The Washington herald., 1921-03-20
RENAISSANCE AT CFIULEROI

mated bourne. Grandemont was con-
f,dent that this stroke would bring
the boy to reason. He rode over
to Meade dor to talk with him
The two stroiled out OF the house
ard grounds, crossed the road. and.
mounting the levee. walked its
broad path while they conversed
A thundercioud was hanging. immi-
nent, above, but, as yet, no rain
fell. At Grandemont's disclosure of
his interference In the ciandestine
romance, Victor attacked him. In a
wild and sudden fury. Grandemont.
though Of slight frame, possessed
muscles of iron. He caught the
wrists amid a shower OF blows de-
scending upon him, bent the lad
backward and stretched him upon
the levee path In little while
the gust Of passion was spent. and
he was allowed to rise. Calm now.
INIT a powder mine where he had
been but a whiff Of the tantrums.
Victor extended his hand toward the
dwelling house. Of Meade dor.
You and they" he cried. have
conspired to destroy my happiness.
None of you shall ever look upon my
face again" \
Turning. he ran swiftly down the
Ievee, disappearing In the darkness.
Grandemont followed as well as he
could. calling to him, but In vain.
For longer than an hour he pursued
the search. Descending the side Of
the levee, he penetrated the rank
density Of the weeds and willows
that undergrew the trees until the
rivers edge, shouting Victor's name
There was never an answer, though
once he thought he heard a bubbling
scream from the dun waters sliding
past Then the storm broke, and he
returned to the house drenched and
detected
There he explained the boys alb
sence sufficiently. he thought. not
speaking of the tangle that had led
to It. for he hoped that Victor would
return as soon as his anger had
cooled. Afterward. when the threat
was made good and they saw his face
no more, he found IL difficult to alter
his explanations OF that night, and
there clung a'certain mystery to the
boys reasons for vanishing as well
as to the manner Of II.
1t was on that night that Grande-
mont first perceived a new and sim
gular expression In Adele's eyes
whenever she looked at him. And
through the years following that ex.
preston was always there. He
could not read 1t. for 1t was born oi
thought she would never other
wise reveal
Perhaps. IL he had known thai
Adele had stood at the gate on that
unlucky night, where she had fol.
lowed. lingering. to await the return
of her brother and lover, wonderins
why they had chosen SO tempestuous
an hour and SO black q spot to hold
converse-if he had known that q
sudden Hash of lightning had re.
vealed to her sight that short. sharr
struggle as Victor was sinking un.
der his hands. he might have ex.
planned everything. and She
| ] know not what she would have
done. But one thing is clear-thers
was something besides her brother
disappearance between Grande.
mont's pleadings for her hand ant
Adele's yes" Ten years had passed
and what she had seen during tn,
space of that lightning flash re.
mained an indelible picture. Sh,
had loved her brother, but was sh,
holding out for the solution of tina
mystery or for the Truth? wo.
men have been known to reverenc,
II, even as an abstract principle. n
Is said there have been q few who
In the matter Of their affections
have considered a life to be a small