The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-18

half-rufned castle on the rocky coast of
Brittany, most Unexpectedly left to me by
nv uncle Roger de Poytron. Only a within.
and a desire to turn my back upon the
world and a woman, had brought me to
the place which had been mine for year;
vet now that / saw il I was inclined to
call the wlim a wise resolve. If / had
known that was the possessor of so fine
a property 1 might have visited 1t sooner,
hut I had not allowed myself time to be
stirred by curiosity regarding my legacy,
until one night at a little dinner 1 was
giving for her at the Carlton, Maude, Lans-
downe announced that she was going to
marry Lord Tenbrook.
Now, without great conceit, feit mad
reason to suppose that had chahce with
Miss Iansdowne, who was one OF the beau
ties of her season. But though my FAMILY
was centuries older than Lord Tenbrooks,
and though had enough money TO satisfy
an unambitious woman, 1 was neither a
man of title nor even millionaire Lord
Tenbrook was beth, and it appeared that
the beautiful Miss Lansdowne was a wom-
an Of ambition.
was not such q fool as to believe that
my heart was broken, nevertheless 1t Cor
my pride) was temporarily damaged; and
on the night when 1 was so kindly taken
into Miss Lansdowne's confidence / also
made an announcement. In truth, 1t was
on the spur of the moment, which happened
10 be sharp and Irritating spur; but de-
waited from the truth enough to say that
already had laid my plans for visit to
a castle OF mine In Brittany. "A castle of
mine" sounded distinctly well, coming from
a man whose pretensions had been set
aside because he was OF less Importance
than somebody else; but as matter of
fact had been led to suppose the ancient
stronghold a mere worthless shell of for
mer grandeur.
Ny uncle's solicitor in Tresitat, the vii
lage nearest to De Poytron Castle. had not,
indeed, made this statement in so many
words when he informed me that his de-
ceased client had left the place to me, but
he had referred to it as a residence in dis
paraging terms, explaining that a part
only of the ancient fortified house had been
made sufficiently habtable for o. somewhat
eccentric elderly bachelor who scorned
luxury and hated society.
Now. I was not an elderly" bachelor.
and / was far from hating society or scorn-
ing luxury, though 1 could cheerfully do
Besides, the one condition which accom-
panied the legacy was that I should allow
the present caretakers still to regard the
castle as their horne. / was given to under
stand that there was widow who acted
for many years es my uncle's housekeeper.
and that she hao a family. Even If I had
wished to expatriate myself and live in
a tumbledown cas- tie which my uncle had
bought only because it had been in the
De Poytron family before the days of Will
liam the Conqueror, and came into the
market from alien owners for a mere song.
1 should not have cared to be bullied by a
6omineering old servant hopelessly spoilt
by having her own way. L accepted the
condition, therefore, rather than let De
Poytron Castle pass into the possession of
such a person, as 1 was informed it would
by my uncle's will, if Ibis one near sur
viving relatiye-refused the gift But /
had not even made a Saturday to Monday
visit to Brittany since 1 became master of
the family stronghold, until I banished
myself from London to avoid Maud Lans-
downe's wedding.
Then my decision was made so suddenly
that had time for nothing before my de-
parture. except to send a wire to Madame
Lascelles, the observation-disclosures, say
ing that would arrive the following night
for a stay of uncertain duration.
/ did arrive, and saw the great. gray
castle of my ancestors for the first time.
with all its grim towers cut darkly and
sharply out of the flaming sunset which
burnt the western sky.
The huge stone pile seemed to be tow
ering continuation of the rocks which rose
out of the sea, rather than the handiwork
of man. 1t was difficult to tell, in places,
where men had begun to lay the rough
gray stones and where heaven had ended
Its noble edifce of rougher, grayer rock.
One-haIf. indeed. of the castle was a
picturesque and uninhabitable ruin, but the
other half appeared from the outside to be
I'm excellent repair-more excellent than
was quite comprehensive. considering the
fact that no gift of money from my uncle
had rounded out his legacy to me.
L had driven from Tresitat to the foot
of the rock which formed a foundation
for the house. but the ascent had to be
made on foot, while my own man and the
drivers son drought for the purpose) car
ried up my modest allowance OF luggage.
The castle was reached by means of a
drawbridge, apparently no longer movable
which stretched across a yawning chasm
between two rocks that once must have
rendered the stronghold all but impregna-
Bile The main door was at the far end Of ar
entrance way like a short tunnel There
was no bell, only a knocker formed or an
ancient mailed glove weighted with leaden
bullets, and with this had TO pound more
than once on the iron-barred oak panels
before gained admittance. Then the door
was opened by a woman different as pos
sible from the image my mind had con-
ceived of the old caretaker.
She was not old, though certainly OF mid
die age, and as certainly she was lady
Once she must have been beautiful. and
though she was now perhaps between the
(for a woman) tragic ages of forty-five and
fifty, her clear features had lost MOTH
ing of her high-bred perfection
In melodious English, without even
foreign accent. she courteously babe Mr.
Rodger de Poytron's nephew, Norman de
Poytron, welcome, and. upon question, re-
moved my doubts by saying that she was
Madame Lascelles. the caretaker. Dur
ing my visit (she added as she ushered me
into a great hall hung with faded but
beautiful tapestry she would do her best