The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-09-11

our grandfather, the OLD comte, Forged
link that has made our lives insep-
arabic. We shall never part, any OF
US. SO long as we live; and in spite OF
his four and eighty years | hope that
there will be many more years OF ac-
tivity for the Comte DIVES.
| One day. when | was almost well,
suddenly thought of the bonds which
had brought back from Corsica;
those famous bonds without which this
history would never have been written,
nor Charles and / ever have met.
asked for them, and Charles mother.
who had been anticipating such re-
i quest. rose and brought them to me
from the drawer of her escritiore.
| lis It not strange said, that Mag
milf has not inquired for them? Or has
| her"
ingly, and she nodded her head. Tell
her, Charles" she said.
/ "Magniff will be here tomorrow" he
answered. Then he will require
them"
/ But what is he coming for besides 2"
! asked. And then the dreadful
knowledge flashed over me. For Gil
chyw ! demanded.
Charles nodded. "The interest fell
due yesterday" he answered. There
Is no hope Of meeting it, Anne. Clichy
must pass out of our hands; we have
/ grown, In way, reconciled to the loss
and have already planned our future.
We have packed everything and start
| tomorrow evening for Paris"
Has not the tragic death of his son
softened him 2" asked.
Charles laughed. 1T has embit-
tered him." he answered. THE fact is.
Anne, he has aged greatly during the
past month; he seems to be approach
ing a mental and physical breakdown;
but with the death of Leopold he has
concentrated all his thoughts upon the
fulfiiment of his long-cherished re-
venge for the affronts which he claims
my grandfather put upon him so many
years ago. have pleaded with him to
make some arrangement which would
leave Clichy to us. Some of our for
eign investments have turned out un.
expectedly profitable and would per
NIT us to take new mortgage and
keep up the estate. But Magniff's sole
thought is his revenge-and SO, to.
morrow, Clichy surrenders to the
enemy for the first time in her his.
tory"
Il could not restrain my tears. III
only had not sold him the bonds"
said. Charles, grandfather, can such
a bargain hold, seeing that did not
know the incalculable value that they
We're to him? Why, | could have OBJ
tanned millions. You told me that he
must have the bonds to deliver to the
American government; that they are
already sold. Why, could have bank
rupted him."
THE word of the DIVES has never
been withdrawn, Anne" answered my
grandfather. What the law is, mat
ters nothing. You sold the bonds; un
less the sale itself were invalid in law
1t we're better to lose Clichy than to
try to reclaim them upon the grounds
you mention"
But" said angrily, che owes me
$4,000 francs for the bonds-the price
at which l sold them. Can he not be
made to pay this before we lose Clichy
so that we can meet the interest upon
the mortgage?"
Charles shook his head sadly. "Un
der the law" he said, che need not pay
for the bonds until the formalities con
nected with their transfer have beer
completed. That is the reason why
he has not asked for them before He
does not mean to pay for them before
Clichy is his. You appealed to him up
on this subject once before in vain
And we--well, asked him again fruit
lessly."
We said no more. wished to leave
before Magniff's arrival, but the 9th
ers vetoed this proposition emphatic
ally.
I'VE must stay and surrender in per
son. Anne" they told me. Wen hau
down our flag
And so, the following afternoon, W.
sat In the reception room awaiting
the old bankers arrival.
He came at two o'clock. 1t was the
first time that he had set foot in eli
chy in some five and twenty years
dhu id uiu HOl COnCtdl HIS S6HSS U
triumph. Shocked as | was at tn,
change in him-for he presented tn,
aspect OF extreme old age-I could no
but feel disgust at the insolence of hi
bearing, at the scarcely yelled con
tempt with which he treated us. Hit
first word was as to the bonds; ant
when l had handed them to him, h,
scrutinized them for long. reading eacl
letter carefully. as though to assur,
himself that ! had not tricked hin
with a forgery. At last. satisfied. h,
handed me his receipt.
IF you will send me your future ad
dress, mademoiselle." he said blandly
"a check for fifty thousand francs will
be sent to you within week upon tn,
conclusion of the legal formalities.
And he sat back and gloated an,
, rubbed his thin hands together, chuck