Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-04-03


 blazing, which cast alternate light and shade upon the low ceiling and the further corners of the room. A num-
 Der of heavy wooden tables with benches around them filled up the greater portion of the floor space. On these 8 profusion of emptied, dirty glasses and mugs bespoke good nights custom for the proprietor. At the side of the room was arranged a ] kind of private office, as it were, fenced off from the rest by a railing, behind which was placed table and bench. It was evidently the innkeeper's espe- cial domain, for, as Tonti's eyes be- came more accustomed to the half ] gloom, he spied the figure of a man seated upon the bench, busily engaged in counting small pile of coin spread 1 out upon the table before him. He glanced uneasily over his shoulder now and then at the door and the window, I as though fearful of being seen. He soon finished his task, and quickly .. swept the money into small leather pouch, which he closed with look of satisfaction, slowing it away in the recesses of his blouse. At this mo- ! ment Tonti left the window. and, ad- :, vancing to the door, struck it sharply with the hilt of his sword. Pompon, whispering that he would come in later, disappeared in the darkness.
 "Hola! Landlord open here! Would you keep a gentleman and a soldier waiting in the night when you have within good fire to warm his hands and good wine to cheer his heart? Corbleu! Open, l say, or it will be the worse for you. am not the man to be kept waiting."
 So speaking, he belabored the door
 a haah4dt ht ca%e and fist anhns sH ustS st let that ths crying:
 "Yes, yes, gentlemen, in one mo- ment, pray you. But do not awaken the whole house. It is late," he con- tinued, unfastening the door and open ing 1t an inch, peering out meanwhile to see what manner of guests he was welcoming, Hate indeed for honest folk to be about
 As soon as the crack of the door widened sufficiently to adimt the hilt of the sword. Tonti inserted it, and with quick pressure with this lever he swung the door open in spite of the landlords efforts to hold it.
 How now, Sir Innkeeper! Dame! hut I ho1 Lo, out there full hour longer if you had had your way"
 So speaking, he stepped into the light of the room. Upon seeing a man evidently soldier and from Paris, the landlords fears quieted themselves. One suspicion, however, remained.
 Pardon, Sir Capitaine,' he cried, lowing obsequiously. but where is your companion? Did you not say that there were two of you, soldier and gentleman"
 Tonti was puzzled for a moment, and then laughed.
 And may I not be both? Here, bite that, and tell me if it be gold or no. If so, fetch me a bottle of wine, the very best. and some food" So saying, he flung down pistole upon the table near him.
 The innkeeper quickly seized it, bit if, and after testing it's ring, pocketedl it with alacrity. his suspicious van- ished
 Draw near the fire" he exclaimed, as he busily stirred the logs, and I shall return presently with the best bottle to be found this side of Paris. It has been in the cellar for IA years, ever since I came to this town. and was there I know not how long before me-
 With these words, he hastily brushed off a bench. motioned Tonti to be seated, and was gone Tonti looked about him carefully.
 "It must be the place." he mur- mured to himself. He said he had been here IA years. and it is just that length of time since Bouquets down. fall"
 His eyes wandered toward the fire place and his thoughts were confirmed. A huge stone slab some seven feet in length and three in width constituted the hearth. This stone was bordered by a single row of bricks that were covered with dust and ashes Tonti's | eyes danced with excitement as he i beheld them. and he wondered why | PompOn was delayed so long and what | his plan would be to get a chance of | testing the truth of his cipher-mes- i sage.
 Presently he heard the innkeeper ] and he reappeared bearing l the remains of huge goose-pie in | one arm and a dusty. musty. cob l webbed bottle of wine in the other. | These he placed before his guest. who was soon devouring the one and sip | ping the other. whose grapes must | have weighted the vine on the sunny i vineyard slopes fully 30 years before. | He was about to compliment the land lord standing before him upon the ex- cellence of his providing when he heard the voice of singing in the street ! outside the inn and close at hand. "Quand nous fumes sur le pont qui
 tremble, Helas, mon Dieu." were the words they heard Then came silence. broken only by the | shuffiing sound as of some one walk ing laboriously among the pebbles and sand of the roadway Then came the song nearer than before:
 "Quand nous fumes le Saintonse,
 Helas mon Dieu,"