CHAPTER XIII
”The Princess Meridel and cou
NTins arrive in Canada to visit
Baron Rudi de Morpin, her uncle
Madame Fabre, who had employ
ed him, turned the estate over to
the baron as his own. Roger Fa
bre, nephew of Madame Fabre
CAF on furlough fell in love with
the Princess. Her cousins found
a photo of Roger’s brother, whom
they knew a3 a Nazi. When the
Princess learned that the baron
was not the owner of the castle,
they all left. Roger soon found
them and had them return to the
castle. Michel, Roger’s brother,
escaped from a prison camp, came
to the prison camp and in a fight
with Roger, escaped in his car.
Alarm was sounded. Michel re
turned and informed Madame
Fabre that he was a captain in
the British secret service and
not a German spy. She had never
lost faith in him and wanted him
to stay— she knew the Princess
and Michel were in love, even
though his brother was to marry
the Princess.
She saw the red temper rising
in him and, knowing it of old,
recalling many such encounters
and their unhappy outcome, she
fought to control her own not
too gentle spirit.
“Maybe I didn’t believe so
much as I—I loved you in spite
of anything that seemed to be
against you.’’
"That is what I mean. But it
was not so with her.’’
“Can you expect a girl to go
on caring for a man she met for
a few hours on a mountain or
something, in some Ruritanian
land, long long ago, even when
that man seems beyond doubt to
be a traitor and worse?’’
“Yes,” said Michel softly. “Yes,
I can expect that. A mountain
you say, madame—but you do
not know wrat a magic moun
tain; a Ruritanian land, you say
—but you cannot dream what a
magic land it was; for a few
hours, you say, but you — you
must know that such things as
this are noe measured in hours.
We knew each other always; we
were to love each other always.”
“It was so said?”
“It was so understood.”
. ®ut Meridel—I am now be
mg a traitor to Roger—I know
Meridel has never ceased to care
for you."
I watched her tonight in the
lovely bridal gown. 1 saw my
brother bend and kiss her. I knew
then it was time for me to go.**
“Because your pride was hurt.
<»Recause you expected her to be
V 'eve you, no matter what hap
pened.’
"Not entirely that,’’ he said
wearily. “Roger loves her. He’s a
great lad, Roger — one of the
best, the salt of the earth and al
so one of the noblest of the no
ble breed with whom he flies.
Well, suppose she still does care
for men, can I come back now
and—”
“You mean—you are stepping
aside for Roger? You’d give up
your—”
“The only great dream I ever [
had, madame,” he said-, and his
voice was flat and toneless now.
Like Oberlieutenant Faber’s
voice. “I’m going away tonight—
now. You are not to tell anyone
that I was here. That is under
stood. When — when they are
married, I shall return—”
“Why, you headstrong—”
“ — stubborn, thick - headed
mule. Yes, I know it all and may
be I’m every bit of it. But that’s
the way it is, Tante Mimi—and
that is the way it will be. I don't
flatter myself I can take her
from Roger and steal his happi
ness, but I shall not even run
the risk.”
He stood up. He came to her
and bent and kissed her. “It is
goodbye for only a little while. I
have some time in Canada before
I have to report again; I may
even get a post rere. I don’t
know.”
“Don’t go, Michel! Don’t go!”
“What! You’re running out on
ammunition. You’re turning .soft
on me again. These are new tac
tics, and clever ones, but I have
learned a trick or twNo myself
and I will not fall for this. I shall
go as I came—quietly. And you
will not speak. Promise!’’
The old eyes burned at him
and there was no softness about
her mouth, but that was only for
a moment for suddenly it smiled
—a rare, sweet smile.
“I promise, you mule — you
lovable, splendid donkey. But I
tell you, it's a very foolish thing
you do.’’
“Neither the first nor, I think
the last. Farewell, ma tante.”
He retrieved the hat, turned
at the door to smile at her, to
show her the wild imps in his
eyes. “We always quarrel, don’t
we?’’ he called. “And always
make up.”
Meridel and Roger walked ov
er the big hill that lies between
Philibert and the village of St.
