The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1921-09-30
wv ITH step still valiant and
wv firm the old Able Constan-
-
him walked along the dus

LII Wdlh6u along the DUSTY
road Of the little village where for
more than thirty years he had been the
cure. At the entrance of the castle
of Longueval he stopped and mourn
fully regarded the big blue posters
fixed on the pillars.
They announced the sale Of the
castle, the former home Of the cures
dear old friend, the marQuise, who had
recently died.
And the result Of the auction?
The great estate bought by two en-
tire strangers!
do you know who they are?" asked
Madame de Lavardens.
'Yes, Mrs. Scott Is an American pos
sessing colossal fortune. Ten years
ago Mrs. Scott begged in the streets
of New York, they say. They are rich
parvenus who amuse themselves by
throwing handfuls of gold out of the
window, and who will turn up their
noses at us and care nothing for our
traditions or our life"
Such was the story.
But when young Mrs. Scott and her
beautiful sister arrived, to take pos
session of the castle and called i'm
mediately upon the able, he learned a
different tale. Religious, generous,
amiable and lovable they proved.
And they were certainly beautiful
particularly the younger sister, Bet
tina Percival.
At the cures little home they met
Jean Reynaud, the son of that gal
liant doctor Of the village who, while
advancing with the soldiers in the wal
of 1870 to carry on his work Of mercy
side by side with his dear old friend
the able, had suddenly been struck by
a bullet and killed on the spot. Jean
inherited the noble traits Of his father
was beloved by the whole village.
But he was poor while the American
sisters were UNNECESSARILY rich.
As acquaintances and friendship!
grew, very pleasing It was to thu
gentle, lovable old cure to learn tina
his new parishioners were most anxi
GUS to extend their benefactions anon,
the poor in the hamlet, asking him
indeed, to be their medium.
They had, indeed, been poor unit
an inherited silver mine made then
fabulously rich. Now, they had host
Of admirers-Mrs. Scott because sh
was frankly flirtatious; and Bettin,
because, as she realized, the FORUM
hunters thirty-four Of them sh
counted, including a French duke AM
Spanish noble-sought her wealth
And when, one day, they all wen
over with Jean to visit the littl
church, and Bettina at the orga
played reverie Of Chopin, good gentl
Able Constantine heart was filled
with such Joy that the tears came t
his eyes.
But all this left deep problem
jeans mind-"Which Of the two sill
tiers is the prettierT' At first he wa
convinced that it was the coquettis
Mrs. Scott who charmed him the more
then he would see Bettina, smiling an
blushing amid the sunlit clouds Of he
floating hair, and he would declare I
himself Il was mistaken, the prettie
was Miss Percival."
The days went on and Jean and Be
tina were often thrown into eac
others company. What resulted
best pictured in Miss Percivals ow
remark to her sister when one da
she exclaimed:
He Is the first man, positively II
first, in whose eyes have not rea
"A oh, how glad should be to mari
that little body's millionsr"
And then as Mrs. Scott went u
4 stairs to kiss her sleeping childre
Bettina remained long leaning on Il
balustrade Of her balcony.
1T seems to me-" said she, shat
an growing to bs very fond Of tn
placer