THE "fjORTH PLATTE 8EMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
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J1ARY IfflOND cSTPiAN ANDREWS
AUTHOR o THCPIRJTCT TRJOUrC, THC DETTEI? fRFAdURr, ETC
'RlU5tRATI0fi$ y ILLSVORTn DVNG
COPTWr 193 BY OOOOS Aff??M COYPAfy V T5 3
SYNOPSIS.
Francois Uoaupre. a peasant bab of
IIupk yems, utter an amusing Incident In
which MuMluil Ney Ilgures, Is inndo a
'lnviiller of. Franco by the Emperor Na
poleon, who prophesied that the boy
might ono day be a marshal of Franca
under another Uonaparte. At the ui of
t'n Friuirol visits (Jeneral Uaron Uas
I iril OourgHUd, who wltb AlUn, bis
m vu yeai-old daughter, lives at the
t bureau A soldier of the Empire under
Nupohon ho fires tho hoy's linnglnallon
with stories of Mi campaigns. Tim boy
Ik- unies . ooovUl tor the rtefieral and
l"fni. ot bt friendship between the gen
"nil Hfid Marquis Zuppl, who campaigned
with the general under Napoleon Mar
quis Zuppl uud his son. I'letro. Hrrlvc at
thn hiitcati The general agrees to caro
for tho Marquis' noil while the former
Kocs to America. Tho Marquis asks Fran
cols o be a friend of his son Tho boy
tiolrmnly promises lrancols goes to the
( luteaii to live. Marquis Zappi dies leav
In I'letro ug a ward of the general.
Allxo. I'letro and Francois meet a strange
boy who proves to bo I'rlnco Louis Na
poleon. Francois saves his life. Tho gen
eral (Uncovers Francois loves Allx'V ana
exttdcts a promise, from I1I111 that he will
not Inlerfero between tho Blrl and Pletro,
IVaiKoU goes to Italy as secretary to
I'lutro Queen Hortonse plans tho escape
of bpr son Louis Napoleon by disguising
lilm und Marquis Zappl as her lackeys.
1 mucoid takes Marquis Zappl's pinto,
who Is 111. In the escape of Hortonso nnd
louls Dressed ns Louis' brother Fran
rots lureH the Austrian from tho hotel al
lowing thi prince and his mother to es-
ipe rtnncols Is a prisoner dt tho Aus
trluns fur nvo vears. In the castle owned
by I'letro In Italy. He discovers In his
Kun.nl ono of IMetro's old family sorvants.
nnd through lilm sends "word to Ills
frlondH of his plight. The general, Allxe
nnd Plotro plans Francois' escape. Fran
cols receives a noto from I'lotro explain
ing" In dwtrtll how to escape from his
prison Allxo awaits lilm on horseback
nnd lead him to his friends on board
ih Anlorlcnu sailing vessel, tho "lively
Lrt'-y." Frnncols. as a guest of Harry
Hampton, on tho "Lovely Lucy," goes to
Atn-rlcu to ninuagu IMetro's estate In
Virginia Lucy Hampton falls In love
with Francois.
CHAPTER XXIII. Continued.
Tho femalo mind paid no attention
to tho degression. Lucy had long
n'go, finally If unconsciously, put her
falhor'8 personality Into Its right
jflaco,
' Father, la tho prlnco roally poor
and ulotio In this country?"
"I'oor yc8, I fancy I am quite cer
tain, In fact. Alone that doponds.
Tho authorities of Norfolk recolvod
him with soma distinction, the Herald
6tatos, but ho Is putting up at tho inn
ono would concludo that ho was an
invited guest at many ot our groat
houses."
Lucy tlew like a bird across to tho
fireplace. Her hands went up to olth
or sldo ot tho colonel's faco. "Fathor,
quick! Have Thunder saddled, and
rldo in qulcU, father and bring tho
prlnco out hero to stay with us. Qlvo
tho ordor to Sambo, or I Bhall."
