The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-05-13

1AouSn tne TelSn III my TASK was
done, l made all haste toward Dieppe.
Scarcely stopping for food, changing
horses as often as 1 could, l pushed
on without adventure until l reached
the Chateau Cartillon, then a formless
ruin.
Here my saddle girth broke and I
was nearly thrown to the ground. I
scrambled off, walked to the little inn
where I inquired how far 1 had yet to
60.
Three leagues yet to Dieppe." the
host replied, but monsieur cannot go
on tonight: he must wait the morrow;
he can go with comfort in the morn
ing"
1 sent my groom for a new girth
and found it would take quite an hour
to procure one from the village.
Probably monsieur would visit the
castle upon the hill there persisted
the landlord, pointing across the way,
sit is worth his while. 1t is said to have
been destroyed by the Great Henry in
his wars with the duke of Mayenne.
True 1t is that sounds Of battle and
screams are yet heard there on stormy
nights. Probably monsieur would rest
here several days"
l essayed to silence the fellow, for I
was in no mood to listen to his chat
ter. Yet there was something in his
eulogy of the locality, which he gave
as a hawker crying his wares, tina
fixed my unwilling attention.
And, monsieur. perchance you may
see old Mad Michael. What! you know
naught of him? Country ok do say
his grandson witnessed the murder Of
the count, and that it gent her feeble
mind a-wandering. Her child through
all her life did fancy herself the count,
and made strange speeches to the peo-
pies fear. And now this grandson Of
hers has grown old in frenzy like his
mother and grandam. possessed Of an
evil spirit which speaks through him
betimes-it is a curse of the blood.
monsieur, a grieveous curse Of the
blood"
1t aroused something of a curiosity
within me. yet 1 was loath to pause
my journey. Forced, though, to
wait an hour, 1 thought to walk owe to
the chateau, a couple of hundred yards
distant. Taking a lad who lounged
about the inn, to shcw me the way, I
at a long disused spring. and idly
plucked an apple from a branch which
o%verhung it. A little further up, and
mounting the steep ACTIVITY, 1 stood
within the ancient fortress.
This castle, since rebuilded, you, my
children, are of course familiar with,
for you We're all born here. At that
ddlC Liz 6IeGl CSIllIdl lUWeT dlOllG
stood erect amid the universal de-
struction. A black VOLTS head reared
itself high above the portcullis. The
moat was filled with drift of crumbling
years, and the walls, fallen in many
places, ran hither and thither in aim
less curves and angles, much as they
do today.
Up to this hour my chronicle has
been only of such adventures as might
hafD11 q soldier 11nOn onv artaryrjca
but now a strange thing happened.
Until hat I had never seen
the Chateau Cartillon, still there was
not a corner or a passage that did not
seem we'll known to me. L seemed to
know iE~tuitively what each building
was for, and even imagined most vivid
ly scenes which had transpired there.
The whole place had the most intense
personal interest for me, why l knew
not.
l am not superstitious. but the ruin
oppressed me, made me restless and I'M
easy: yet ! was loath to leave. The
loneliness of it all filled me with grave
appr%enensions as ! picked my way
across the grass-encumhered court
yard toward the road again. A thou
san haunting fancies Of half familiar
things thronged from III each dis
mant!ed doorway. Faces I all but rec
ognized peered at me through the
broken easements: voices l almost
knew called to me from many a silent
corner. Yet all was still, all was soli-
tude. Heartily shomed at my quick
ening step 1 hurried on and having
consumed a>quarter Of my hour sat
down by the spring mentioned before,
just beyond the castles utmost bound
airy.
The haze of late afternoon had deep
ened into night upon the peaceful
meadows and lazy sweep Of river. A
distant peasants song came family
from !he fields.
While sitting there beside the spring,
gazing listlessly into its placid depths.
an uncanny figure made its way
through a breach in the bastion, and
stood before me. At first 1 confess I
was startled, the wild uncouth thing,
bent and decrepit. with hair Of long and
tangled gray, fiery sunken eyes, seemed
born Of another world than this. He
bent his gaze with searching scrutiny
full upon me.
The lad whispered: Its old Mad
Michael: he lives up there pointing
to a tumbled down tower. and be-
lieves himself the count-the count.
and him long dead lying yonder in the
WE'LL"
The boy shuddered and crossed him
self.
The old man gazed steadily at me for
some moments then bowling low. he
cried:
Hail! Son of d'Artin! Hast come to
view thine own again? Let us into the
walls"
Let US so, monsieur, quick" urged
the lad. Juggling at my coat, ut Is
late"
The dusk in fact was coming on
apace and climbing shadows crept
round the grotesque masonry. I'm
needing the lads fear. I was strongly
impelled to talk With the daft creature,