The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-05-28

v
ling over an ancient wall, 10 feet sheer
down, He sat there, quite comfortable
and secure, and kicked his heels, and
thought Of his brilliant future, and
also or the story OF the great dog and
the treasure. This ruin, the ancient
chateau of Vicques, had Legend. Each
child OF the village knew 1t before he
could remember how-it had been 30
with all OF them always grandfather
had heard It from grandeathers for
hundreds OF years. The tradition ran
that ages back, In the time OF Cesar.
so years after Christ, Roman gov
ernor In this Gallic province had built
g formidable castle on this hill out
side the village "Vicus." the Romans
called 1t simply, 'the village"-and
''Vicus," changed TO "Vicques," IL has
stayed. The castle had great granaries
to hold the grain which the governor
tortured from the peasants and sent to
Rome to sell. This little '.yicus" was
on the main road to Rome, which made
II convenient for the governor. So he
grew rich by oppression. and the gold
wrung from the people he piled In
cellars deep In his castle. When II
came to be a great amount he sent far
to the north and got huge dog, and
this dog he trained to q terrible
fierceness, so that any one coming near
him In the long underground corridors
where he guided the treasure was sure
to be town In pieces, except always the
governor. The governor knew we'll
that the people hated him, even those
closest to him, and this savage beast
was his only friend, and his reliance.
For years things went on in this way,
the governor grinding the peasants, and
the giant dog guarding him and his
treasure, till at last there came q
thunderboltth governor was sent for
49, n
the riches which he had kept from the
emperor. He had to go, but he left the
dog In charge and the night after he
was gone the peasantry gathered and
set fire to the chateau and burned Ii to
the ground, and the dog and the treas
.flre were burned in IL, and there they
are to this day. The people Of Vicques
believe that II a man will go to dig for
that treasure and viii stay till midnight
that at IL exactly a colossal dog will
rise from the ruined stones and come
breathing flames; In his mouth will be
the key OF the treasure vault, and back
of him will stand the ghost OF the
Roman governor wrapped In white, his
face covered. And II the man will be
bold enough to take the key from the
flaming mouth, then dog and governor
win vanish in clap Of thunder, and
in front OF the daring one will rise the
door Of the treasure vault and he may
turn the key and go in and help him
self. The people OF Vicques believe
this because the grandfathers nave
known from the grandfathers how
there were men In old times brayer
than common who stayed till midnight
ghost-but none brave enough ever to
take the key from the dogs mouth
The child Francois, his heels hanging
over the drop OF the ancient wall the
shadows Of large chestnut tree
playing back and forth across his lit-
tie figure and across the broken piles
OF grass grown stones which had been
the castle granaries, reyolved this tale
In his mind. The picture OF the huge
dog breathing fire and that ghostly
vision OF the pitiiess governor, white,
face covered, dimly outlined In the
shadows, gave the boy a thrill of
agreeable horror, but not thrill Of
fear. Fear has been, those who knew
him said, left out OF this lad.
He does not think OF himself" said
the grandmother proudly, $50 he can
not fear for himself
Francois considered, and, feeling no
fear in his soul, decided that he was
the man destined to take the key out
Df the dogs mouth and get the treasure,
which he would at once transfer intact
to his mother. He had no need for
treasure: there were things more Inn
portant. II was for him to become q
Of France. Napoleon had said
so; Ii must be so; but he should like,
on the way to this goal, to face the dog
and take the key and give his mother
the treasure. He knew she world like
II, for he had heard her say to his
father only yesterday, "An, Francois, IL
we had a little more silver we could do
that" 1t would be pleasant to arrange
q uha f..A&
to become a marshal OF France.
In the gaiety OF the thought, and
feeling both ambitions all but ac-
compiished by his decision, he lifted
himself on the palms Of his hands and
kicked out lightly over the abyss. AS
he kicked there was sudden strong
grip on his shoulder; he was jerked
backward and rolled on the grass.
'Are you tired OF life at this age
then?" a strident voice demanded, and
Francois lay on his back and regarded,
at east the bronzed lined
face Of a big man standing over him.
The two stared, and then: "You be-
lieve yourself tofbe an eagle, and you
are on the point Of flying? rs that
It." The abrupt virile voice threw the
questions at him, and Francois smiled
sunnily He knew this4to be sarcasm,
though he did not know that name for
1t, and from the sweet soundness OF his
soul the arrow OF sarcasm slid off al
ways as glancins Brightness and left
no poison. Francois smiled; then
laugher with assurance Of the others
friendliness up into the strange mans
face. He got to his feet and stood.
mo m'sieur," he said, II did not think
myself an eagle. / was only pleased at
thinking what ] am going to be some
day. Something much better than an
eagle" and he nodded with conf
dence In the strangers sympathy.
"Ahi" The deep strong voice seemed
to be fired like cannon shot from the
ambush OF the bristlinB Inustache
Great things are likely to happen to
you, 1t seems then, you small peasant.
Is 1t permitted to ask what magnifi-
cence 1t Is that you are to be?"
Certainly II Is permitted. m'sieur,"
Francois answered in his courageous.
courteous way. ! am one day to be q
marshal OF France. m'sieu" a #j
The man, big, soldierly. aggressive.
and the little peasant boy, gentle. hum
bly, clad, unafrald. faced each other a
minute In silence. each interested Sim
ply In the other as In q new expert
ence, each unconscious OF himself and
the Others interest. ,
I Then. "AhI" the man said again. TT
10 good business which you have hon
ored by your choice. You are without
doubt a close friend of his gracious
majesty. King Louis XVIII, our ruler ?"
mo, m's.eu." little Francois hastened
to set him right II am not OF that