THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
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SYNOPSIS.
Francois Heaupro. ft peasant babe of
lhrn yMir, after uti amusing Incident In
wl sh Marshal Ney llgutes, Is made a
'Tievuller of Franco by the Fmperor Na
iMiI'vin, in tlio homo of the lad's parents
in lie villain of Vieques, France, where
the emperor had brlelly Btopped to hold a
unitii ll of war. Napoleon prophesied that
the hoy might one duy bo a marBhal of
Franco under another nonaparte. At tho
iih 'if ten Francois moots a stranger who
Is n,Unnlhed when tho boy tells him of
his ambition Francois visits General
Baron Oaspard Oourgaud, who with
Allxe. hts sevon-ypar-old daughter, lives
lit the Chateau. A soldier of tho Fmplro
Under Nupoloon he fires the hoy's Imag
ination with stories of his campaign.
Tho general offers Francois a home at
tin1 hateait, Tho boy refuse to leave his
parents, but In the. nd becomes a copy
ist for the gonoral and learns of the
friendship between tho general and Mar
rjnln Zappl, who campaigned with the gen-
rul under Napoleon. Marquis .appl and
i is son, Pletro, arrive at the Chateau.
Tim general agrees to earn for the Mar
M'iIm'h son while tho former goes to
mcrlea The Marquis before leaving for
Amirlci asks Francois to bo a friend
ff his son. Tho boy solemnly protnlsns.
Vramols goes to the Chateau to live.
Marquis 'nppl dies leaving Pletro as n,
ward r tho gcucrM. Allxc. Pletro and
Francois meat a strango boy who proves
to ho Prince Louis Napoleon. Francois
navcrt his life. The general dlscovors
Francois loves AlUo. and extracts a
promise from him that ho will not Inter
fere between tho girl nnd I'letro. Fran
cols koch to Italy as secretary to Pletro.
CHAPTER XII.
The Mother of a Prince.
Tho walls of the palaco at Anconn
dropped to tho sea; against thorn the
waves danced. Out on tho blue wa
ter lny a (loot of fishing-boats, and tho
wind (lappod tqrn Halts, and tho sun
Ught glanced on battored hulls and
tittered decks. Tliu woman who sat
by an open window of tho palace
pUHlicd tho black trailing of her gown
from her, a6 If tho HomborncBs hurt
nor eyes; sho laid her head against
thu wlndow-framo and stnrod at tho
ureozo-tosBcd waves and the fishing
fleet.
"It may bo our only hope of cscapo
those wrotchod boats," sho said, half
aloud, and hor bluo oyes wero full of
mulnons, almost of hopelessness.
A sound caught hor ear, and she lift
ed her hend quickly. Tho door Into
tho next room was partly open and
nomo'ono moved there, that was all
Sho turned, tho lines of hor figure
fulling again Into a melancholy poso.
'Tho doctor takeH a long tlmo," she
npoko, and gazed out onco moro to tho
water.
There had beou a spirited young
girl years boforo who had romped In
the gardens of Mulmalson, who hud
led tho laughter which echoed through
thoso avonuos of llmo and plantain,
whoso Bweotnoss and vivacity had
drawn tho llguro of Napoleon himself
Into tho vortox of gladncBB which was
her atmosphore. Always brightness
neemed to follow her through tho en
chantment of the place; always sho
deemed to move in galoty. Today, on
n Murch morning of 1830, this was she
Hortonso.
Tho daughtor of Franco sho had
b-m, tho nueon of Hollund, and now
lor years an oxlle. Hero, ill, a fugi
tive in hor nophow'B palaco at An
con, with tho AuBtrlnns at tho guto
of tho city, sho waited In anxiety nl
moktt more Intcnso than sho could boar
tho word of tho doctor as to her son.
