Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1913-12-05

ever, it matters little. Speaks she ever
Of the Black Seigneur?" suddenly.
mo. Why?"
why not?" Nanette's tone was
enigmatic.
Il don't understand"
"At any rate, she is better off here
than yonder in France, if tidings be
true" said the other irrelevantly.
"Ah, ma belle France!" murmured
the old man regretfully. How she is
torn within-threatened from without!
But fortunately she has her defend
ers," his voice thrilled, brave men
who have thronged to her needs.
suppose" he continued abruptly, "it's
to arrange about the new ship that
brings the Seigneur once more to the
tsland?"
'1 suppose So" assented the other
briefly.
"a true Frenchman, Pierre Laroche,
your father, has shown himself, in CIV
ing one of his best ships to the cause!
Although perhaps he would not have
been so ready" thoughtfully, "had not
the Paris Assembly seen fit to appoint
Andre Desaurac in command of all the
vessels to guard the coast against the
intrigues Of the French royalists with
foreign powers and aliens! Well, well,
he will find here many old friends!"
yourself, for example, Father, who
helped him In the courts to establish
his right to his name," said the young
woman quickly.
"And you, Mistress Nanette," the
kindly eyes lighting with curious, in
dulgent look, who went to the Mount
alone, unaided, to"
A frown gathered on the dark, hand
some face Of the girl. "Unaided?" she
said, staring at the sparkles on the
waves before her.
ooh, the people never weary of talk
ing about it! and how you"
"Yon's a sail" Abruptly the young
woman rose; with skirts fluttering be-
hind her, gazed out to sea.
Several hours later, just before dusk,
a ship ran into the harbor, dropped
anchor, and sent boat to the shore.
In the small craft sat a number Of
men, and the first of these to spring
to the beach and mount the stone stair
way to the inn, was met at the top;
warmly greeted, by old Pierre HIM
self! Mon dieu! To see the new
conner was like old times! Only now,
the landlord observed jestingly, the
profits would be small! But a fig to
parsimony, in these days when mems
patriotism should be large; do what
he, the Black Seigneur, would with
the new ship, even if he sunk her, pro-
vided 1t was in good company, and he
went down with her himself! To which
protestations the other answered; pre-
sented his companions, and greeted
the assembled company within.
Busy at a great board, laden with
comestibles interspersed with hagons
of wines, Nanette welcomed him brief
ly, and again his glance-keen ano
assured, that of a man the horizon OF
whose vision had widened, since last
he stood there-swept the gathering
But apparently, one he looked for was
not present, and he had again turned
to the young woman, a question on his
: lips, when on the garden side OF The
house a door opened. 1t revealed {
towering background, plateau, vel
low in the last rays of the sun; i
framed, also, the slender, black-clat
figure of a girl, above whose white
. brow the waving hair shone like
threads of gold.
"An old friend of yours, my Lady,
called out blunt Pierre.
, A moment the clear, brown eye
seemed to waver; then became steady
as schooled to some purpose. Sh'
came forward composedly; gave tn
, Black Seigneur her hand.
8 "I-am always glad to see oil
t friends!" said my lady, with a lift
! the head, over-conscious, perhaps, o
the concentrated gaze of the company
;. He looked at her; made perfume
. tory answer; she seemed about t
D speak again, when the hand he let IA
was caught by another.
"Elise!" From among those VIII
Q had come ashore, man in fashionabl
attire sprang forward, little thinne
than when last she had seen him, an
J. more cynical-looking, as slightly soure
Q by world-contact and the new tender
q cies Of society.
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