Dialer des Montagnes. It was a
^narrow path among the great
Jppruces and cedars that grew so
thickly on the mountainside. In
winter the trail was usually closed
by the drifted snow, but now one
could easily walk over the crust.
They were on the way to the
nouse of Garard Chamberland,
the, government agent, to bring
back Pol Martin and Rosine who
had been invited there to have
SmT*1" W‘th th® 1Utle Chamber
. TJ“ 8tar? wer® dim* but the
track lay clearly marked through
the darkness of the wood. From
the time they left Philibert they
had talked little. Both of them
lelt constraint, uneasiness. Rog
er, always ready with gay talk
and laughter, was strangely si
lent. Meridel, walking along be
ide him, looked up at his shad
owy profile and longed to say
mething that would break the
tension. But she could find no
words to say. And she thought,
Is my heart empty of things to
tell him—so soon empty? This is
not the way of love.
He said at last, “You cried
tonight, Meridel. Your tears fell
on the lovely gown that is being
made ready for your wedding.
You did not think I saw you. It
was when you left the room after
my aunt had gone upstairs. You
first looked at yourself lin the
mirror and then you cried. Why
did you cry?”
“I—I do not know, Roger. I
really do not know. Do not girls
who are about to marry often
cry?” \
“Not like that. It Was a differ
ent thing.’’ He was silent for a
moment. Then he said what mad
ame hal said that night after his
departure: “Un qui aime; un
qui se laisse aimer.’’ One who
lovesj one who lets herself be
loved. Is it so with us Meridel?
I want to know.”
"Oh Roger, why do you ask
me a thing like that? How can
one know? How can one be sure?
“T^e answer is in your heart
1 think.’’
“I have looked there.”
“And have you found it?”
She did not answer, but he
knew from her silence that she
had looked in vain.
“You told me once,” said Rog
er, “that only one key could un
lock your heart. You remember?”
“Yes.” It was only a whisper.
“I remember well.”
“And I have not that key?
You must answer me.”
“I cannot. I tell you I cannot.”
She was crying a little, but if
he felt any pity for rer he showed
“But in a little while, in a few
days, you intend to become my
wife.”
“You know that I accepted
that long ago. Why do we have t
talk about it now?”
time, and I have waited and
“Because it is so near the
waited and hoped constantly that
I would find in you the answer to
my love. The answer hasn’t come.
“But in time.—oh Roger, why
must we talk like this?”
“We must,”, he said doggedly,
“before it is too late. We must
have this thing settled.”
“I do not see how it ever can
be settled. What would you have
me do?”
“Michel i3 still in your heart,
isn't he? You haven’t given up
your dream that you told me so
long ago?”
“I could never give it up. I
tried, Roger, believe me. But
there was no use trying.lt is part
of me. It will be always there.
Need it make a difference—for
us?”
“Only a shadowy thing,” he
said. “A few hours against all
my love; a few words—and they
echo forever.”
“He will not come back — not
ever now.”
“He does not need to. He never
went away. I know what love is,
Meridel, because I love. I saw
you cry and the tears fell on your
wedding dress—and I knew.”
They had come to the Cram
berland house. Pol Martin and
Rosine, with Gerard and the two
Chamberland girls and tiny Da
vid, came down the yard to meet
them, Roger called to them, “Ho
la! It is late for infants to be
abroad. You must run all the way
home.”
On the way back, re tried to
talk; so did Meridel, but every
thing they said fell flat. It had no
zest, no savor. There was a cold
ness, a heaviness in their hearts
Something that should have been
splendid and shining had failed
for them, and both felt that in
some way the blame lay between
them. He thought, I should not
have always been questioning her
love. I should not have been so
exacting, so greedy. I should
have taken the wondrous gift
she offered me and thanked God
for it. But I could not. I could
not.
And Meridel thought, What is
wrong with me that I cannot
love him? Respect, liking, loyal
ty, admiration—all these things I
have for him. But not love. Per
haps in time it will come, but God
help us if it does not. And Roger
is wise enough to know that it is
a grave risk we run. Why did I
shed those foolish tears tonight?
The dress is so lovely; it is made
for one who gives herself to love
—Roger.