Kivt days before, at Fori I, her older
boj had died, and hor Boro heart
titlitod with a sickening throb as sho
thought of this other Louis now her
only child, lying In tho room beyond
In n high fever. Ill with tho tllsonso
with which his brother hnd fallen. A
ivoman'o soul might woll bo over
crowded with such sorrow nnd such
Jtoar, but thero was moro. Hor two
SoyH hn1 thrown In their lot shortly
before with tho Italian revolutionists,
tnd had fought, and had distinguished
thomsolvos. And now that tho rovo
hitlon of tho Uomugna was a failure,
that Hid Austrian army was advanc
ing victoriously, now that death had
taken tho oldor to safety, tho younger
-LouIb tho Invalid lad In the room
Doyund, was In Imminent danger. He
tvhs exceptod from tho general am
nesty; tho natural ways of escape
y-ito closed, for tho authorities of
Tuscany and of Switzerland had let
her know that tho Prince would not bo
permitted in thoso territories. From
Ttoi.ie two of hor son's uncles, Cnrdl
uul Aisch and King Jorome, had aent
word that if ho wore taken by tho
AtiirIniiR ho wns lost. And at the
moment whan Hortunso had decided to
carry her boy off to Turkey by way
of 'orfu, nn Austrian Ileot nnneared
In tho Adriatic.
In Biich a critical stato wero tho
RffalrH of
tho black-gowned woman
Who gnzod
la the mm.
from the palaco windows
Tho doctor was with her
son Tho
boy's condition soemud to
lier no bettor, but worso than the day
Jjoforo; sho waited an olllclal verdict.
The door oponed and sho looked up as
A tnll man cumu In.
"Doctor," sho Htnmmercd and
nloppod sho feared to ask.
"Your majesty," tho old man said
Bravely, "I grieve to bo the boaror
.of bad nows."
"Ho 1h worso, Doctor?" Tho words
t'nmo with a gusp; Hho felt that eho
could not faco moro trouble,
"Yos, your MaJoBty, tho fever has
Increased since yosturduy. With his
youth and strength we may hope if
ho la carefully nursed but to move
Ma, would bo mudneBii."
?iMYmmGND STEPMAN ANDREWS
ILLUSTRATIONS ELLSVORTft Y0UN6
Queen Hortonso struck her hands
together. "What can I do? What can
I do?" sho demundod, nnd tho doctor
stood gravely regarding her, helpless,
with all his devotion to tho house of
Uonapartc, to suggest a way out. "If
ho stays ho will bo takon they will
execute him. If ho goes ho will dlo
on the way," she cried In an agony
of indecision. "Doctor, tell me, think
for me how can I eavo him?"
And tho doctor still stood silent,
suffering with tho impotent desire to
help hor. "If if only tho Austrlans
might think thnt tho Prince wore
gone," he stammered, and hated him
self for tho futility of tho words. Hut
tho Queen stood with a hand half
lifted, nrrestod. Hor bluo oyes wero
allvo with the crossing and weaving
of swift Ideas, and then with a catch
of hor breath sho laughed at him
llko a pleoflcd child. "Doctor, you are
a very clover man," eho said. "To
gothor wo aro going to Bavo the
Prlnco."
The vivacity of tho schoolgirl of
Madamo do Campan flashed for a mo
ment Into her manner, warmed to sud
den llfo by tho Joy of hope. The doc
tor waited, enchanted, bowlldored, to
hear his cloverncss explained, but Hor
tonso did always the unexpected thing.
Sho shook her finger at him.
"I'm not going to toll you," sho said.
"At least not till I havo to not till
tomorrow at all events. Hut all today,
as you visit your patients you may
think that you aro saving tho Prince
from his enomles and tomorrow you
may know- how. Goodby, Doctor," nnd
puzzled and pleased, tho physician
was gone
"Send Fritz to mo," tho Queen or
dered, and a moment later tho young
man who was for years tho confiden
tial servant of Hortense, who knew
moro ot tho history of her middle
years, perhaps, than nny other, stood
boforo her. "Fritz, when does a packet
sail for Corfu?" sho demanded.
Fritz Rlckenbach considered it his
business to know ovorything. "To
night," your Majesty," ho answered
unhesitatingly.
"You will seo that the luggogo of
Prlnco Louis is on board, and that a
carriago 1b ready to tako him tliere,"
Bhe ordorcd'.