Colonel Hampton's oyos widened
with surprise. "Why, but Lucy," ho
Htumtnorod. "Why but why should
I What claim havo wo "
"Oh, nonsonso," and Lucy shook hor
head Impatlontly.' "Who has more
claim? Aron't wo Virginians of tho
James river princes in our own coun
try, too? Hasn't our family reigned
In Itoangko longer than over his
cotgnod In Europo? Haven't wo
enough houso room and serynnts to
tnako him as comfortablo as in a pal
ace? But that Isn't tho most impor
tant. It Is a flhainu to us all, father,
that no ono Imb Invited him before,
that a strango gcutlomun of high sta
tion should havo to lodgo at an inn.
Why hasn't Cousin. Georgo Ilurrlqpn
naked hlai to Brandon? And tho Car
ters at Shlrloy, and tho people at
Bnrkeloy what do they moan by not
unking him? Hut wo won't lot Vir
ginian houpltallty bo stained. Wo will
ask him. You will rldo to Norfolk at
.suco, will you not, fathor dear?"
Tho touch on- his cheek was pleas
ftnt to tho vain and affoctlonato man,
'but tho spirit of tho girl's speech, tho
, Buggcstlon 01! Iho fmrtoBy duo from
'him an n reigning prince, to this other
prlnco forlorn nnd oxllod, this was
lplcaaantor. Ho pursued his lips and
amllod down.
j "Out ot tho mouth of babes," ho re
marked, and drow his brows together
n It uudor stress of largo machinery
bohlnd thorn. "My little girl, you
'havo rathor a sensible Idea. I bad
'overlooked boforo, that" ho cJoarod
iilH throat and black Aaron standing
tray in baud across tho room, jumped
ih1 rollod his eyes "that," ho contln
tted, "a man of my Importance has du
ties of hospitality, oven to u forolgnor
Tvho comes without introduction Into
U10 country "
"Aaron, toll Sambo to eaddlo Thuu
flor," ho ordered.
Prlnco Louis, hi his dingy parlor at.
tilts Inn, looked at his vlsltdr from bo
tavooii half-Bhut oyelids, aud measured'
5ilm, soul and body. Ho considered
the hivitutlon for a silent moment,
"this was ono of tho great men of tho
isoulitry. Tho prince had already
lioard his name and tho name of his
historic homo. It was well to havo
Intluontlnl friends, more particularly
us no letter awaited him as ho hud
hoped from his uncle, Joseph Honu
parte, with tho American Introduc
tions for which he had askod. A visit
of u few days at this pluce of Hoati
ke could do no harm and might lead
ito good
"I thank you very much, Monslour
1o Colonel," ho said gravely, yet gra
ciously. "You nro most good to de
ulro that I visit yfju. I will do so
with plousuro."
Out they rodo through tho buii-
lighted, wind-whipped country, dozing
roatf'iilly through Us last winter's uap,
V
stirring already at tho stop of lively
April on tho threshold. Tho air wbb
sharp, nnd nipped at tho prince's lin
gers and toes, but It wns exhilaration
to bo across a horse again, and tho
exile's spirit tho case-hardened heart
of eteel whlqh failure and mtsfortuno
never brofto till It broke forever at
Sodu. grow buoyant. That "some
thing about the outside of a horse
which Is good for the Inside ot a man"
worked Its subtlo charm on this fin
ished horseman and horse lover, and
ho was gontly responsive as tho col
ouol talked fluently on.
"Docs It so happen, Monsieur lo
Colonel, that there Is In these parts
a Frenchman of ot Instruction a
man whom 1 might use ob a secretary?
I shall havo need tomorrow to write
letters. Would you know of such a
man, MonBleur lc Colonel?"
Nothing pleased Monsieur lo Col
onel more than to bo master of the sit
uation. "Most certainly,' ho an
swered blandly and felt that tho
prlnco must notice how no demand
could find Colonel Hampton at a loss.
"Most certainly. My daughter's
French master would bo the very fel
low. Ho is intelligent and well edu
cated, and what Is more, he Is a most
nrdont ndhcront ot your family, prlnco.
Ho has talked to Miss Hampton with
such a vehement enthusiasm that, by
tho Lord Harry, I believe sho expects
to sco you fly in with wings, slrI be
llovo sho does," nnd tho colonel laugh
ed loudly and heartily. It was as good
a Joko as ho had over made.
