Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1914-03-05

moving in hrs bedroom. and third.
The count had gone through this last
door one night month before, into a
dark, winding, stone staircase, and dis
appeared for three minutes, and
brought up bottle Of wonderful wine.
"A fine stock they put down there
the Italians who ruled here for eight
hundred-odd years." he had said. I've
lowered it bit. A good spacious wine
cellar and grand old wine. You will be
the better for little" And Francois
had watched him as he put the brass
key back on the chain which hung
from his belt.
At this point OF memory the bed
room door opened, and the governor
came out, in great good humor and
ready to eat and drink as became an
Austrian soldier The dinner was
Brought in, but Francois, for all his
efforts to do his part, could not swal-
low food. or very little. The fever, the
unrest burning in him, made 1t impos-
sible. Count Gersdorf looked at him
seriously when dinner was over; as
yet Francois, talking, laughing, sing.
ing. had eaten not over half dozen
mouthfuls.
Certainly you are not WELL" he said.
Il think the doctor should see you"
And then he nodded bis head and his
small eyes cleaned with brilliant
thought. az know a medicine better
than Doctors" He stood up and his
fingers were working at the chain OF
keys at his belt Francois watched
them and saw the thin, old. brass key
which he slipped off, "A bottle OF
wine of our Italian ancestors--yours
and mine, Beaupre"-the count
chuckled-"that will cure you of your
ills for this evening at least" He slid
the key into the lock and said, half to
himself, MY little brass friend never
leaves the belt of Albrecht Won Gers
dorf except to do him a pleasure, bless
hint" And then. Hold the candle
Beaupre-well, come along down-it
can do no harm and can't manage a
light and two bottles"
So Francois followed down the twist
ed, headlong, stone staircase and found
himself, after rather a long descent
holding the lamp high, gazing curious
ly about the walls of a large stone
room lined with shelves. filled with
bottles.
"A show, isn't it?" the Count vor
Gersdorf demanded. Here, hold the
light on this SIDE" and he went or
talking. THE wine is so old that
think 1t must have been stocked be
fore the time of the last lord OF the
CASTLE"
And Francois, holding the light, re
Numbering the Marquis zappi, thought
SO too. The count pointed to square
stone in the wall which projected
slightly, very slightly.
THAT is the door to a secret stocl
of some sort, have always thought
he said. Probably some wonderful
old stuff saved for the coming of age
OF the heir, or a great event of thai
sort. l wish could get at it," and hi
stared wistfully at the massive block
"But l cannot stir II. And I don't lei
anyone but myself down here-not T.
The count turned away and they
mounted the two stories of narrow
steps, for the governors rooms wer,
on the second floor, and the staircas,
ran from 1t between walls. down un
derground. THE old chaps must hay,
thought lot of their wine to have tn,
cellar connect directly with their owl
rooms-for Battista tells me thes'
were always the rooms of the Gao
the lords of the CASTLE" the governor
explained.
And to Francois, considering It. the
fact seemed an odd one. And ther
the governor set to work drinkins
Pietro's wine, and little thought. al
he urged 1t on his prisoner. how much
more right to 1t the prisoner had thar
he. 1t was wonderful old liquid
full Of strange dim sparkle, and Of
most exquisite bouquet. AS he dranl
It Francois silently toasted its owner
on his return to his own again. He
took so little as to disgust the gov
ernor. but 1t put fresh life into him
and when at last he could leave the
count. who was by that time more
than fairly drunk, he went up to his
cold prison under the roof quieter and
more at peace than he had been fol
| months.