"Hut yes, your Majesty," Fritz still
stood regarding her seriously. "It is
a groat happlncBB to me, your Majesty,
that IiIb Highness Is woll enough to
travel."
Fritz know porfectly that thero was
a complication somewhere, and he
wanted to know what It was. Ills
curiosity was patent, but his deep In
terest In tho affairs of his people
could not be an Impertinence, and tho
Queen smiled at him.
"You shall know nbout it, Fritz,"
sho said. "Tho Austrlans nro com
ing. Tho Prlnco can not bo moved.
If they tnko him, it means death. Thoy
must believe that ho Is gone, and it
is for you and mo to make thorn be
llovo it, Fritz. You must get a pass
port signed by nil of tho authorities
that 1b easy today; you must engage
his placo In tho packet for tonight;
you must tell tho servants tell ovcry
one that tho Prlnco goeB to Corfu,
nnd you must seo thnt tho proper lug
gugo Is on board. It will bo known
Francois
Was on His
Bedside.
Knee by the
that 1 stay, but thoy will not molest
an ill woman. Do ou understand tho
plan, Fritz?"
"Hut yes. your Majesty," Fritz an
swered with his faco alight.
And bo tho packet Balled for Corfu,
and nil day before tho Bnlllng tho
servants of Hortonso moved bitally
botwoon tho palaco and the boat, car
rying luggage and making arrange
monts. And only one or two know
tho socrot thnt Prlnco Louis llonapnrto
had not Hailed In tho packet but lay
toBslng with fovor In n llttlo room
beyond his mothor's, carried thoro for
greator privacy by Fritz and tho doc
tor. Two dnyB later, ob tho Queon Bat
quietly by hor boy'n bedBldo, she hoard
that tho vanguard of tho Austrlans
had ontorod tho city, nnd almost at
onco Fritz camo to tell hor that the
palaco In which sho wub staying had
been chosen for tho rosidonco of tho
gonoral commanding. The probability
of this had not entered her mlud; It
seemed the laBt straw. Tho Austrian
officer demnndod tho Queen's own
chamber for his chief, but when tho
steward's wlfo told him tho namo of
tho lndy who waB In the rooms which
had not been given up, ho bowed deep
ly and said not p. word. It wns another
of that brotherhood scattered over Eu
ropethe friends of Hortense; It was
an officer who hnd protected her years
before at Dijon.
So for a week thoy lived sldo by
side with their enemies and only a
few feet lay between tho Prlnco nnd
capture, for his room wns next that
of tho Austrian gonoral, with but a
double door between. It wa3 a life
of momentary anxiety, for tho Queen
feared each tlmo tho Invalid spoke
that thoy might recognize a man's
voice; when he coughed sho turned
white. Dut at tho end of the week
Louis was nt last well enough to go.
Ho was to leave Anconn disguised as
one of his mother's lackeys, tho young
Marquis ZappI was to put on another
livery, and over tho frontier they wero
both to change and be tho sons of
HortenBo traveling on tho English
man's pussport.
CHAPTER XIII.
The Ruse.
Tho day before tho escape, as the
Prince, weak and 111 yot, lay In bed,
word wns brought that a messenger
of tho marqulB wished to seo tho
Queen.
"Lot mo see him too, my mother,"
tho silent, grave young man begged.
"It mny bo that I can help you. 1
wIbIi to help."
In u moment Fritz Introduced
Blight alert person whose delicate face
was made remarkable by a pair o
eyes largo and brilliant and full o:'
visionary shadows, yet alive with flro.
Ono saw first those uncommon eyeu
and then tho man. It they had not
been entirely concerned with his mes
sago they might have remarked that
he trembled as ho looked at tho
Prince's faco; that his voice shook as
he nnswercd tho Queen's question.
"I have tho unhapplness, your Maj
esty, to bring you bad nows," he said,
speaking to her, but still gazing ea
gerly at Hie, Prince. "Tho Marquis"
utiiipi, my uiuiuuyur, is in. iie was
taken suddenly last night, and today
Is much worso, nnd the.ro Is no chance
that ho can travel with your Majesty
tomorrow."
