Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1913-05-24


an expression half-amused. half-iron-
icaI.
That person ate and drank with lit
Ito relish; the wine-so he said-had
spoiled; and the dishes were without
flavor; it was fortunate Monsieur lie
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 nobleman 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 &C
cepted an invitation to enter.
We'll, you know the old saying,
the marquis closed the box with
snap, There's many a slip'-but
how" airily brushing with his hand
kerchtef imaginary particles from
long lace cuff, did he get away?"
He had got away before we were
down on the beach. 1t was a 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; fercely. 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? 1 confess" Ianguidly,
''to mild curiosity"
He's 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 do they call him
the Black Seigneur? An odd sobri-
quet!"
His father was a Se1gneur-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 SON
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
= see." The young nobleman
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 a rare clearing
out; forcing the peasants who for
years had not been paying metayage
to meet this just requirement, Or
move awayi"
And did some of them obJect?"
They did; but his ExceIlency 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 doubtl'
half to himself spoke the marquis.
Il have heard" blurted the com
mandant, hes going to give it to the
Lady Elise; restore the old castle anc
| turn the grounds surrounding it into
a noble park
The visitor frowned, as if little lik
/ ing the Introduction of the lady:
name into the conversation. "Ant
what did the Black Seigneur do then,
| he asked coldly, when he found hi
lands gomez"
Claimed it was a pIot,-that hi
mother was an honest woman, though
neither the priest who performed tn,
! ceremony nor the marriage record
could be found He even resisted a
| first-refused to be turned out-and
skulking about the forest with hi
gun. kept the deputies at bay Blu
they surrounded him at last; drov
him to his castle, and would have car