The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-15
By MOLLY ELLIOT sEAWELL.

speaking his name. He never heard the
church bells ringing on Sunday morn
ing that his BienviIle Sundays did not
come back TO him-his mother washing
and dressing him for church: the sight
Of Denise, In her short white frock. trot-
ting along solemnly with her hand in
Mile. DuvaFs: Paul Verney smartly
dressed and hanging on TO his fathers
arm; Nine Ravenel. in her black gown.
standing just inside the church door,
with Capt. RayeneI. grave and stern
looking, standing outside-and then the
world in which Toni lived seemed ike a
dream, and this dream of BienviIle the
only solid reality.
One friend remained to him. the ever
faithful Jacques. now battered almost
beyond the semblance OF soldier. Toni
continued his friendship for horses, Half
of his success with them came from
the perfect understanding of a horses
heart and soul which Toni possessed.
The other half came from that strange
and total absence Of fear where actual
danger was concerned. When the circus
tent caught fire IN the midst OF a crowded
performance. Toni was the calnest and
most self possessed person there. and ca
reered around the ring doing his special
~, a wonderful vaulting and tumbling
act, while the canvas roof overhead was
blazing and no one but himself saw II.
When the bridge broke through. with
the circus train upon it, Toni was the
first man TO pull of his clothes and jump
into the water. and assisted in saving
half dozen lives. He was regarded
somewhat as a hero and daredevil. while
secretly he knew himself 10 be the great
est coward on the face Of the earth Mic
olas and Pierre knew this weakness Of
TOMS from the beginning. and traded on
II most successfully.
The company was performing IN the
| fields outside Of Beaupre. but as they
were playing a whole weeks engagement
in the town. some OF them were quartered
| in the little hamlet close by. Within
sight or the hamiets church spire was
beautiful chateau standing all white
and gllstening in the sunlight. surrounded
by prim and beautiful gardens watched
over by sylvan deities in marble. On
the broad terrace a fountain splashed.
and lower down a beautifully wooded
park stretched out. over the stone gate
way. leading into the park were the
words. Chateau Bernard"
The first time Toni saw this was when
he was on his way 10 the midday per-
Torrance in the town OF Beaupre. He
stopped, and the meaning of that name
flashed into his mind in a second. Little
Lucie. that charming little fairy whom
Paul Verney loved so much. and OF whom
he had conhded. bIushingly and STUN
blingly. some things to Toni in those far
/ of days at BlenviIle. seven years before,
when be and Paul had sat cuddIed to-
gether on the abutment OF the bridge
the sight Of the name Chateau Bernard
| brought all this back 70 Toni.
| It was beautiful. bright spring morn
! ing. Ike those mornings az Bienville, ex-
cept that 20 Ton the sun never shone so
/ brightly anywhere as it had sh0ne at
Bienville. He stopped and gazed long
at the chateau. his black eyes as soft
and sparkling as ever they had been. al
though now he was a man grown But
there was an eternal boyishness about
him OF which he could no more get rid
than he could cease 70 be Toni There
had not been a day In all the years since
he left Bienville that he had not thought
OF Paul Yerney. and thinking OF Paul
would naturally bring to hts mind the
beautiful little Lucie who was like a
dream maiden TO hin-not az ali IKE
Denise, who was 70 him a substantial
though charming creature. He reckoned
that Lucie must be now twenty, and
Paul must be a sublieutenant
AS Toni stood there. his arms crossed.
and leaning on the stone wall, he heard
the clatter Of horses hoofs. and down the
avenue came three riders, young girl,
and her escort in front and a groom be-
hind AS they dashed past Toni. ne rec
! ognized. in the slight, willowy figure IN
the close-ntting black habit and eoquetish
hat, Lucie Bernard. young lady now,
but the same beautiful joyous sprite she
had been ten years before IN the park a;
Bienvilie. The cavalier riding with her
was. like Toni. below middle size. but
unlike Toni, light-haired and blus-eyed,