spoken with you once in the Chapel
at Sceaux--and I, may God forgive me, doubted but she had done it to
shield her sister. I knew the little minx had warned you in the Park,
but thought nothing of it. Charlotte, come here!"

And Charlotte de Verges laid her warm little hand in mine. For thirty
years it has rested there in peace.

* * * * * *

Thus, through many strange perils and purifying sorrows came the
abiding happiness which blessed these last two children of the "Black
Wolf's Breed."

FINIS

APPENDIX

Note by the Author

I have included here the full text of the documents contained in the
iron box, sent to Placide de Mouret by Colonel D'Ortez, just prior to
his death. One of these papers, that showing the male descendants of
Henri d'Artin and of Pedro Ortez, which proved that Francois Rene Alois
de Pasquier was the father of Placide and which indicated that the wife
of the Chevalier de la Mora and her sister were the grandchildren of
Colonel D'Ortez, was set out in the body of the narrative and will be
found in Chapter XXII. These supplementary documents (which are
historically accurate) confirm, not only the story related by Colonel
D'Ortez to Placide, but also the strange story told by mad Michel under
the shadow of the Castle of Cartillon. While they may add little to
the narrative interest of the main story, these documents serve to
confirm some of the least credible incidents of the tale, and it was
thought, therefore, worth while to include them here.

DOCUMENT No. 1

Document No. 1, indorsed on back, "Notes chiefly written by the Abbot
of Vaux."

_In Nomine Patris, et Filii, et Sanctus Spiritus. Amen._

I, Laurent of Lorraine, Benedictine, by Divine permission Abbot of
Vaux, do make these writings and divers memoranda, partly from my own
unworthy knowledge, and partly from facts openly notorious and resting
on the testimony of witnesses as credible as there be in this world of
falsehood and vanity.

All of which latter portion, concerning one Pedro d'Ortez and his
descendants, is here set down at the special prayer and persuasion of
said d'Ortez, a profane and sacrilegious lord, yet whose past service
to the Holy Church should not be forgotten, though his late riotous and
ungodly life hath much grieved the faithful brotherhood.

THEREFORE, I, Laurent, Abbot, as above stated, do make and inscribe
this chronicle, beginning this, the 2