Even the children, after chat
tering a while about the games
they had played and the good
time of the afternoon, noticed
the silence of their elders, and
gradually they ceased to talk
and plodded along with Roger
leading the way, Meridel close
beside him. All about them was
the vast stillness of the forests.
Far off an owl hooted and from
a farmyard over the hill a fox
barked srarply. Those sounds
died*and then in that great stilH
ness they heard a deep voice
singing, coming toward them
around bend ain the path. They
froze in their tracks and the lit
tle ones clutched Meridel’s hands.
‘IBonsoir, Nigaud! ©onsoir,
Fricot!”
“It is he!’’ whispered Pol Mar
tin. “It is Bonhomme Fricot!’’
“What folly!’’ said Meridel,
but a strange shiver, not of fear
moved over her body. “How
could it be?”
“Listen!” said Rosine. “Yes,
yes! It is he! It is he!”
“Eh! Bonhomme Fricot!”
called Pol Martin in his shrill
soprano. “Bonhomme Fricot,
what are you doing here?”
The song perished. They saw
only a shadowy figure in the path
before them, the glimmer of
white at his throat. After a mo
ment he spoke, reluctantly it
seemed, yet with laughter in his
voice: “Are you sure, Pol Martin
and Rosine, that it is Bonhomme
Fricot you have here?”
“Yes, yes, we are sure indeed!”
“It could not be the laughing
soldier then?”
“The laughing soldier would
not know our names,” pointed
out Rosine. “Why do you play
this farce, Bonhomme Fricot?
We know you.”
“I was the laughing soldier,”
said he. “I gave the real soldier
my old clothes and shaved off my
beard and cut off my hair and
now you know why I laughed—
because the soldier tried to kill
Bonhomme Fricot and himself
was killed instead. You see, I
work for the King of England
and I must sometimes do strange
things.”
“But it is brave!” cried Pol
Martin. “It is grand. Did you
come here to visit us?”
“It’s no use, Mike,’’ said Rog
er stepping forward, finding his
brother’s hand in the starlight.
“You were going the wrong way.
You don’t need to run, do you?”
“I talked with Tante Mimi. I—
“You were not going because
of me?” Meridel came forward
now and reached for the hand
Roger held, so that three hands
were clasped-together, hers so
small between the two strong
ones of those men who loved her
“We can talk when we get
home,” said Roger, and he thank
ed God for the darkness, for the
dim stars that let no one see his
face. I’ll go on ahead with these
two fellows.”
“A moment, Roger,” said
Michel.
“Please,” said Meridel.
He paid no attention to them.
He sent Pol Martin and Rosine
scampering down the trail and
hurried after them. They heard
his voice faintly, “You can pre
tend it's the road on the magic
mountain if you need to.”
But he knew, none better, that
any road is a magic road if you
have the right charm in your
heart. And somewhere for him
there would be such a road, one
that no other foot had trod be
fore and at the end of it someone
who waited—for only him.
Behind him, under the stars,
Meridel and Michel Fabre had
stopped to gaze at each other in
that strange light. “I was wrong,”
he said. “You did not forget our
hour.”
“You did not mean it when
you said, as you left me then,
that you would not return?”
“You knew I did not. It was
written, all this—long ago. No
thing could ever change it.”
(THE END)
Thirty-nine feeder calves have
been shipped from Haywood
county to 4-H club members in
Lenoir, Greene, Craven and
Wiljon counties.
TODAY
»a4 7
TOMORROW
Bj DON ROBINSON
PLANES .... family
How many families will buy
private airplanes after the war?
If anyone knows the answer to
that question it should be the
aviation experts in the large air
plane companies, in the govern
ment and in aviation associations
But a review of statements made
by these authorities indicates
that your guess or mine is apt to
be just about as accurate as
theirs.
William Burden, assistant to
the secretary of commerce for
air,, according to a study of “Av
iation Predictions” published by
Simonds Accessories, Inc., pre
dicts that within five to ten years
there will be 450,000 privately
owned planes in this country,
which is the high among predic
tions. S. Paul Johnston, Washing
ton representative of the Curtiss
Wright Corporation, gives the
conservative low estimate of 20,
000 planes. The National Resour
ces Planning Board estimates
25.000 while Charles I.
