The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-03-05
The
Claimant
By EUNlCE BLAKE

Vaud had extensive Vineyards, from
the product of which he manufactured
wine. SoubiSe had charge OF he grape
growing. and Marivaud not only val
ued his services highly. but was very
fond of him. Soubise's wife died, and
be soon followed her, leaving little
Francois without a home.
NJ. Marivaud had a son. Victor, about
Francois age. When the latter was
left an orphan he was taken to the
chateau and became Il playmate OF
Victor There was a brother OF Vic
tor. Louis. much younger than either
of these two boys,
When Victor was eighteen he enter
ed the military school and became an
army officer. Upon graduating he was
ordered to join his regiment in Ton
kin. Francois was anxious to see serv-
ice and, enlisting in the same regi
ment, went out with Victor. who
agreed to interest himself in his pro
motion that he might become an Off
Ger.
A year later after a fight Lieutenant
Marivaud was reported missing This
meant that he had fallen into the
hands of the Chinese, in which case it
was quite likely that he had been muir
dered. When nothing was heard from
him for several years he was given up
by his family. and when his brother.
Louis, came of age he inherited the
family patrimony. his father having
- l:u1 x,{%l,,t , will NJ NforivorI had
purposely omitted to make n because
he never ceased to hope that his son
would one day turn out to be amOng
the living.
Ten years after the departure of Vic
tor Marivaud, when there was no mem
Der Of the family living. Louis, who
had for some time possessed and man
aged the wine business. became engag
ed to Hortense Villaret. the daughter
Of a neighbor. Mile. Viliaret belonged
to an aristocratic family, but the es-
tate had been confiscated during one
Of the many changes in the sovereign
t Of France. and she was very poor.
She and Louis were much in love with
each other. and her father favored the
match because Louis was wealthy and
could enable Hortense to return to the
style Of living to which the family had
formerly been accustomed.
All went happily for the lovers till n
few weeks before the day set for the
wedding. Then one day a man appear
ed at the chateau claiming to be Vic.
tor Marivaud. Louis was but twelve
years old when his brother left home.
and. granting that this man was VIC
tor. he would not have remembered
him. There was no other person at
hand who had been familiar with Vic
tor to identify him.
But the claimant was able to tell OF
many incidents that had happened II
the estate, which went far to prove
that he was what he claimed to be. lie
explained his long absence in this wise;
During the fight in which be was re
ported missing he was knocked on the
head by the butt of a musket in the
hands Of Il Chinaman and stunned
When he came to himself he remem
bered nothing Of the past. not even hi
name. The dead were lying about him
the wounded had been removed He
arose and walked till he anne to I;
city. where be eventually entered the
service Of a French merchant. Aftel
passing through various vicissitudes ht
was taken Suddenly i'll and was remov
ed to a hospital. After having been de
liriOus on returning to his former con
alkA~r H. hal ouoI,;,,,I .sNn,, 81 Cro II
Chinaman, take that for yours" Blu
seeing a nurse before him instead Of
a Chinaman he appeared much sur
prised. He had returned to a norma
state. remembering that he was Vic
tor Marivaud.
His appearance was a terrible blow
to the lovers, for. according to tho
French law of Inheritance, Victor Ma
rivaud was the owner Of the estate, in
Guiding the wine business. He tOlG
Louis so many things that had occur
red during the latter's childhood tha1
Louis became convinced that the stran
ger was his brother. Nevertheless /
was not to be expected that be would
be pleased to see a brother Of whom
he had no remembrance and VIII
would dispossess him of his property
But the severest blow was that NJ. VII
laret Immediately withdrew his con
sent to his daughters marriage unles
it could be proved that the claiman
was an impOstor.
There was an old blind woman nv
ing on the place, who. on hearing o
the claimant. desired that he b.
brought to her. She asked him a few
questions. which seemed to troubl
him, though he answered them cor
rectly. Then the old woman directe,
that he be uncovered to the waist
This was done. and her hand wa
guided to his chest She slid her han
around to his side under his right arm
and it rested on a small lump the siz
OF q pea.
This is Francois Soubise,'' she sale
II lived with his mother when he wa
little boy and often dressed and ur
AHaano6 him knnw him nv fh1