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Page 63
With a quick, firm tread, a young man entered the room and stood for a
moment silently regarding Laudonniere. The light from the fire was not
sufficient to disclose his features, and the other had no suspicion of
who he was. At the same time he felt strangely moved by the young
man's presence, and also remained silent, waiting for him to speak.
"Uncle."
The old man started at the word, and leaned eagerly forward.
"Uncle, dost thou not know thy R�n�?"
"My R�n�! R�n� de Veaux? He is dead in the New World," cried
Laudonniere, trembling with excitement.
"No, my uncle! my father! thy R�n� is not dead in the New World. He is
alive in the Old World, and has come to be thy comfort and support from
this time forth."
In all France there was not such a happy household as that modest
dwelling contained that night. Old Fran�ois was called in to share the
joy of his master, and until daylight did the two old men sit and
listen with breathless interest to the strange history of him who had
come back to them as one risen from the grave. Every now and then they
rose to embrace him, and then resumed their seats, only to devour him
with their eyes and ply him with questions.
He too had questions to ask, and now learned for the first time of his
uncle's escape to the two small ships left by Admiral Ribault. With
Laudonniere had also escaped the good Le Moyne and Simon the armorer.
They had waited for him until forced to give over all hope of ever
seeing him again, and had then sailed sadly away.
When R�n� produced the little iron casket that he had recovered from
its hiding-place within the tunnel, Laudonniere joyfully seized it. He
cried out that it contained that which would restore him to honor and
wealth, and blessed his nephew for thus bringing him that which was
more precious than life itself.
The great riches that R�n� had brought with him from the New World
enabled him to restore to all its former glory the old chateau in which
he was born, and which, of all places on earth, he held most dear.
Here, for many years, he dwelt in happiness and contentment. At times
he would be seized with a great longing to revisit the beautiful land
in that far-away country beyond the western sea where lived the
Alachuas. At such times he would close his eyes and fancy that he
could again hear their musical voices calling him "Ta-lah-lo-ko," their
white chief.
That he did revisit them, at least once before he died, is proved by
existing manuscript; but he is not supposed ever to have resumed his
position as their chief.
For many generations his descendants preserved among their most valued
treasures, and may possibly retain even to this day, the exquisitely
embroidered costume of an Indian chieftain. To it was attached, by a
golden chain and pin, a curious scarlet feather, which was supposed to
be that of a flamingo.
THE END
End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Flamingo Feather, by Kirk Munroe
*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FLAMINGO FEATHER ***
***** This file should be named 15746-8.txt or 15746-8.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.net/1/5/7/4/15746/
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