And boforo them, at that mo
ment, roBo a . Btatoly picture
largo old houso, 'built of dark red brick
brought from England, towered sud
denly from out ot tho bare trees of Its
park llko a monument of calm hos
pitality. Its Bteop roof was set with
dormer windows; Its copings nnd Its
casements were white stone; a white
stono tcrraco stretched before It. At
ono front, as thoy came, was tho car
riage entrance, and tho squares of a
formal English garden, walled with
box hedges, lay sleeping boforo tho
sprlngtimo; nt tho opposlto side a
wldosIawn fell to a massive brick wall,
spaced with Btono plllnrs, guarding
the grounds from tho flowing of tho
James rlvor. Colonel Hampton gazed
at tho homo of his people and then nt
his guoBt, nnd ho cast tho harness of
his smallnessos nnd stood out In tho
simple and lnrgo cordiality which 1b
tho horltago abovo othors of southern
people.
"Your aro welcome to Iloanoke,
prlnco," ho said.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Brothers.
Colonel Hampton's study was dark
from floor to celling with brown oak
wainscoting and was lightened by a
dull brightness of portraits. An an
cestor In a scarlet coat, tho red turn
ed yollow and brown with tlmo; an
ancestress In dimmed glory of bluo
satin nnd laco and pearls; a Judgo In
his wig nnd gown, gave tho small
room Importance. A broad window
looked through baro branches, lacy
black agahiBt sky, ncross a rolling
country and groups of woodland.
On the morning of tho llrst day of
April, 1837, Prlnco Louis Nnpoleon
Bonaparte Btood at this window, star-
IMIEMI
He Considered the Invitation for a Si
lent Moment.
lng nt brown fields nnd trying to trnco
n llkonoBs botwoon this now world
and tho ancient country which ho call
ed his; France, where, slnco ho was
soven years old, ho hud been allowed
to spend but a few weeks; Franco,
which had freshly oxlled lilm; France,
tho thought ot which ruled him, 11a ho
meant ono day to rulo her; Franco, for
whom ho was eating his heart out to
day, as always, thousands of miles
from her shores.
Ho recalled tho happy llfo nt Aren
onborg, In Switzerland, and tho work
and play and soldierly trnlnjng which
all pointed, hi tho boy's mtud, to ono
end to servo Franco n service which
did not nt that tlmo mean sovereign
ty, for tho Duke of Holchstndt, Na
poleon's son, was allvo and tho head
ot tho house of Honnparto. Ho
thought ot IiIb short career, his and
lllB
woll-bolovcd bi other's togethor,
with tho Italian Insurgents against tho
Auutriaus, and tho lonely man's heart
W mmm
longed for his own pcoplo as ho went
ovor again that tlmo at excitement
and Borrow, ending with tho older
boy's dfath nt Forll and his own Ill
ness aud narrow escape from capture.
"What a mother I" ho cried nloud,
tossing up his hands with French dem-l
onstratlvcnosB, as tho memory camo
to him of tho days in Ancona when ho
lny at death's door, hidden In tho very
room next that of the Austrian gen
oral, saved only at last by tho mar
velous motl.or's wit and courage Tho
Journey through Italy to Franco, that
wna drama enough for one llfo. Rec
ognized at every turn, betrayed never,
and ending with Prlnco Louis smiled
his slow dim smile a fitting ending
indeed to days whoso every mlnuto
was .ndventuro. He thought of tho
landlord of the Inn, tho old cavalry
man; tho young Frenchman Beaupro
that was the namn; It was sot In his
memory; had been In that tenacious
momory slnco an afternoon of 1824,
whon a runaway schoolboy prlnco had
slipped over tho Jura, nnd played with
threo other children, about a ruined
castlo; ho saw Francrls Beaupro tako
roverontly lu his hand the sword which
Napoleon had held and thon the
alarm! That was a fine sight the
dash of the youugster through tho
startled mob of Austrlans; the flying
leap to tho horso; the skirmish to get
frco, and, at last, tho rush of tho
chaso. Ho had seen it all, watching
quietly while his mother and the land
lord Implored him to hide himself.
