Middletown transcript., 1912-07-20
sieIF Ie Commandant?y

viIlers, leaned more comfortably back
in his chair in the small, rather barely
furnished barracks sitting-room in
which he found himself later that
night and languidly surveyed the
f1orid, irate countenance of the man
In uniform before him.
mo, Monsieur lie Marquis" said
the latter, endeavoring to conceal any
evidence of modification or Ill humor
in the presence of visitor SO dis
tinguished; I'VE didn't. But" as If to
turn the conversation, with a gesture
toward a well-laden table, Il should
feel honored if"
Thank you, no! After our repast
on the beach-howeVer, stand on no
ceremony yourself Nay, insist"
IF Monsieur lie Marquis insists!-"
The commandant drew up his chair;
then, reaching for bottle, poured out
a glass of wine, which he offered his
guest.
mo, not" said the marquis. But
as l remarked before, stand on no
ceremony" And daintily opening a
snuff-box, he watched his host with
an expression half-amused, half-iron-
ical.
That person ate and drank with lit
tie relish; the wine-so he said-had
spoiled; and the dishes were without
flavor; it was fortunate Monsieur le
Marquis had no appetite
Whereupon the marquis smiled;
but, considering the circumstances, in
his own mind excused the command
ant, who had only just come from the
governors palace, and who, after the
interview that undoubtedly had en-
sued, could hardly be expected to find
the pate palatable, or the wine to his
liking. This, despite the complaisance
of the young nobIeman whom the
commandant had encountered, while
descending from the governors abode,
and who, adapting his step to the 9th
er's had accompanied the officer back
to his quarters, and graciously ac-
cepted an invitation to enter.
We'll, you know the old saying,
the marquis closed the box with a
snap, There's many a sIip'-but
how" airily brushing with his hand
kerchief imaginary particles from a
long lace cuff, did he get away?"
He had got away before we were
down on the beach. 1t was wild
goose chase, at best And so l told
his Excellency, the governor"
"a thankless task, no doubt! But
the shots we heard"
AN imbecile soldier saw a shadow;
fired at it, and"
THE others followed suit" laughed
the visitor.
Exactly" The commandments face
grew red; fiercely he pulled his mus
tache. What can one expect, when
they make soldiers out of every
dunderpate that comes along?"
''True!" assented the marquis. But
this fellow, this Black Seigneur-why
is the governor so anxious to lay
hands on him? Who is he, and what
has he done? l CONFESS languidIy,
"to a mild curiosity"
Hes a privateersman and an out
law, and has done enough to hang
himself dozen times"
When you capture him!" inter-
posed the visitor lightly. A moment
he studied the massive oak beams of
the ceiling. why dc they call him
the Black Seigneur? An odd sobri-
quet!"
His father was a Seigneur-the
last Of the fief of Desaurac. The
Seigneurs have all been fair men for
generations, while this fellow"
Then he has noble blood in him?'
The marquis showed surprise. Where
is the fief?"
THE woods on the shore mark the
beginning of it."
Butt don't understand. The father
was a Seigneur;; the sen
Bluntly the commandant explained;
the son was a natural child; the
mother, a common peasant woman
whom the former Seigneur had taken
to his house
81 see!" The young nobIeman
tapped his knee. "And that being the
case"
Under the terms Of the ancient
grant, there being no legal heir, the
lands were confiscated to the crown
His Excellency, however, had already
bought many of the membranes
against this property, and, in view OF
this, and his services to the king, the
fief, declared forfeited by the courts,
was subsequently granted and decided,
without condition, to the governor.
ITO the governor" repeated the
marquis.
Who at once began rare clearing
out; forcing the peasants who for
years had not been paying metayage,
to meet this just requirement, or
move away!"
And did some of them object?'
They did; but his ExcelIency found
means. The most troublesome were
arrested and taken to the Mount
where they have had time to reflect
his Excellency believes in no halfway
measures with peasants"
"a rich principality, no doubt"
half to himself spoke the marquis.
i have heard" blurted the COM
mandant, hes going to give it to the
Lady Elise; restore the old castle and
turn the grounds surrounding it into
a noble park"
The visitor frowned, as if little Iik-
ing the introduction of the Iady's
name into the conversation. And
what did the Black Seigneur do then"
he asked coldly, when he found his
lands gomez"
Claimed it was a pIot!-that his
mother was an honest woman, though
neither the priest who performed the
ceremony nor the marriage records
could be found. He even resisted at
first-refused to be turned out-and,
skulking about the forest with his
gun, kept the deputies at bay. But
they surrounded him at last; drove
him to his castle, and would have cap
tured him, only he escaped that night,
and took to the high seas, where he
has been making trouble ever since!"
'Trouble?"
HE has seriously hampered his
Excellency's commerce; interfered
with his ships, and crippled his trade