Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-09-12
CHAPTER XII.
The r v Apple,

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There Is a little arbor adjoining
the inn of the Three Lilies" a shell
tered, vine-clad retreat from which
the fair land OF France spreads itself
out, a radiant picture in the summer
sunshine-and fully appreciative Of
all his beauty was the man who sat
before an easel within its pleasant
shade one August afternoon.
Bapttste Dartin had no great knowl-
edge Of the art OF painting. but he
was gifted with 4 superficiais skill
brain might have studied years to ac-
quire and never succeeded. He had
been in Massey three weeks and the
small population wer beginning to
k this stranger from Paris who de-
picted-and made them presents Of
such delightful little paintings of their
countryside.
Monsieur Paul de Barron, the
present owner. Of the property Of
Chauville, was in residence at the
chateau. and Henri, the caretaker,
who well remembered Vivian's last
visit, had less time Oh his hands than
slip up to the Lilies Of an afternoon,
where, cigarette in mouth, he would
watch the deft brushwork OF his
agreeable acquaintance. Vivian had
given him a slight sketch Of the cha
teau towers showing above the trees,
and Nthe old fellow. to whom Chau-
vile and all pertaining to it were as
sacred things, had become the pain
ter,s very slave for it.
Henri, seated beside him this sum
mer afternoon. watched the artist in
a lazy content. Beside him were .
box Of cigarettes and a bottle OF clar-
ct. The sun beat down through the
vines. clustering overhead and scat
tered little golden discs Of radiance
upon the boarded floor. A bee droned
m~usically over the flowers in the r
den. Framed between the supports
OF the trellis-work, cornfields and
vineyards shimmered in the heat;
afar off the hills, patched with forest
lands, spoke OF breeze and shadow.
Vivian. skilfully touching in the
purple shade beneath a clump OF
poplars, was speaking c~arelessiy. He
did not take his yes from his sketch-
ing-block:
I'm s'ad you like the little draw
ing. Henri. I'm no artist, but"
"Ahi monsieur-it is the chateau
I love, not the art-that isl mean"
Henri staanmered over his faux pas,
it's very beautifully done, Monsieur
For a moment Vivian painted on
without speaking, then:
I'm better 1t interiors, Henri
dim old rooms, and all that. Look
at that old panelling in the chateau,
for instance-what q charming pic
ture, Henri; TIL do 1t for you, IL you
like, when Monsieur de Barron goes
away-next month, didn't you say? 2"
And Henri, who had no wish that
the treasures under his care should
blush unseen, rose to the bait with
avtdity-nonsieur was too kind-he
would havei 1T framed like the other
and they would 30 n on either side
Of his bed.
And 80 It was that on an after.
noon when the September sun made
glorious the old carvings OF the Chau.
vile dining-room. Monsieur Baptiste
Dartin stood for the second time il
the ancestral home OF the parttgnyr{
He had entered warily, even to the ex-
tent Of looking anywhere save ii. the
panelIing by the fireplace. he re-
mark, instead to old HenH, on the
carved ceiling, the windows In which
the de Barron escutcheon had re-
placed that Of the Dartigny3 It was
Fthe caretaker himself who drew at
tenNon to the fireplace and TO the de-
faced coat OF arms In the stoneWork.
Hero the new resident, who was no
VEL' lFt4 ~ TAaIHE 4h ~