Tho Queen threw out hor hands with
a gesture of hopelessness. "What can
we do?" sho exclaimed. "Am I to plan
nnd plan and havo always an uncon
querablo obstacle? Can I not save
my boy? I might havo known that
everything seemed too bright this
morning, too good to bo true. Yet It
is not posBlblo that after all they
should" sho looked at her son; hor
courage camo springing back. "They
shall not take you," and her oyos
flashed defiance at a world of enemies,
and sho went over nnd throw her arm
about his neck. "Louis, don't lot your
self bo excited, dearest. They shall
not tako you. I can save you."
It was as If sho put a spur to her
bruin; thoro was n moment's sllonco
nnd tho two lads watched hor brows
drawing together under tho concentra
tion of hor brain.
"Of course," she said suddenly, and
laughed a spontaneous laughter
which seemed to flood her with youth
fulness. Sho turned her bluo glunco
swiftly on tho nowcomor, tho slender
boy with tho luminous oyes. "You nro
In tho employ of the Marquis Zappl,
monsieur?"
"Hut yes, your majesty. I am tho
secretary of Monsieur lo Marquis "
Sho paused n second, seemed to take
stock of tho young man, of his looks,
his bearing, his nccont.
"You aro French. Havo you a sym
pathy with tho family of my son, with
thu Honnpurtos?"
It was as If a door had boon opened
into a furnace, so tho eyes blazed.
"Your mnjosty, I wouia glvo my life
for his highness," ho Bald quietly. Tho
impasslvo fnco of tho young prince
turned toward tho speaker, and the
linlf-shut heavy glance, which had the
Napoleonic gift of holding a picture,
rested on him attentively. Louis Bonn
parte seomed to romombor something.
"What Is your namo, monsieur?" ho
asked, and It might havo been noticed
that his houd lifted a llttlo from tho
pillow as ho waited for tho answor.
"Francois Heaupro, Blre." Tho young
man seemed to bo out of brenth.
"Sire!" Louis Napoleon repeated. And
then, "I havo seen you bofore. Whero
was It? Not In Home not In Switzer
land nh!" His hand How out, and
with thnt Francois wub on his knee by
tho bedside, and had kissed tho out
htrotched thin llngoro, and tho prlnco's
other hand was on his ahoulder frn
tornnlly. "Tho old chateau of Vieques- ray
playfellow, Francois. 1 told you then
l was going to romembor, didn't I?"
Louis Napoleon domanded, laughing
boylHhly. "Mother, ho saved my lift
from tho falling wall. Do you romom
bor tho titory of my runaway trip?"
And Hortonso, smiling, dollghted to
boo her Bnd-facod boy so pleased and
oxhllarnted, did romembor, nnd was
gracious nnd grntoful to tho young
Frenchman. "U is a good omen to
have you come to us todny," she said
with all tho dazzling charm which Bhe
know how to thtow Into a sentence
And then, eager with tho headlong
zest of a hunter for tho gamo, she
caught the thread which wovo Into tho
pattern of her scheming. "You would
risk something to snvo him, would
you not? You will tako tho placo of
the marquis and travel with ub, tomor
row, and help mo carry away tho
prlnco to safety?"
Tho dark young faco wns palo.
"Your majesty, It Is a happiness I had
not dared to hopo for yet."
"Yot?" the prince demanded laconic
ally. He saved words alwnjB, this lad,
but ho always said his thought.
Tho other boy's face turned to him,
nnd ho answered very simply, "Dut
yes, your highness. I have known al
ways that 1 should hnvo a part in your
highness fate."
In tho gray dawn of tho next morn
ing thero was a slight stir through the
palace, -and out between tho lines of
drowsy Austrlnn sentinels passed a
procession of whose true character
they wero far from aware, else history
had changed. The guard watched the
departure; the sick lady Hortense
lato queen of Holland, as they all
knew moro or leBs clearly, drove away
slowly in her traveling cnleche, and on
the box wns a young man in the liv
ery of a groom whom no ono of the
half-nwake soldiers knew for Prince
Louis Napoleon; In tho middlo of
the second carriage sat another youth
of two or three years younger who
was, the queen's servants had been
told, the Marquis Zappl. Their paBS
ports were examined and they wont
through the gates of tho city without
awauening the lenst suspicion.
