Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1913-07-17
Meanwhile The bird both had aimed

had left the lady, and her only wish wa
to get out of the tolls Of the madmaI
without being murdered She walked
on through the wood, endeavoring 4
conjure up some plan Of escape. Pres
emily an idea was suggested 10 her b.
seeing a birds nest far up on a branch
Il have never got over my child
ish desire for birds nests" she said
How 1 would like to go up and ge
that one! Alas. what is for a littl'
girl is not for a woman
Her companion dropped the gains
bag and rested his gun against the
tree. Then, without even doffing his
coat, he jumped. caught a lower limb
swung himself upon IT. then stepped
from one limb TO another till he reach
ed the one on which the nest had beef
built, scrambled out on it, seized the
nest and was making his way back
when he heard mademoiselle say:
Stop
Looking down. he saw her pointing
her gun at him with her finger on the
trigger. He could see that she was
very much excited
stay where you arer' she said IF
you attempt to come down I'll shoot"
why, mademoiselle, said the man.
what means this change in your
SIademoiseIle was so taken up with
her own plans for having the lunadc
secured that she did not hear. She
was too far from the chateau 70 call.
If she fired her gun it would be sup
posed that she was simply killing
birds, and. now that she had antago-
nized him, she feared she would have
to kill him in self defense. What 70
do she did not know.
May 1 ask, mademoiselle." said the
man up in the tree, what L have done
to offend your
Nothing, l assure you"
There was a mutual pause. The man
was puzzled, and. as for the lady. how
can one explain to lunatic:
Would you mind showing that con-
fidence by lowering your gun: 1 see
it is cooked. Your finger IS on the trig
ger and trembling. The gun might go
off,"
There was a shout Of merriment from
a thicket near by, and it seemed as If
pandemonium had been let loose 4
dozen men and women in fantastic
costumes emerged from behind trees
and came trooping toward the tree.
MademoiseIIe stood looking at them in
amazement Nevertheless she kept her
nerve
81 was not aware" she said. that
there is a lunatic asylum in the vicini-
t.. 1 supposed the gentleman up in
the tree was alone in his madness"
You have lost. lie Yergne!' cried
one OF the men.
Not at ALL" replied the man above
"On the contrary, have won"
Prove it"
"Mademoiselle," asked lie Yergne.
did you not give me permission TO
shoot in your grounds:"
81 did. l feared that If l refused
you would kill me-"
You have lost. Bertier" cried the
crowd. laughing.
is time that you were given an ex-
PLANTATION of these singular proceed
ings. II you will permit me to come
down will enlighten you"
Certainly, monsieur; come down.
Her gun had been already lowered.
LIE vergne came down and. standing
before her. deferentialIy said:
Last night the officers Of the Fifty
seventh of the line gave dance in
costume TO some friends from Paris.
We danced till morning, when, sitting
over some champagne and eatableS.
our conversation turned upon your
splendid preserves and your unwill-
Ingness to allow any one TO shoot
therein. I, Captain lie Yergue, bet Ma
for Bertier that l would shoot in your
grounds with your permission. / en-
tered the preserves dressed as am.
expecting to be arrested and taken 70
you. I had no definite plan as TO how
1 should extract your forgiveness and
gain your permission to shoot in
tended to rely entirely on my wits
"I was surprised TO meet you so ear
" in the morning and to find you so
kindly disposed toward me. l wonder
ed that you did not ask the reason for
my strange costume, and 1t did not oc-
cur to me that you mistook me for
lunatic til! / saw you pointing your
gun at me when was coming down
with your birds nest Permit ME to
apologize for making you the subject
of a bet and TO offer you the birds
nest as souvenir OF the occasion"
Mile. Chauvier was much amused at
the explanation as well as relieved at
the termination Of the freak. She &C
cepted the souvenir Graciously.
81 would not be satisfied, mademoi-
selle." said one Of the ladies OF the
party. IF were you. at such paltry
gift. Captain lie yergne has won 1000 /.
francs from Major Bertier and can
afford to offer you much more sub !
stantial acknowledgement Of your kind 1
ness in permitting him to use your pre- /
serves and especially for not shooting
him for a madman when you hsd put /
him m n tree"