Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-06-22

The innkeeper quickly seized IT, bit
it, and after testing its ring pocketed
it with alacrity, his suspicious van
ished.
Draw near the fire." he exclaimed,
as he busily stirred the logs, "and
shall return presently with the best
bottle to be found this side of Paris.
1t has been in the cellar for IA years.
ever since | came to this town, and
was there | 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 muir
INJURED to himself "He said he had
been here IA years, and it is just that
length of time since Fouquets 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
beheld them, and he wondered why
Pompon was delayed so long and what
his plan would be to get chance of
| testing the truth Of his cipher-mes-
sage.
Presently he heard the innkeeper
returning, and he reappeared bearing
| the remains of a huge goose-pie in
one arm and a dusty, musty, cob
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
vineyard slopes fully 80 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 lie pont qui
tremble, Helas. mon Dieu!"
were the words they heard. Then
came a 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 lie Saintonge,
Helas, mon Dieu!"
followed by a heavy knock at the
door. The innkeeper hastened to open
it, and the light from the fire fell full
on the figure of Tonti's late compan-
ion. He had found and trimmed a
young tree into a seryiceable pilgrim S
staff, and his expression was that of
| great WEAKNESS.
PAX vobiscum," he said gravely,
addressing the innkeeper. This indi-
vidual crossed himself, replying, And
with you, father"
The monk then laid aside his staff,
and approached the table next to the
one at which Tonti was seated.
II would have lodging and bit of
food, for | have tasted since daybreak.
| Gold have | not, for it would i'll be-
come him whose boast is that poverty
is his bride to carry any money with
him. But | am privileged to grant
| III llluhlSVIl1C, III lClul IL lOl loOu anu
lodging" and the tired monk settled
down upon a bench and looked hun
grily about him.
Have you no relics that will ward
OFF disease?" asked the innkeeper.
"A bone from the hand of some good
saint or something from the holy
land?"
NAY, nay" exclaimed the monk in
seeming anger. Il am no hawker of
bogus relics, nor claim any kindred
with the devil-spaWn who go through
the land plying their unholy trade.
With them they have but to see your
money in their hand when the merry
rougues will sell you a cart-load of
laths from the ark of pere Noah, a
ring from the snout of st. Anthony S
pig, or the crest of the cock that
crowed before Plate"
The landlord seemed duly impressed
with the superior merits of the beg
ging friar, and started off to get some
scraps for his meal. Tonti, who had
up to this time remained silent watch
ing the game his companion was play
ing, called after him;
Bring the reverend fathers meal
to my table, and fetch another glass.
that he may share my wine with me.
l warrant he is a good Judge of it,"
The monk bowed his thanks, and re-
piled with a wink at Tonti:
HE is an i'll guest that never drinks
to his host. Might l suggest, my SOL
Gier friend, that the good innkee. Ell
fetch a glass for himself?"
Tonti agreed. and the host hasteneG
to find the glasses, feeling glad to get
a chance to taste some of his own
rare wine at the expense of some one
else
AS soon as he had disappeared, the
monk reached over to Tontis glass and
shook white powder into it, from a
| nf - l. ~