The Washington times., 1920-06-27
Hidden Treasure

Chateau Chauville-msde this
18th day OF August In the year
Of our Lord. 1912.
II, Adam Baxenter. having by
Gods grace now reached the sd-
vanced age OF eightytwo years,
and feeling that my bodily
strength is waning. think II but
right that | should place on re-
cord the strange circumstances
which relate 20 the small chest
which reposes In the corner OF
the strong room OF my Strand
offices.
"For, in future ages, should no
one lay claim to this, q son OF my
house might be tempted TO look
into, snd-which God forbid
even dispose OF it's contents. !
have given my word to the noble
man who entrusted the chest to
me that ! will hold II intact and,
moreover, make provision that II
remain so, even after my death;
that the seals shall not be broken
until claimed by one who shall
prove his right.
"For myself, fear greatly that
the seals will never be broken
until the Great Seals OF the Reve-
lations themselves are rent
asunder, and all secrets are made
plain.
ut is now nearly twenty years
since the Marquis de Dartigny
came to my office. ! can call to
mind clearly the occasion. 1t
was a misty afternoon in October,
and bade fair TO develop into a
foggy night. In fact. link-boys
were beginning to ply their call
ing; ! could see the light OF their
torches from my window.
81 was about to depart for my
home when a hackney coach
rumbled up to my door ! an
swered the summons myself (my
clerks having already departed),
and saw on the step a tall, aristo-
cratic figure. which a moment
later | learne\ was the Marquis
de Dartigny, l drew aside to allow
him 10 enter, and ] saw that he
was followed in by the driver of
the coach, who carried a small
oak chest, about foot square
and clamped at the corners with
iron.
"My visitor. haying ascer-
tained that | was at liberty to re-
ceive him, paid the driver. who
mounted his box and drove on
into the fog.
81 am, of course, unable here
to set down the eXAct words
which passed between the Mar
1uis and myself ! can only tell
the story in a general way, and II
was a story which held me spell
bound. can see now the figure
Of my visitor leaning forward In
his chair, his face pale, lined
with sorrow and yet possessing
an unbending dignity beneath his
misfor.unes. He was dressed
simply bnt elegantly, and he
spoke English with difficulty. 1t
was this, no doubt. that made his
story long in the telling. and
candles had been lit before he
left my office.
Marie Brissac de Dartigny,
sieur of Chauville-sur-Blois. was,
as suspected on first seeing him.
an emigre from the furies Of the
Revolution. The storm had left
him untouched, and he had re-
mained quietly in his chateau,
hoping for the reaction that was
so long in coming. With the exc
cutiOn Of Louis, the old aristO-
Gratis hopes died, and rather than
leave his country he decided to
await what he now saw was in
evitable and to die, IL need be, In
the home of his ancestors.
1T was only when his son-an
officer in the Petit Peres, who,
after taking part in the defence
of the Tuileries, was prescribed
sent, under the care OF her Eng.
lish nurse, his little daughter. a
maid of about four, to her grand
father, that the nobleman began
to reconsider his decision.
"He had, at last, insisted on
his father taking the little girl
into safety, and had himself fur
nished them with forged pass
ports, and detailed one OF his
band to escort them to the coast.
They were fortunate in evading
the revolutionaries and reached
Fecamp, where a boat was in
readiness to take them over the
Channel. They avoided the main
ports, and were landed under
cover of night at the little ham
let OF rockingham, few miles
east OF Brighthelmstone. Here
they bad taken cottage and had
so far been uumolested.
Gradually my visitor led up to
the matter that had brought him
10 my office, having been recon-
mended to me by friend OF his
In Paris whom, however, he