She told me that she used to be one of the maids there, before she married the spice-monger and was Madame Robard.

Years before she went to live there, when the old Monsieur Ciseaux died, there was a dreadful quarrel about some money.
The son that got the property told his brother and sister never to darken his doors again.
[Illustration: OUT WITH MARIE.] "They went off to America, and that big front gate has never been opened since they passed out of it.

Clotilde says that some people say that they put a curse on it, and something awful will happen to the first one who dares to go through.

Isn't that interesting?
"The oldest son, Mr.Martin Ciseaux, kept up the place for a long time, just as his father had done, but he never married.

All of a sudden he shut up the house, sent away all the servants but the two who take care of it, and went off to Algiers to live.