Stanton, civil aeronautics admin
istrator, thinks there will be
200.000 private planes in active
service within four years after
the end of the war.
As for prices, the experts are
a little more in agreement. Prac
tically all those quoted expect
private planes to be available in
the $1,000 to $3,000 price range.
Commenting on probable price
reductions, Andrew Kucher, di
rector of research of Bendix Av
iation, said: “In 1910, automo
biles cost $1.52 per pound, where
as in 1940 the price of a much
better and more complete auto
was in the range of 35 to 60 cents
per pound. As aircraft undergoes
a similar evolution, its present
cost of $3 to $5 per pound will
inevitably come down, and the
all-around airplane of the $10,
000 to $15,000 class will begin to
approach the ideal cost of $2,000
to $3,000.”
SAFETY ... proof
The number of planes sold af
ter the war wil) depend almost
entirely on the public demand.
There will certainly be little
problem about quantity produc
tion of all the planes the people
will buy with the plane-produc
ing facilities we now have in this
country.
cut tne public demand will bo
governed to a great extent by
cost and safety—and that still is
a production problem. Costs will
undoubtedly come down rapidly
and all sorts of safety devices
have been invented which will
make private planes much safer
than they were before the war.
William Piper president of the
Piper Aircraft corporation,, one
of the leading manufacturers of
private planes, says: “The post
war private plane will be practi
cally fool-proof, but not darn
fool proof.’’
Perhaps we can never expect
a plane which is “darn fool
proof” but many people who are
now timid about venturing into
the air, will want to see a long
demonstration of safe flying be
fore buying a family plane.
Although the perfection of the
use of the helicopter, according
to the experts will take some
time I imagine it will be the he
licopter, or something similar,
which finally will bring real pop
ularity to private flying. I think
most individuals look for the day
when they can learn to fly in the
way which W. Lawrence LePage,
president of the Platt-LePage
aircraft company, says they will
be able to do with the helicopter.
He says: “A novice need only
lift the machine a few inches off
the ground at first, hover, move
around and land. As he gains
more confidence he will rise fur
ther and fly forward, backward,
and sideways until he is accus
tomed to his controls, the feeling
of flying, and judgment of land
ing.”
EUROPE $100
Undoubtedly the biggest de
velopment immediately after the
war will be commercial rather
than private flying. Plans are
now in the making for gigantic
expansion of the use of big pas
eenger planes and frieght planes
flying to all corners of the world
In addition, small planes and he
licopters will be operated to car
ry people short distances — in
many instances to replace bus
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MODIFICATION OF PRIORITY
REFERRAL PLAN APPROVED
BY STATE MANAGEMENT.
LABOR COMMITTEE AND
STATE MANPOWER PRIORI
TIES COMMITTEE.
On the recommendation of the
State Director who is the chair- j
man, the State Manpower Priori- I
ties Committee and the State
Management - Labor Committee
at their meeting on September
28 and September 21, respective
ly. approved the following modi
fications in the operation of the
Manpower Priorities Plan for I
North Carolina:
L That relief be given to ap
proximately thirty-three thou
sand retail establishments in the
State during the Christmas rush
periol, from November 1, 1944,
to January 1, 1945, by a twenty
pei cent increase in employment
Ceilings in those establishments
employing 25 or more. The am
ount of increase for firms em
employing under 25 will be left
to the discretion of the area li
reetor. Post office and Railway |
Expiess offices will be given re- \
lief during the period at the dis- '
eretion of the State YVMC direc- i
tor.
2. That upon requst to WMC
substantiated by record of ab
senteeism, employers be. allowed
to discharge and replace workers
who are habitually absent from
the job without such replace
ments counting against the em
ployer’s hiring quota.
3. That provided employers !
have discharged their responsi
bilities as to release of workers
they be allowed to replace work-1
ers who are granted a release j
by the War Manpower Comtnis
Again the experts are not en
tirely in agreement as to the
rates which will be charged im
mediately after the war as well
as ten yeais after. Estimates of
domestic passenger rates imme
diately after the war vary from
7.5 cents per mile to 4.5 cents a
mile and predictions of rates 10
years from now range from 2.5q
per mile to 5c per mile.
