Middletown transcript., 1914-07-25

The trial had been set for Monday
week, at ten o'clock in the forenoon
This was Friday. Each hour now was
of incalculable value. The scheme ap
peared preposterous. But had flown
in Canada, until was fairly sure oi
myself, and with Charles l had SCARED
triumphantly Ia his aeroplane in Eng
land, seeking the regions Of the sun
high above our competitors, we two
together. knew how staunch and
true the winged vessel was; knew
which levers controlled each of heI
movements; and at Clichy we had
made several excursions. / had CON
fidence now that was almost supersti-
ton in the success of my desperate
undertaking.
Would that could have told him!
But he wss too closely guarded; even
Magnif, with all his power, had been
denied admission to him.
caught train back to Cnchy, ar
irving toward the middle of the after.
noon. 1t was a sad Homecoming. A
curious crowd watched me descend at
the little railroad station, and news
paper correspondent q learned after
ward that my movements had been
watched by a whole corps of news
paper men and government spies since
I left the fortress) snapped his camera
in my face. But one learns to be tol.
Grant Of these things when ones
whole mind is set on single desire.
The crowd followed me to the gates
Of the chateau. Only there did they
leave me.
And then, for the second time,
received an object lesson in the bear.
ing of a French nobleman and noble.
woman. The old butler who admitted
me stared at me as If had been a
newly risen ghost and his knees
trembled as he ushered me into the
room in which my grandfather and
Charles mother sat. She. was sewing
busily; the old man, at his writing
desk, was drafting some form of doc
ument, a pitiful, dignified petition, l
believe, to the government on behalf
of Charles, setting forth the stainless
honor Of their race throughout five
centuries. But when entered they
rose and came forward to greet me
as calmly as though Charles was abb
sent upon a personal errand in Paris
and were soon to return.
And their first words were of con-
graduation upon my engagement! The
papers had been full of ii, it appeared.
The notary before whom we had ap-
peared, swelling with selfimpprtance,
had run with his evidence to the gov
ernment.
You will make Charles a good wife,
my dear" said his mother, kissing me.
Would that we could have a fair in
heritance for him. Clichy must go
but at least the family will be perpetu-
ated."
'It is fate brought you to US" said
the old Comte. He had grown even
feebler during the brief interval Of
my absence, it seemed to me; the
shock had told perceptibly upon him
ut is fate brought you to US" he re-
peated, Ito be the CONSOLATION of my
old age and the hope of the DIVES"
Then we began talking of Charles,
and. as briefly as possible, since there
was not time for emotion, I laid bare
the story of our arrest, placing spe-
cial emphasis upon the fact that the
conspiracy was breaking down.
And then 1 laid before them the
plan that 1 had formed, of flying to
Scouto, and, to my astonishment, they
both fell in with it Immediately. But,
though could never doubt their love
for me, their eagerness for my safety,
the family, as ever in France, ranked
paramount in their eyes. 1t seems
strange now, as look back on it, this
persistent clinging of theirs to the old
forms and duties Of past ages in face