Not once in all their dramatic series
of escapes and disguises were Hor
tense and her bous betrayed, but thoy
had to fear tho indiscretion of their
friends moro than tho malignity of
tholr enemies, and this part of Italy
was full ot friends high and low.
At length it was time for Prlnco
Louis and the sham marquis to drop
their liveries and travel as the sons
ot the English woman for whom their
passport was mado out. Tho clothes
which Heaupro was to wear had be
longed to tho young man dead at Forll
Louis Bonaparte's brother and no
ho presented himself dressed in them,
ho saw tho painful flush which crept
upon tho prlnco's face.
"Your highness, I am sorry," he
stammered. "It is grief to me." And
then he threw himself Impulsively on
his knees by the sldo of Louis' chair.
"My prlnco, I wear them with rever
ence," ho said, and then, hesitating, ho
added: "Perhaps I would scorn less
unworthy If your highness know that,
mere secretary as I am, I am yot moro.
I am noble. It Is not simple Francois
Heaupro whom you honor, but a man
created chevalier by tho sword of the
emperor."
The dull eyes of tho prince shot a
glanco between drooping lids. "What
Is it you mean, monsieur?" ho do
manded. nut at tho moment the queen
entered the room, and tho lads sprang
fo their feet. Her oyes caught tho
plcturo of tho young Frenchman In his
new dress at once; thoy opened wide
and then filled with toarB.
"Louis, Louis!" sho cried, and laid
her hand on 1 Is arm. "Ho looks llko
him; ho looks like Napoleon!"
A deferential knock sounded at the
door. Francois sprang to it, and tho
landlord stood in tho opening, bowing
elaborately a soldlory old man with
thick grizzled hair.
"A thousand pardons for disturbing
rallndl nnd tho messieurs," and mlladl
smiled forglvonoss. "Might nn old
soldier of tho emperor dare to say that
ono could not help knowing the em
peror's klnsmon?" Ho bowed Jow
again to both boys alike, and again
Hortonso smllod nt him. It was com
forting to know that tho two seemed
brothers to tho world In general, and
sho was so used to recognition and
loynlty now that they appeared to be
long together. "Might an old soldier
of tho emporor daro to show mlladl
her majesty and tho hlclmoBses. iim
sword which tho emporor himself had
touched, the sword which he, Jean
Grodln, an old cuirassier of tho guard,
hud curried In four battles? Thoro
was a llttlo story of tho 3word, a story
also of tho wondorful goodness of tho
omporor, which mlladl hor majesty
permitting, he would like to toll to hor,
as also to tho highnesses."
And, her mnjeBty permitting, and
tho boys pleased and interested, tho
old cavalryman brought tho aword nnd
drew It from Its sheutft and gavo it to
each of them to handlo, and called on
thorn to remark how it was as keen
and bright as it had ovor boon at Ulm
or Austorlitz. Ho eloarod his throat,
strongly, for tho tnlo.
"Mlladl hor majesty permitting,"
he bogan, "It was on a day two days
after tho great bnttlo of Austorlitz.
Tho country, nB hor majesty and tho
hlghnoBsos will romombor, wub In n
most dnugorous condition. Desporate
b.irdc " Why was It tho landlord
stoppod?
Tho nnrty. caught bv tho fervor of
his mannor, stnrod at him, annoyed as
tho talo ot tho omporor, promising so
well, halted at Ub beginning Tho
man stood as it drawn to his tiptoes,
B
cvDr?7vrp-2 ay joasj wP?z co.
every muscle tense, his head turned
toward the doorway, listening.
And suddenly they wero awaro of a
Btir, a growing noiso; thoro wero gal
loping horses; thero wns" a jingle of
hnrnesB, and voices coming nearer.
With a step backward the landlord
flashed a glanco from under bushy
brows down tho corridor, through the
open door at tho end, which gavo on
tho court of the inn.