As for overseas travel, the ex
perts say the cost will be from
8 to 10 cents per mile right af
ter the war and may go down to
5 cents within ten years.
Glenn L. Martin, president of
the Glenn L. Martin company,
says his company is already plan
ning a 250,000-pound commerci
al air vessel on which passengers
will be able to make a round trip
$400 NeW York t0 Lf,n(ion for
A. N. Kemp, president of Am
erican Airlines, is even more op
timistic about low rates. He says
“In the not too far distant future
we can expect rates which will
provide fanes within the reach
of all, on planes cruising upwards
of four hundred miles an hour.
I his will permit fares of ap
proximately $25 from New York
1°,„ChlcaS°« 375 to Los Angeles,
S100 to Europe, $75 to Mexico
City and $7 to Washington.”
sion’s Management-Labor Com
mittee or Appeals Panels against
the protest of the employer,
without such replacements count
ing against the employer’s hiring
quota. Replacements of school
teachers or students returning
to school, wives of servicemen,
Selective Service withdrawals,
and veterans of World War II
may also be made without re
placements counting against the
employer’s hiring quota.
That subject to the approval
of the area director, employers
of 25 workers or less who have
shown good faith in keeping
within the ceiling set by the
Manpower Priorities Committee
will not be subject to the restric
tions of the usual fifteen percent
hiring quota for replacement.
Many small employers who will
need additional workers for the
holiday business should make re
quest for the privilege of getting
an increase of 20 per cent in
their ceiling for the holiday per
iod.
Employers of less than 25,
who are showing good faith by
keeping within the ceiling set by
the Manpower Committee, may
upon approval of the Area I/jrec- !
tor not be subject to the iestric- j
tions of the usual 15 per cent
hiring quota for replacements, i
Such employers should make their
request through the local offices
of the United States Employment :
Service.
Some small employers have not |
as yet established a Ceiling of
employment for their funis. Un
less this is done promptly, they
w'ill not be eligible to have the
restriction of the usual 15 per |
cent hiring quota for replacement
iemoved. These small employers!
are urged to contact the local 1
Employment Office for informa
tion as to how to establish a ceil
ing.
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Put ^very dollar above tin
necessities of life Into War
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the best means of doing your
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friends on the lighting fronts. Fig
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Get Dr. Miles Anti-Pain Pills
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Your Druggist
Sometime take a look behind the counters of the most interesting store
in town your drug store. There on shelf you’ll see medicinal herbs,
unguents, salves, powders, tinctures, elixirs, sirups—all neatly labeled.
From ‘‘gamboge” to “grains of paradise”—their unfamiliar names do
not reveal their far-flung origins. And their healing virtues, too, are
as mysterious to you as the queer little marks you see in the prescrip
tion your doctor writes.
You wonder what sort of modern medicine man he is who can inter
pret these symbols and can select and compound in proper proportion
drussthat induce or guard health. He is your druggist—a man scien
trained to help your doctor help you. His knowledge—his
®“, ^is judgment—are there to be relied upon when you need them.
His code of ethics is high. His license is the official seal of confidence.
Look further in this store run by your druggist. Your eye sees famil
iar things now. He has there for your use advertised—accepted_
brands of merchandise, row on row. They are known in every house
hold. Dentifrices, lotions, vitamins, first aid materials, toilet articles—
preparations of many kinds that contribute to your health and bring
you comfort. The list is long. Your druggist stocks these things be
cause he knows they are quality goods, tested and approved. Your
confidence in him is well-placed, as is his in the products he makes
available to you.
National Health Aid V^eek gives you the opportunity to pay tribute
to your community druggist. His place in your good opinion is well
earned. His store and his services are for your well-being. He, him
self, is a specialist whose knowledge of your needs is an inestimable
service.
Visit your druggist during National Health Aid Week—October 6th
to 16th. Look around. Take note of the medical products, the per
sonal necessities of every home—all there when you want them. Then
try to imagine what you’d do without them, or without your druggist’s
knowledge and experience.
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