The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-11-25

pipes he suggested, but this did not
seem to satisfy the others.
ooh no.. mol" exclaimed Yolande,
sobbing and wringing her hands, 81
am sure it must be some poor woman
walled in there, who hears our voices
and tries to call to us for help"
"But child, who could have shut
her in, and how could this have been
done without it's having left some
signs on the wall? Besides, anybody
walled in as you say would die of
hunger"
ooh, but she may not have been
in so very long!" cried the child,
growing almost hysterical in her dis
tress.
"My dear Yolande, it is impossible,
impossible" said her father. Still.
none of them could help a creepy, I'M
canny feeling, as they listened to those
piteous walls and means.
1T seems dreadfully superstitious,"
hesitated the Duchess, "but I can not
help wondering whether it might not
be your father endeavoring to warn
us in some way. I have always felt
as if he could not rest in his grave
with that narrowing secret"
my dear, you surely do not believe
in ghosts" laughed her husband. "Our
trouble seems to be unhinging our
nerves in terrible manner. "Now,"
he added, II will try to brighten that
ghost away" and SO saying he raped
loudly on the part of the wall from
which the sounds came and was sur
prised to find that it emitted a hollow
sound quite different from the rest.
He saw that Yolande was painfully
distressed and overweight with the
idea that some one was imprisoned
there. He feared the child would be
ill, SO he sent down for a pick and
| began knocking down the wall at the
place which seemed most hollow. The
cement was so strong that he found
it very difficult to make an opening.
When he did SO, there was a rustling
noise, and the ladies gave a stif1ed
scream, for two brilliant eyes were the
first thing they saw. A few more Wig
orous blows with the pick and the
whole of the old Dukes masonry fell
with crash to the floor, and with
a great swishing noise, a large, soft,
whitish object burst into the room,
nearly knocking down the Duke and
7 startling every one almost to death.
AS soon as the former recovered from
his fright, however, he burst into I'M
comfortable laughter.
40 VN1ordoO bo
prisoners were but a nestful of owls
after ALL
But, papa,' said the girl, mo owl
could have put all those shawls and
cloaks in this old chimney, and see!
there is something under them. I
think it is moving!"
Her father bent forward and CROPPED
rather cautiously, among heap of
wraps. There certainly was some
thing large and hard hidden there
Il What could it be? VIGOROUSLY he took
out the owls nest, and hastily pulled
. away the moth-eaten shawls, then
stood with beating heart, gazing at a
tin box!
"Wait minute! Don't move, any
of you," he cried Dashing downstairs
he returned in an incredibly short
, space of time with the key his father
had shown him, and which fitted in
the lock easily. Opening the lid, he
unwrapped the parcel it contained
and disclosed the precious papers
"Oh, thank God! Thank God!" he
murmured, falling on his knees. Then
springing up, he exclaimed:
ooh, Marie, my darling, our child
has shown us the hiding-place! Here
are the papers all safe and sound
,, at last!"
The joy and relief of the whole
family is better imagined than de-
scribed. How fervently they thanked
God and st. Anthony who had thus
; almost miraculously granted Yolande's
, prayers is beyond all telling.
, The little owls and their mother
, were carefully put back into the chin
, ney, for, as the Duke said: Next tt
!, God and St. Anthony, it is to them
: that we owe the recovery of the
!, papers,
, The chimney was boarded up again
but though the family continued tt
hear the strange noises made by the
,, young birds, they were no longer dis
: tressed by them; on the contrary, they
felt they were the voices of friends
! The Duke fastened to the frontier
. where he met the Prince, to whom
. he restored the precious papers. The
: latter was most thankful to regain
: possession of them, and much amused
, at the story of their recovery. Soor
after, he sent Yolande most beauti
, full brooch, row of little owls in
!. diamonds, with emerald eyes, to make
, up to her, he said, for the fright thai
, had been given her by chose blessed
little messengers, the owls
III. E. Deiamare. in Benzfger's Magazine