The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-11
By MAX BRAND

into his dotage. There was too much reason in him, too much restraint, too much pleas ant courtesy, and I came to look forward eagerly to our evenings together. It was on one of these night that I at last heard the story of the lost garden.
 When I came into the chateau that eve- ming the servant was strangely unwilling to admit me. Even when I insisted that I could not have made mistake-that this was certainly the date which his master had set for our meeting-the fellow shook his head and muttered:
 "It is strange" he said over and over again, "for this is the one night that mon sieur must be always alone"
 I tipped him so literally that he sighed and glanced behind him.
 sIf monsieur will enter" he compromised at length, sI will inquire. But I am sure that there is some mistken
 While he was gone I looked out through easement at the gardenlike smoothness of the countryside with the moon over it. All awe of the old world was in it. The silence of centuries lay on those lines of hedge and round-topped trees, and far away, an ex- quisite touch of the medieval, made out the spires of St. Martins etched in thin touches of silver by the moonlight, like dew upon spider-threads.
 The servant returned with one of his fellows, and together they began to assure me that it was useless, it was painful, for me to insist on speaking with Mr. Arsigny upon that night of all nights. I grew im- patient at last and was about to brush them aside and go in search of the master of the house, for I began to scent mys- tery. They clung to my arms as I stepped forward.
 If you will permit said one, land prom ise to go thereafter, I will give monsieur a glimpse of the master.'
 He spoke it as might say to child:
 "If you aren't quiet I'll show you a ghost.''
 Then he led me into wing of the chateau, which, so fir as I knew, Arsgny had hitherto constantly kept sealed. On tiptoe we advanced to a tall oaken door which stood slightly ajar.
 Through the aperture came fluctuat- ing yellow light, like that thrown by a wood fire. With gesture imploring eau tion, one of my guides indicated that l might look inside
 It was the dining hall, high and gloomy of ceiling, and wildly illumined by half dozen huge torches, placed in niches along the wall. Their flames, shaken by the draft, wavered, and splashed light across polished steel armor which hung along the wall triangular shields such as knights once hung from their necks, cuirasses, ,houberks of chain mail glittering as though they were shirts of diamonds. Here was a ponderous halbred, and there one of those hammers used to break up coats of mail, and beside it mighty two-handed sword which foot soldier might have swayed against a mounted cavalier.
 With weapons like that one the Swiss peasants beat down the chivalry of Austria and Burgundy. These things half saw and half guessed in that first glance. After ward I had eyes for the master of the house alone.
 He sat with his back toward me at the table. On his white hair was crimson cap over his shoulders swept a mantle of rich blue velvet. From the back of his chair hung a belted sword, and as he moved in his chair sw that he was girt with long dagger.
 I caught my breath and turned upon the servants for an explanation, but their faces were grave, and they stared past me at the picture. So looked again.
 On either side of Arsignys plate stood a tall candle, and there were two other pairs set in similar manner beside plates of silver. What mighty plates they were; {; what noble goblets of silver chased with gold stood ready at hand, and above all, what goodly garniture of food was on that tabIei