The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-18

which the sea- rather than
the handiwork of 1t difficult to TELL in places,
where begun to lay the rough gray stones, and
where Heaven had ended its noble edice of rougher,
grayer rock.
One half indeed of the castle was picturesque
uninhabable ruin the other half appeared from the
outside to be in excellent repaore excellent than was
quite considering the that gift Of
from uncle had rounded out his legacy to me-
had driven from Trestat to the foot of the rock
which foundation the house; but the ascent
had to be made on foot while my own man, and the
drivers drought for the purpose) carried
modest allowance Of luggage
The castle reached by of drawbridge
yappareny longer moveable) which stretched
yawning chasm between two rocks that must
have rendered the stronghold inpregnable The main
door at the far end of entrance-way like short
ancient mailed glove weighted with eaden bullets
with this I had to pound than the iron
barred oak pannels before gained admittance Then
the door was opened by different possible
from the image mind had conceived of the old
taker.
She not old, tho certainly of middle age and
certainly she lady. she must have been
woman tragic ages of forty-fve and fifty her clear
features had lost nothing of their perfection
- In melodous English, without even foreign accent,
she courteously Roger Poytrons nephew,
Norman de Poytron, welcome, and, question:
moved my doubts by saying that she was Madame Las
cees, the During visit (she added she
ushered into great hall hung with faded but beau
tful tapestry she would do her best for as she had
for the late owner, in the capacity of housekeeper
laughed slightly my roved about in approx
ing echoed the word visit with intentional
emphasis. ct pleased with this first sight Of my
property, on "that decide to live here for
the my natural life, uncle did before me-
I could not help observing sudden change in her
face and controlled trembling of the lips Evidently
this suggestion did not please Madame Lasceles and
rather wondered why as my acceptance of my unce's
conditions had not only given home but
must destroyed cherished that she might
become Of the castle Besides, what would such
done with the place, asked myself,
If had into her possession? Would she have at
tempted to turn Poytron castle into pension for touri
lists? shuddered at the vulgarizng thought and con-
graduated myself that had the from such
dissertation.
There huge banqueting hall, tapestried and
oak-panelled but I preferred to dine in small
adjoining, where uncle had for eaten all his
meals My dinner, cooked by Madame Lasceles, was
dainty and good despite the scany warning she had
ceved of arrival and the wine had lain for in
uncle's cellar Madame Lasce1es herself waited upon
condescendingy assisted valet, who could not
speak word of French-therefore put questions
to her in that language.
She served with the nobly resigned air of a
zenobia in slavery speaking only when she spoken
to- but answering only when she was spoken to, but
answering without hesitation various queries. Her
family? Oh, she had daughter Of fourteen, who
away at school. Lonely? No, she was not of morbid
retrospective nature and besides she accustomed
life at the castle. She grown