The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-02
BOOK +.
An Idyl of Brittany.
CHAPTER VII.-continued.

. CHAPTER VII.-continued.
In the Old Watch Tower. =.
one day, therefore, she took him into
one OF the rooms Of the high tower the
keep or watch tower. the oldest part Of
the chateau, which he had never visited
before There she told him tale of one
OF the ancient ladies of Rohan who had
a lover who came from an alien and an
tagonistic family, who gained access. to
her chamber by climbing in some strange
way the wall or face of the tower, until
he reached the oriel window before them
He was finally caught and killed by the
lords of the house on the threshold of
the very room in which they were stand
ing. she said, and she wondered If Sir
Philip could, or would, have done that
thing.
Let us go to the window and look out
your little 1adyship, and we will see," an
sWered the pseudo knight gaily. II am
a sailor. I can climb almost anything
that any one else can ascend ...
Together and hand in hand the two
stepped out on the little balcony overlook
ing the sea. Just outside the oriel
window. the wall of the castle. following
the coast line, turned sharply, making a
narrow re-entrant angle where 1t Joined
the round tower. The tower and the wall
were built of rough stone and their sur
faces were much broken by jutting pro-
JecIlOHS Inc wall ana tower TSlOpeu
slightly inward from the base to the top.
Philip gravely surveyed the stone sur
face Of the weather beaten tower sweep
ing below the little platform on which
they stood, and made up his mind that
a daring climber taking advantage of the
irregularities and projections in the stone,
and favored by the slope and the angle,
might If he had cool head, gain the
balcony, provided no one opposed his
ascent. Indeed. since the Baron de Croi-
sic. the unfortunate lover of the legend
had done so, he felt sure that he himself
could accomplish the feat-given suffi-
cient incentive, Of course. At the foot
of the tower lay the little bay spoken OF
before and in the bay small boat was
mOored
He looked again and more carefully,
leaning far out over the wall, and with
the trained observation of a sailor to
whom the minutest indication may be OF
paramount value. he took careful note OF
the several projecting stones. the slope
of the walls and rapidly mapped out
series Of. movements by which the feat
could be achieved. = 49,. -
Yes he said at last 'it could be
done: it would be difficult dangerous. in
fact but it could be done-given q suffi-
cient incentive"
""Am I sufficient-what is it you say?
know not that word, I think. -. .
"You are incentive enough for any
thing Shall try it," ne asked lightly.
The Countess Anne leaned out across
the coping of the balcony and looked
down. 1t was indeed a. giddy height. Her
brain reeled as she gazed She would like
very much to put Sir Philip to the test.
but in the end she decided not He might
be killed, and that would be a bitter end
to their little play. She recalled that
Monsieur Croisic had been thrown down
1oI in "a
tower The height was appalling. She
was too fond of Sir Philip. So she tenn
porized She was woman enough for
that. he thought. Indeed, he realized
that she had developed marvelously in
the month he had been with her. She
seemed years away from dolls now. He
wondered why.
mot to-day, Sir Philip; some other
time. perhaps. but not now" she an
swered him at last. .
."As you will Mistress Anne" he re-
piled indifferently. and then as thought
struck him he questioned her: why Is
this place not guarded, or the wall
smoothed, so that no one could climb up
again?''
II suppose it was guarded once AS for
the wall. the story I read said that the
lords of the tower left it just as it was. for
they thought that the lesson they had
given poor De Croisic would keep every
body away Would it keep you away?"
Not If you were here waiting for me.
Lady Anne. But why is 1T not guarded
now?" he persisted. -
story except myself and Josette to whom
I told it. I suppose. I read it the other
! day in some old papers I found in the
| ljbrary-rOo-a. I doubt If even grand
| father embers it or he would lock up
| the room. Besides, what need? There is
- H.
answered artlessly.
| But it came into Grafton's mind that if
| it were difficult to climb UP to that bal
| cony window it would be less difficult to
climb down from it. and the idea Of escap-
ing sprarg instantly into his head. In
| deed, it had often been with him, but he
| had seen so way whatever to bring it
about until that afternoon. that very mo-
ment in the oriel of that tower. =
Beyond the rocky, edges Of the shore, to
seward, the horizon was dark with the
sails of ships. It. was the hugs: fleet OF
Boscawen lingering off the coast In the
vain hope that something might draw the
| French out from Brest al that time and a
general engagement might be brought
about. If Grafton could gain that window
at night, descend the wall, seize the little
| boat in the cove, he might reach the ships
! He stood in distracted silence gazing sea-
ward until the girl laid her hand lightly
| upon his arm ->+ > - + ..-'a (.
| Have you forgotten me, Sir Philip
she questioned him jealousy; were yor
| thinking Of - ~. 49,. =. ,-s -. ...- E.
''Of home for a moment. my child, o.
old England, and better-loyed shore
farther away. Those are English ships
and-but never mind. we were talking O.
the lady's lover. Yes, I see how he nigh
| have come up the WALL E-:s.s c--E
''And of course I will ots1et you do thai
now because-but would you do it for MT