Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-09-08
"Chauville's Secret"
By
DAVID WHITELAW

down from q brazen sky, and striking
the big, polished reflectors outside
the windows made the atmosphere in
the offices of Messrs. Baxenter we'll
nigh insuppovtable. At his desk in
a far corner Cantle nodded over a
specification. a page of which he had
not turned for the last half-hour.
The second clerk. a. young man
whose attire showed a continual con
flict between law and sport, was
marking with a pencil the finals in
an evening paper, which, doubled up
small, protruded from under his ledg-
faced the windows, had ski.fully dis
arranged the wire screen thereby
making it possible to catch. ravishing
glances OF the little actresses tripping
daintilys n their high-heeled shoes
and muslin draperies. along the
Strand to visit their agents.
The Baxenter cat. doubtless from
force of a long-established habit,
dozed in front of the empty firegrate.
It was very peaceful, very somnolent
and very stuffy in the domains of the
firm Of Baxenter.
Rut ,1r-Sn rhA It~1 a
the young head OF the house there
was a LOOK OF deep ln.vn. as nc p.cea
ASot1CSSty LO%dIlu lIOE Ol Lie Carpet
Of the inner room. Now and again
he would stop and gaze on over the
green h~alf-curtains on to the shady
side street. then would turn to the
letter which he carried in his hand.
He had found 1t among his CORE
spondence when he returned from his
lunch, and he had read with curious
sensations the echoes Of the long,
dead past which it contained. It SEEM
ed to him that meon was writing
to him across the ages, and, ~involun-
tarily, he raised his eyes to the paint
ing by Hoppner OF the founder Of
the firm which hung on the gray
green expanse of wall facing the win
dows. From it they returned to the
papers on his desk, resting finally up
on q portrait. Of a lovely girl, who,
from her silver frame. seemed to
smile upon the young solicitor.
Robert Baxenter crossed to his
chair and, sat there in a!reverie. tell.
ing himself that 1t was In this very
room and sitting in this very chair
that his ancestor had listened to the
romantic story Of the Marquis de Oar
tfgny. In his mind he pictured the
old nobleman AZ he leaned forward,
eagerly telling Of his hopes and fear;
saw the candlelight upon his face
and upon the ruffles OF lace at nj
throat, and imagined the profession.
al air of old Adam Baxenter noddine
sagely owe his stock at his visitor
As he gazed at the portrait ON, the
wall he could almost swear that =
new look had come into the painted
eyes: that the old man seemed ID
smile down upon this descendant who
was taking on the work begun SO Ions
ago. Perhaps there was something
after all in the theory that spirits
OF the dead returned to the scenes 81
their earthly striyings.
Their p young man pulled him.
self together and, turning to his desk
struck twice on q bell. There wa,
a little interval-easily understood by
anyone who could peep into the III
OF the outer office tap on the 3dooI
and Cantle entered.
Robert Baxenter Looked up fron
the papers on his desk.
"Ah, CAntle,'s he said; shut thu
door, will you, and come right in
Pull up . chair---that,s It. I III
soing 70 read you letter which
came among these when / was out
/ want you to listen carefully anf
NOT interrupt me until l have I'm.
shed."
The old mar was MI attention q,
the solicitor picked out from 4 III,
ter OF papers before him e. sheet
thin notepaper. .It 10 dated.s N
went on, the I'd OF this month. anS
- headed The Dominion Hotel. Que.
bec- Listen.
Dear Mi. Ba~xenter-I hardl,
know how ~ address yon In this let,
ter. which ~ best Is but an arrow
dition, very vague ana nabuIous. Sd,
which has ay1rviynA IN o,.v - rnffaT %,