"Mon dieu!" Ho faced the three,
standing startled. He spoke fast and
low. "Mndame, It is a squad of Aus
trian soldiers; they are upon us. What
can wo do?" Ho hesitated only a sec
ond. "DIeu-bleu my horse saddled
under the tree yonder If ono of tho
princes If the prince " Ho glanced
uncertainly from ono lad to tho other.
"But tho gnmo was out of his hands.
Quicker hands than his had caught the
play. Francois Beaupre, tho saber of
tho old cavalryman gleaming In his
grasp, sprang to tho doorway.
"It is monsieur there who is the
prince," he explained rapidly to the
landlord. "Hide him, take care of him
I will draw them away. When they
are gone, Bee that tho prlnco and tho
queen escape. That is for you; you
are responsible."
Thero was the rush of a flying figure
down tho hallway, and out Francois
flashed across a broken line of a dozen
dismounted riders, straight toward tho
landlord's horso held by n groom un
der tho trees. Thero wns a shock ot
startled silence as tho Impetuous ap
parition, Baber gleaming at wrist, shot
across tho court. Then thero was a
hubbub of voices, and a mass of uni
formed figures fell toward him ns he
threw himself on tho horse. A sol
dier caught at the bridle. The naked
sword twinkled and tho man was un
der Bleu-bleu's feet. For a second
there was a vortex of men nnd a fran
tic horso, and riding tho storm a buoy
ant figure of fury, flashing a blade,
with Infinite swiftness, this way and
that. Then horse nnd lad shot out
from tho living canvas, streaked the
background of trees a second'and wero
gone, and the Austrian troopors scram
bled into their saddles to follow.
Through sun-spotted, breeze-tosBed
woods tore the chase ; across a road
and over a low fence, and still Fran
cols led, but tho heavy horses gained.
It was a hopeless hunt, for the land
lord's mount was no match for the
big cavalry horses, yot tho, rider's
light weight and clever horsemanship
counted, and it was fully four miles
from the inn when llleu-bleu stumbled
and fell at a ditch, and Francois
pitched over his head. His lead was
short by now, and they wero on him
In a moment, In a mass; ho was seized
by n dozen burly Austrlans.
Tho leader took a sharp look at him
as he stood panting, staring defiantly.
-'.'What Is this?" the Austrian de
manded sternly, and wheeled to a
trooper In a bunch. "Frledrlch, thou
knowest the cub of tho Bonapartes. Is
this lad ho?"
And Frledrlch lunged forward, gasp
ing, for ho had run his horse hard, and
shook his head. "No, my captain. I
have never seen this one."
Tho boy looked from ono to anoth
er of the threatening group, smiling,
composed In splto of his quick breath
ing. Tho captain took a step close to
him nnd shook his fist In his face.
"You have fooled us, you young
There Was a Hubbub of Voices.
gnmo-cock, hnvo you? Hut wait. Do
you know what wo will do to you, you
bantam of a Frenchman? Do you know
how wo will treat you for this, we Aus
trlans?" Color deoponed In his cheeks, and
Francois drew up his llguro magnill
contly. "You may do what you like, Mes
sieurs." he said gaily. "It Is for you;
my part Is done. Tho prince is sale."
CHAPTER XIV.
After Five Years.
The window ot tho cell was small,
but it was low enough eo that a man
standing could seo from it tho vast
aky and tho sou-lino six miles away,
nnd, by leaning closo to the bars, the
hill that sloped down into wooded
country; beyond that the sand ot the
Bharo. The Jailer stood close by tho
little window in tho stormy sunset for
a bettor light ns he dropped tho medi
cine. "One two," ho counted tho drops
cnrefully up to nine, nnd then glanced
at the prisoner on his cot In tho cor
ner, who tossed, nnd talked rapidly,
dlsjolntedly. "It Is high tlmo that th
doctor saw him," the jailor spoke, half
aloud. "If tho governor had been hore
this would not havo boen allowed to
run on. I nra glad the governor
coming back."
With that tho prisoner throw oft tho
cover from his BhouldorB and sat up
suddenly, with wild bright eyes Btar
lng at the jailer.
"Pietro!" ho called In astonishment.
