neur whose boat was overturned in a whirlpool, and was saved by a
little brown diver. And the end of it all, and the heart of it all, was
in the last few lines, clear of allegory:

"And the wheel goes round in the village mill, And the little brown
diver he tells the grain... And the grand Seigneur he has gone to meet
The little good Folk of the Scarlet Hills!"

At first, all were so impressed by the strange power of Parpon's voice,
that they were hardly conscious of the story he was telling. But when
he sang of the Seigneur they began to read his parable. Their hearts
throbbed painfully.

As the last notes died away Armand got up, and standing by the table,
said: "Parpon, you saved my father's life once?"

Parpon did not answer.

"Will you not tell him, my son?" said the Cure, rising. Still Parpon was
silent.

"The son of your grand Seigneur asks you a question, Parpon," said
Medallion soothingly.

"Oh, my grand Seigneur!" said Parpon, throwing up his hands. "Once he
said to me, 'Come, my brown diver, and live with me.' But I said, 'No,
I am not fit. I will never go to you at the House with the Tall Porch.'
And I made him promise that he would never tell of it. And so I have
lived sometimes with old Farette." Then he laughed strangely again, and
sent a furtive look at Armand.

"Parpon," said Armand gently, "our grand Seigneur has left you the Bois
Noir for your own. So the hills and the Rock of Red Pigeons are for
you--and the little good people, if you like."

Parpon, with fiery eyes, gathered himself up with a quick movement, then
broke out: "Oh, my grand Seigneur--my grand Seigneur!" and fell forward,
his head in his arms, laughing and sobbing together.

Armand touched his shoulder. "Parpon!" But Parpon shrank away.

Armand turned to the rest. "I do not understand it, gentlemen. Parpon
does not like the young Seigneur as he liked the old."

Medallion, sitting in the shadow, smiled. He understood. Armand
continued: "As for this 'testament, gentlemen, I will fulfil its
conditions; though I swear, were I otherwise minded regarding the
woman"--here Parpon raised his head swiftly--"I would not hang my hat
for an hour in the Tall Porch."

They rose and shook hands, then the wine was poured out, and they drank
it off in silence. Parpon, however, sat with his head in his hands.

"Come, little comrade, drink," said Medallion, offering him a glass.

Parpon made no reply, but caught up the will, kissed it, pu