Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1908-09-24

and that he knew what sac Scirg 10
happen next. What did happen next
was that the young man disappeared
with a murmur of thanks, and that he
restored the look TO its place on the
shelves.
why should 10" ne kept asking
scornfully OF the self that was already
resolving upon certain thing; and
The self replied, why not?"
And perhaps ii was because there
was no reason for doing it that he
did Il.
"Edouard,' he said, half an hour
later, do YOU know how TO reach this
Auxons of which you speak?"
"Assuredly monsieur" said Edou-
ard. after the slightest pause.
Then we will START tomorrow"
said Tanning. There's noney-take
1t, and manage the trip. and spare me
the worries
Edouard did not even raise his
eyes. There were times when Edouard
was very impressive.
Monsieur will find everything
ready he said very quietly.
A little branch Of the Loire tumbled
noisily down gorge; little Old old
village held a scanty foothold on the
slanting edge of it. Higher up on the
slope, with the torrent hundred feet
down and the cliff a thousand feet up,
chung tie. half-ruined chateau.
Tanning stood beneath the chateau
and looked up and looked down.
And this is Auxons." he said.
There was a note of contempt in mis-
voice He had come such a way
10 see this!
Monsieur is LOOKING upon an old
town." said Edouard in the very quiet
tones Tanning had liked. Its founda-
tons were laid by the Gauls-it was
old in the days of Caesar, monsieur.
The chateau has sheltered Clovis and
Charlemag ne, and has been the abode
of one family since before their day
Judging from its looks. they have
I
indifferently.
1T would seem So monsieur" said
Edouard. Does monsieur wish that
tell the chateau's story in the cha
! teau itself? One must be careful of
1 the steps-see how the stones fall
I away! This is the chapel monsieur
newer than the remainder OF the
i chateau. and yet very old-so old that
4 it. too, falls to decay"
They stood in the ruined chapel,
i its walls crumbling its roof sagging.
At the end was a great stained glass
4 window, almost entire, but the ivy
had grown over 1t on the outside so
\ that most of the light was shut off.
/ The old chapel would have been in
darkness. but that once in while.
the leaves, stirred by the wind, parted
and let dull glow through, as though
4 ii shone from the heart of an opal.
After a little, Tanning saw that the
dark masses on the floor were heaps
of stones fallen from the thick walls.
After a little more he saw that the
dark something beneath the winking
with a marble slab closing it.
Edouard stood near him, very quiet
1T is not pleasant story, that of
The chateau" he said, when Tanning
had turned his eyes upon him and
waited for him TO speak 1T was, as
| told monsieur a very old family
very> old and very noble. The men
! ,lx af
STATESMEN, great generals, what you
wlll;-anc the time was when they
; helped Kings with their money. Once
their lands swept down that valley
yonder, and az far as the eye could see
in three directions from this hill top.
But the revolution took away much,
!, monsieur, and it was only because
T. Auxons was so far away and hidden
that ii left them even the chateau"
Monsieur was inclined TO find the
story little dull He rested one foot
on heap of stones and lit a cigar.
encircling TIE flame of the match with
his hands. The yellow light. striking
! up into his face, showed how dull
/ he found the story.
For hundred years, monsieur
= they have bee poor" Edouard went
on. after the match had died out
= Some of them, pne may suppose, died
= broken-hearted; put at last there was
L left only a broker old man, with his
y grandchildren one of these was a
girl"
For single moment Edouard
o. pansed again; then The low, infexible
n voice went on:
% O1e OF them was q girl, and she
was In convent, being educated
8 But 4 last the fortunes fell so low
e that she must be brought home; and
re then Ter brothers, grow desperate
y left hes with the Old man and sold
Id themselves as mercensries to what
O. ever goxrnment would by"