"Why, my dear old Plotro!" nnd flung
out his hands eagerly toward tho man,
and would have sprung from tho bed
to him.
But tho jailer was at his Bide and
held him down, yet gently. "Bo quiet,
signor," ho said respectfully. "It Is
only old Battlsta;you will seo if you
look. Only Bnttlsta, who has taken
care of you these five years."
Tho brilliant dark oyes stared at
him hungrily; then with a sigh the
light went out of them and tho head
fell on the pillow.
"Ah, BattlBtu," ho said, "my good
Battista." A smile full of a subtle
charm mado the worn face bright. Ho
spoke slowly. "I thought it was my
friend my beat friend," ho explained
gently.
"Will tho signor tako tho doctor's
medicine?" Battista asked then, not
much noticing tho words, for the sick
man was clearly light-headed, yet with
a certain pleasant throb of memory
which always moved within him at tho
name 'of Pietro. It happened that the
namo stood for some ono dear to tho
jailer also. The signor took the medi
cine at once, like a good child.
"Will It make mo better, do you
think, Battista?" ho asked earnestly.
"But yes, signor; the doctor la
clover."
"I want to bo better; I must get
well, for I have work to do as soon
as I come out of prison."
"Surely, signor. That will be soon
now, I think, for It Is Ave years; they
will let you go soon, I believe," Bat
tista lied kindly
"You are good to me, Battista," the
boy said, "and Just now you gavo me
a great pleasure. It warms me yet to
think of it, for, you see, I thought you
wero Pietro my dear Pietro the
Marquis Zappi."
Battista, breathless, stared, stam
mered. "Whom whom did you say,
signor?"
But the prisoner had flashed Into
reason. The color went out of his fnce
as the tide ebbs. "Battista, did I say
a namo? Battista you will not botray
me you will not repeat that name? 1
would never have said it but that 1
was not quite steady. I must have
been out of my head; I have nevoi
spoken his name before in this place
Oh, If I should bring danger to him!
Battista, for God's sake, you will not
ropeat that name?"
Battista spoke low, glancing nt the
heavy iron door of the cell. "God for
bid, signor," ho ' whispered, "that 1
should speak, here in his own cnstlo,
the namo of my young master."
Thero was a long silence. Tho pris
oner and his jailer gazed at each other
as if saying things beyond words.
Then the boy put out his long hot fin
gers and caught the man's sleeve.
"Battista," he murmured, "Battista
is that truo? Is it possible? Do you
know my Pletro?"
"Know him, signor?" Battlsta's deep
voicewas unsteady. "My fathers have
served his for eight hundred years."
Tho man was shaking with a loyalty
long pent up, but Francois lifted hip
head, leaned on his elbow, and looked
at him thoughtfully.
"But, Battista, I know you now; he
has spoken to mo of you; It was yout
son, tho little Battista, who was his
body-servant when they were chil
dren?" "Yes, signor."
"I did not dream of it; I never know
what castlo this was; I nevor dreamed
of Castloforte; you would not toll me."
"1 could not, signor. It wns forbid
den. It is forbidden., I am risking
my life every minute."'
"Go, BattlBtu," and Francois pushed
him nwny with weak hands. "Go quick
ly you havo been hero too long.
Thero might bo suspicion. I could not
live If I brought trouble on you."
"It is right so far, signor," Battista
answered. "It is known you aro ill;
I mu3t enro for the sick ones a little.
But I had better go now."
With that ho slipped to his kneca
and lifted the feverish hands to his
lips. "Tho friend of my young mas
tor," he said simply, but his voice
broke on tho words. The trndltlonnl
faithfulness of centuries wns strong in
Battista; tho Zappis hud been good
masters; one hnd been cared for and
contented always; ono was terrorized
and ground down by thoso "Austrian
swino;" tho momory of the old mas
ters, tho personality of nnyono con
nected with them, was snored. Bnttls
ta bowed his head ovor tho imnd3 In
his own, then ho stood up.
"! shall be back nt bedtime, slzuor,
lie said quletlv. and was gone.
(TO Hi; CONTlNUUtU
T
H
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