Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1920-02-17

you. Go, monsieur in Gods name. and
trouble me no longerl"
He raised his voice and shouted.
"Robitaille Robitaillew
From some place in the recesses of
the Chatueau a feeble. quavering cry
answered him. And through the door
way Hilary saw the ancient serving
man come shutting to obey his master.
And, as he looked at him. his re-
sentiment died. The two old men
Rosny in his brown swallow-tails and
the tight trousers strapped under his
boots, Robitaille, in the faded buffers
uniform, seemed playing part, acting
in some scene laid in the long past.
Or, rather. they were the past. They
had no place in the modern world,
those ancient figures in their ancient
dress, and with their ancient ways.
They numbered the stage of life, lin
gering there when their exits were
long overdue. They were unreal as
phantom figures glimpsed in wild
dream. Pity for the two futile old
men choked Hilary's throat. He could
feel nothing but that as he watched
Robitaille come to the door, bobbing
and shutting, with stiffened joints that
made him more like marionette.
But he felt. too. the urgency of TAX
ing Madeleine away, into world of
reality, before the same dream in
fected her.
She came up to Hilary softly and
placed her fingers on his arm, looking
into his face wistfully.
"You must go, dear, and not try TO
convince him now" she said. 1T has
been terrible blow to him. He looks
so i'll. | am afraid for him. I shall
come to you tomorrow and tell YOU"
'Robitaille," said the Seigneur,
Monsieur Askew has decided. much
to my grief. to leave this afternoon.
You will have the goodness to pack
his things and to prepare the caleche
for him. You will drive him 10 the
MILL"
| The old man muttered acquicscence
and shuffied away Hilary turned to-
ward Rosny. Frankly he held out his
hand. The action might have been i'll
| timed, but ii responded TO his deep
/ seated feeling. But Rosny did not seem
TO see THE gesture. He stood staring
across the room, one hand clutching
4 his spreading collar, and his face,
| which had been white and red. was
purple.
Hilary turned away. He had reached
the door when he heard a sound as if
Rosny vas clearing his throat. Then
| Madeleine cried out in fear. Hilary
turned, to see Rosny sit heavily down
| in his chair. His eyes closed, his arms
/ dropped over the sides his head fell
| on his breast.
/ Hilary ran to him. He was uncon-
! sciouS, and breathing heavily Hilary
I tried to raise him, to carry him to the
/ sofa, but the man seemed made of iron
as he lay, a dead weight, in Hlary'S
| arms.
At Madeleines cry old Robitaille
/ had turned, too, and he came shuffiing
back. AS he perceived his masIer ly.
! ing in the chair he began to utter wild
whimpering cries.
"His father went that way" he
mumbled. II always knew he'd 20 like
/ that Forty-fve years I've served him
Forty-fve years. l always knew
Help me to get him into the next
room, TO bed" said Hilary.
Robitaille did not understand, but
he aided Hilary to raise his master
and together they half dragged and
half carried him into the drawing
room and laid him on Hilarys bed.
Madeleine kneeled beside him In
despair, her hands clasped, her eyes
j strained on his face. Hilary was
loosening his collar and the upper par
of his clothing. Robitaille had shut
fled out.
81 have killed him!" cried the girl
/ in pathetic grief. Il have killed him y
Hilary could do nothing. She seemed