The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-09-22

Il In the upahot. however. the ncces-
flty OF his dismal foreoodings had
nofhlnx to do with tho length OF
time devoted by Monsieur puchcmln
70 klcklng Idle heels in the town OF
~ant. where the civil authorities
proved considerable In a degree that
even making allowance for the
local prestige o. the house OF Mont.
aisis-gratificd and surprised the
confirmed Partisan. For that was
lust what the good man was at
heart and would be TN he died. the
fo-n IN which environment Of
younger years had moulded him:
less French than Partisan. sharing
the almost insular ignorance Of life
IN the provinces characteristic OF
the native boulevardlcr; TO whom
the sun Is truly nothing more or
less than a spotlight focused exclus.
lively on Paris. leaving the rest Of
France IN sort Of orepuscuar
riocm. the world besides STEPPED In
eternal night
The driver-guide OF la Rogue
turued OUT to have been a thogo.
paced scamp. well and Unknown TO
TIE gendarmerie: the wound sustained
hy Monsieur d'Auhrac bore teS,i.
mcay 10 the gravity Of the affair.
amply excusing puchemin's inter
frence and It's fatal sequel: while
IL statements of Mesdstnes dc
e<venie e. De Montalais. duly be-.
ecntng public property. babe fair 10
exalt the local reputation Of Andre
pnchcmin to heroic stature. And.
naturally. his papers wcrc unim-
p<achabls.
So that he found himself. before
~ acquaintance with Nant was
thIrsy-six hours OF age. free once
MORE 10 humor the dictates Of his
owr sweet win. TO so on 20 Mines
(Ais professed objecfivel or 20 the
drill Il he liked. A freedom which.
epnsistent with the native incon.
szsssncy OF man. he exercised by
eIeesinx 20 stop over In Nan, for
another day or two. at least: aUar-
Ing himself that he found tho town
Altogether charming. moro so even
than Msyrnsis--and sometimes be.
llevinx this fiction for as much as
twenty minutes at a stretch.
Besides. the weather was unset.
tl<d
The Inn. which went BY the I'M
PRETENDING style OF the Grand Hotel
a. iFunivers. he found clean. com
fertahle. ard as 20 It's cuisine praise
worthy. Tho windows OF the cublcie
b which he had been iotged--one
Of ten which aufficed for the de-
mands OF the itinerant Universe
not only overlooked the public
square and its amusing life OF a
minor market town. but command
e as wen splendid vista OF the
valley of the Dourbic. with It's
piqunnt contrast OF luxurtant aiiu-
vial verdurs and grim scarps OF
rock that ran up. on either side
the wanton. giimmering river. Into
two opposed aud overshadowsng pin
bcles Of crag. the Roc Nantais and
the Roc de Saint Aiban--peaks each
9 rendezvous just then for hosts OF
cloud that scowied forbiddinwly
DOWN upon the peaceful. sun.
drencheA valley.
Norcd r.. even from the terrasss
81 the che below. one needed only
TO lift ones eyes 10 see. afar,
p<rched high upon smiling slope
Of green. with the highway 70 Nil.
iau a. its foot and a beetling cliff
behind. the Chateau do Montalais.
Seated on that terrassc. late In
the afternoon Of his second day in
Nant. discussing a Picon and a VII
hinous caporai cigarette Of the
Reggie Ito whose products n rugged
ccnstitution was growing slowly rec
onciled anew Duchemin let hts
vision dwell upon the distant cha
teau almost as CONSTANT. as his
thoughts.
He was TO dine there that very
evening. Even tnking into account
the signal service Duchemin had
rendered. this wasn't easy 70 believe
when one remembered the tradition
Of social conservatism among French
gentlefoik stiI. It was true: Duche.
min Of the open road was hidden
70 dine en- famille at the Chateau
De Montalais. In his pocket lay
the invitation. penued In the Grabbed