The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-06-03
CHAPTER xxi.
THE CONTENTS OF TuE p,

IdE CONTENTS OF II BOX.
One day very soon thereafter my
servant presented me a box, which he
said had been brought there by an In
quest that it be delivered into my own
hand. And further, to beg I would
make him a visit as soon as my duties
would permit.
The evening being advanced I could
no go that night. so contented myself
with the promise I would cross the bay
on the morrow.
Later, my company being my own,
I gave attention to box.such a metal
articles of value. 1t responded easily
to the key, n opened without diff
Guilty.
The reasons for d'Ortez's fear and
retirement lay bare before me, If I
would but search them out. Within
the box. bound together by deerskin
thongs. were many writings, some on
parchment, some paper. OF different
dates and degrees of preservation.
Some were we'll worn from e and
handling, others more recent, were in
better condition. Some there We're
which appeared quite new and fresh;
these must have been the latest to find
a resting place in his keeping.
All We're arranged in due and sys-
temat1c order; of whatever age, each
bore a careful sunerscription, giving
In brief the contents Of the paper writ
ten by his own eXact hand. Beside this.
each document was numbered and
placed in sequence. Verify, it was most
methodically done, so any child could
read and understand.
1t was with much misgiving 1 APP
preached the task Of making myself
familiar with my old friends secret.
Had he committed some youthful
crime Which weighed heavily upon his
trembling age and had driven him to
these savage shores. where, shut u
from all companionship with his kind,
he did a lonely penance. If SO, I pre-
ferred to remain in ignorance, for his
was a friendship SO dear, SO pure, l
desired not to faint it with the odor
of guilt.
He had, however. made his request
IN such urgent terms, yer pathetic,
l could not disregard it, and putting
aside the reluctance 1 felt, l took up
the paper which lay on top, directed to
myself, ana began it's perusal. 1t was
as follows:
My Dear Placide: The great feebleness
OF my WORKOUT frame warns me again
be, when you recross the seas, 1 shall have
gone.to final Judgment. remember
my request, and carry on to the end that
work Whlch generations Of towards have
left undoEe. All is here contained
in these papers, except some recent rews
l have of the Pasquiers from the 1,.rtnern
colonies.
Possibly If you went to Quebec and
sough out the Cure Of st. Martins (who
wrote this last, No. 3) you may right it
all, and give to my soul it's eternal peace.
-. With the strong. affection which nv
bodily have In no wise dimin-
ished. l am, your old friend.
Raoul Armand Xavier d'Ortez,
of Cartillon. Normandy.
Having carefully read this letter. l
then proceeded to peruse the various
documents in the order he had arr
ranged them.
The first, written by the hand of the
Benedictine, Laurent of Lorraine, alb
bot of NauX, told of the admission to
the monastery of a child, son of Henri
d'Artin, to whom the good monks gave
the name Bartholomew Pasquier. This
child, though designed for orders, left
the monastery, cast his fortunes with
the king OF Navarro. and became a
great officer in the household of King
Henri the Fourth.
Other documents gave an account
of the posterity Of this child down to
n Francois Rene Alois de Pasouier.
who fled to America in 1874 to escape
the vengeance of a certain great lord
whose son he slew in a duS:. h was
he who was rcputed to have been
killed in battie, and 10 have left NO is
cae. And this was he whom l after
.tat. /: io2nd 10 be my own good father.
Thee was also contained an account