The Washington herald., 1912-03-24
CHAPTER XII.
THE STORY WHICH
THE G0vERNEss TOLD

l. Of French architecture, is in
Southern France. 1t is a charming
country, this Southern land; warm,
sunny, full Of flowers, and of attrac-
tive peasants. These atrocious English
fogs are unknown in that fertile re-
gion, and consequently the dispo-
sition Of the people is pure, hospi-
table, and bright. II is a country OF
JOY and of light-heartedness.
For this reason, it is surprising
that such uncanny happenings could
ever have occurred in this environ
ment | was the unfortunate witness to
this affair, and amid such attractive
and light surroundings, il is most re-
markablc that an episode of such
nature could have come TO pass. Yet.
with the supernatural, il is apparent
that the graveyards and the unused
houses are not the only abiding places
for spirits. as was my opinion and,
for this reason, | was not prepared for
the events which | am about to mar
rate | SILVER whenever my mind re-
verts to the specter Of the Chateau
Roberval.
my brother owned this noble man.
sion and there he lived the existence
of a pampered recluse. His ardent love
for horticulture was well displayed in
the magnificent gardens which sur
rounded his residence, for the grounds
were veritable paradise Fountains
threw sprays of crystal water into the
blue air at regular and appropriate in
tervals. Clusters OF roses, aSters, car
nations, lilies, and many other flowers,
had been laid out with the skill of a
landscape engineer OF long training and
experience. Stone benches and statues
Of fauns and dryads stood in the shad-
cd avenues between the flower beds,
while birds of brilliant plumage de-
lighted to make this their home, and
filled the air with the sweet cadence
of their songs. Long grape arbors
were, in their season, hung with we'll
nurtured clusters of ripening fruit, and
as was only to be expected-the air
in summer was fragrant with the per-
fume from the wealth of growing
things.
at was in spring when these events
came to pass, and never had the mag
to the eye. Without and within-where
the bright, tapcstried chambers shone
with the cheer and brilliance of artistic
decoration--all was happiness. My
brother was engaged in a volume upon
horticulture and so we saw little of
him. His working hours were spent
in his greenhouse, and his wife was
also so much employed in her house
hold duties that | caught only feeting
glimpses of her throughout the day;
and thus my time was, for the most
part, my own. Yet | was soon to have
a companion, for, after had been there
for a week, niece of mine, of whom
/ was most fond, came to pay us avisit.
She was a sweet giri-Helen Derou-
lede by name-with eyes more brilliant
~ dark than her tresses of glossy
black, and with cheeks of crimson. She
was a timid creature for a maid of
twenty-one, as she had spent the better
part of her life in Paris with a re-
spectacle and most aged aunt. In con-
sequence. she had learned little of So
ciety and knew scarcely anything of the
ways of men and women OF the world.
She was so fresh and dcmure that her
naivete touched my heart
1.-TWO weeks after she had come to
u.s. a friend of the family, the Duke of
ChaveauX, arrived from Marseille. The
duke was forty or more, large, tritle
stout, and handSome-which unfortu-
nately he knew. His black mustachos
curled downward with a military droop,
and long imperial was upon his we'll
rounded chin. The duke had once been
told that he was fascinating to women,
which had made him cultivate a strut
that was amusing, but effective.
81 knew little Of him save that he
was wealthy, was a widower, and had
no children He was fond of music,
played very we'll upon the piano, and
dressed like a man of fashion. 1t was
soon apparent that my niece was
pleased with this polished man-of-the
world; that could see with half an
eye, and it neither surprised nor dis
turbed me, as he was a gentleman, and
for her it would be an excellent match
besides, was not the garden made for
loyersS
any room in the Chateau was upon
the second story of the building and
led into a series of chambers, while
Ia roe HALLWAY was uDOn the OtiteF side