Georges from Quimper!
But let them come to the fire ana sit
down. Aid you also. Sylvestre. and tell us
what you are doing. and II all yours are
well"
The young fellows face darkened. "They
are all well. mademoiselle, for they are all
dead he said, in somber tones. The young
fellows voice broke in hoarse sob.
My poor Sylvestre and your"
II was away that day. / had been
sent by the Metayer for wood into the
forest. AS I came back In the evening 1
saw a glare of light In the sky over the
village. and smelt smoke. i hurried on to
find-all dead-shot. or burned in the fire.
Not mi Uo left ali Issttf he
had gone.'
And what did you do?'
Il stood up. and / swore before God and
all the Saints to be revenged.'
But now the war is over! Oh. dear
Sylvestre. do not think too much of re-
vense. Revenge. it is terrible thing. and
the dear Christ has hidden US to love those
who hurt us. who are our enemies
II will think of what you say. Made
moiselle. But as to the war he looked
round and lowered his voice. at Is not
over. and never will be till We get our
King again. There are hundreds of US out
in the woods and waste places. And we
wait for help from England. we have
many friends there. But we are all around
though few see US. By the way. Made
moiselle. If you ever want us. cry like the
little owl. the chouette. you know its
voice?
''Ah. yes Monsieur Pierre taught me to
make the call when a child"
".Ah. that is well. For IL you need help.
and who is safe now cry, and out of the
very bushes at your feet. we will start
up. What is the matter. George?"
For one of the men had started to his
feet with sign to Sylvestre.
There are people coming" he said.
Strangers"
"Pieni we will CO." said Syivestre. and
before the others reached the door the
young men had glided out of the back en-
trance. and we ladies sat alone when our
friends entered, stamping the snow from
their feet.
''All is clear, ma tante,' cried Pierre In
a CHEEKY voice. There is time for US to
reach Villiers ere night. So put on all your
wraps while we take the horses down and
harness them, and then 1 will return to
fetch you"
When We reached the Diligence the
steam from the horses breathing and from
their warm coats made quite little cloud
around them. Just as We entered IL low
hoot arose from a tangled bit Of copse
close by us.
why, that is an owls hoot,'' cried
Pierre. Have you as many as of old about
here, Monsieur Limonier?''
"Oh. there ere plenty" said the Fer
mier, hurriedly. and saw him glance at
Lecontre, the driver, who shrugged his
shoulders somewhat scornfully. Then
knew who the owls were. Sylvestre was
giving me friendly adieu.
The sun had sunk in a bank Of fog. and
it was dark ere we 5olted down the long
street of villiers. which seemed to me more
dirty and poverty-stricken and miserable
and furnished with more terrible smells
than remembered it of old.
We stopped at the large inn-"La Grande
Maison." as it was called-and though
to get under shelter again and out of the
fearful cold.
Now, after we had had a meal which was
welcome. though the soup was greasy, and
the chicken extremely tough. we four drew
round the fire. being left alone. to talk
over our plans.
1T is good news that the chateau 8,
empty and deserted" said Pierre. THAT
will leave 1t free to our investigations. 1t
will seem quite natural that should stroll
over to see my old home and wander about
the rooms. No one will wonder at that:
no one will interfere; no one will be there
to watch. Tell me now. my aunt, exactly
where the spot is"
you remember the chateau. mon en-
fant?" asked my aunt. "You remember the
Sale des Gardes, where we dined often?"
"Quite perfectly" said Pierre, you went
from the entrance through the vestibule
into the vaulted Hall. and then into the
Sale des Gardes"
"And from it, In q little tower at the i
end. is winding stair. leading to a cor |
ridor. from which my rooms opened"
Yes: first the Blue Room, where you |
sat OF a morning. and then your bed |
room"
Yes; well, beyond my bedchamber was |
a room hung with tapestry"
Your oratory?"
Yes. my oratory. Probably the tapestry |
Is destroyed, and you will see near the |
fireplace a small, low door, sunk under an |
arch of stone in the wall. II It remains !
locked. do you think you can force 1t open. |
for the key have lost? 1t was taken from !
me at the Conciergerie Prison, and never |
1t will give you access to a mar |
row stair hidden in the thickness of the |
wall. and 1t will lead to small chamber |
above. paneled in oak. This room has one |
narrow window, and on the right side Of II. |
as you stand looking through. you will find |
a panel which opens by a tiny spring con-
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