Charlevoix county herald., 1908-10-10

and that he knew what was going to
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 II" he kept asking
scornfully of the self that was already
resolving upon a certain thing; and
the self replied, why not?"
And perhaps 1t was because there
was no reason for doing it that he
did It,
'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 money-take
II, 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 torren; hundred feet
down and the cliff a thousand feet up,
chung the half-ruined chateau.
Tanning stood beneath the chateau
and looked up and looked down.
And this Is Auxons!" he said.
There was note of contempt In his
voice He had come such a way
to 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
Charlemagne, and has been the abode
of one family since before their day"
Judging from its looks. they have
fallen upon evil times" said monsieur,
indifferently.
1T would seem so, monsieur" said
Edouard. Does monsieur wish that
l tell the chateau's story in the cha
teau itself? One must be careful Of
the steps-see how the stones fall
away! This is the chapel, monsieur
newer than the remainder of the
chateau, and yet very old-so old that
it, too, falls to decay"
They stood in the ruined chapel
its walls crumbling, it's roof sagging
At the end was a great stained glass
window, almost entire, but the ivy
had grown over it 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
it shone from the heart of an opal.
After 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
glow of the great window was tomb,
with marble slab closing it,
Edouard stood near him, very quiet.
1T is not a 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, very old family
very old and very noble. The men
have been great men always-great
statesmen, great generals, what you
will and the time was when they
helped kings with their money. Once
their lands swept down that valley
yonder, and as 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
/ Auxons was so far away and hidden
| that it left them even the chateau"
Monsieur was inclined to find the
story little dull. He rested one foot
on a heap of stones and lit a cigar,
encircling the fame 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.
| lhSs nave pCCh pOOl, Suoudlu WShI
on, after the match had died out
Some of them. one may suppose, died
broken.hearted: but at last there was
left only broken old man, with his
grandchildren. One of these was a
girl"
For single moment Edouard
paused again; then the low, inflexible
voice went on:
"One Of them was girl, and she
was in a convent, being educated.
But at last the fortunes fell so low
that she must be brought home; and
then her brothers, grown desperate,
left her with the old man and sold
themselves as mercenaries to what