That young Frenchman If ho should
bo alive If over ho should meet him
again Prlnco Louis would not forget.
It was psychological that he should
have been thinking this when a knock
sounded deferentially on tho door of
tho room. But picturesque coinci
dences happen In llveB as well as on
tho stago; In Louis Napoleon's there
wns more thnn ono. "Entrez!" ho
called sharply, nnd then, "Come In!"
Tho door swung slowly and Aaron,
white-aproned aud whlto-eyeballed,
stood in it.
"Marse Prince," ho stated with a dig
nity of service which crowned heads
could not daunt, "ole Marso sen mo
bring you dls hyer Marse Bopray."
A light figure stepped boforo tho
black and white of Aaron, and halted,
and bowed profoundly. The light from
tho window shone on IiIb face und the
dark Immenso eyes that lifted toward
Prince Louis, and for a moment ho
stared, puzzled. Was ho In tho pres
ent? Surely this man was part of the
past which ho had been reviewing.
Surely ho hnd played a, role in tho
prince's hlBtory whero? With a
Hashing thought into tho years ho
knew.
"Mon nni!" cried Louis Bonaparte,
nnd sprang forward and stretched out
botli hnnJs, his royalty forgotten in
tho delight of seeing a faco which re
called his youth and his mother.
FrnncolB, two minutes lator, found
himself standing, bursting with loyal
ty and 'prldo, with tho prlnco's hands
clasping his, nnd the prince's trans
formed faco beaming on lilm.
"You rodo like tho devil," said the
prlnco. "But tho Austrlans had the
horses., That poor Bleu-bleu! How
did you got awny? Whero havo you
been? Mon DIou, but we looked for
you, Zappl nnd I!"
"But no, your highness, I did not
get away," smiled Francois Beaupre
as If Imparting a joyful bit of. news.
"They caught me."
And ho told briefly his story ot the
llvo years in prison, of tho desperate
escape, of tho roscuo and voyngo to
America, of his wrecked health, not
yet rc-CBtaDiisiied. Through tho ac
count shono tho unconquornblo French
gaiety. Another thing there was
which a Frenchman and a Bonaparto
could not fall to seo that the thought
of his service to tho houso of Bona
parto had been a sustaining pride,
and tho liopo of future service nn in
spiring hope
Superstition nnd gratttudo laid hold
togethor on the prlnco's troubled
mind. Ho throw hlmsolf back Into
Colonel Hampton's loather arm-chair,
throne-liko In Imprcsslveness and slzo;
tho mask of Impassivity closed on his
colorless featuos.
"Sit there, Monsieur," he ordered,
"nnd toll 1110 your llfo."
Simply, yot dramatically as was his
gift, the young man went over tho
talo which ho had told to Lucy Hamp
ton, that and more. And tho prlnco
listened to overy word. He, too, had
tho French senBltlvenesB to theatrical
offect, and his over-wrought Imagina
tion seemod to seo tho hand of destiny
visibly joining this story to IiIb. Hero
was a legacy from Napoleon; an In
strument created by his uncle, which
he, tho heir, should ubo. There was
a long silence when FrnncolB had fin
ished, nnd Louis' deop-pltchod voice
broko It.
'"One day perhaps a marshal of
Franco under another Bonaparte,' " ho
repeated thoughtfully. "it was tho
accolade, the old right of rovaltty,"
and gazed, if reflecting, at the other
man's face.
Holghtoned color told how much it
meant to Francois Beaupro to hoar
those words spoken by tho pilnce.
"My prlnco, I will tell yon though
It may be of little momont to know
that It Is not for my own advance
ment that I caro. It Is the truth that
1 would throw away a hundred Uvcb
If 1 had them, to seo tho houso ot Bon
uparto rulo Franco It Is only so, I
bollovo, that Franco cun bocome groat
onco more. Wo need horoos to lad
us, wo Fronchmon, not shopkeeper
kings such as Louis Phllllppo; If It has
not a hero tho nation loaus courage,
and Its Intorost In national llfo. But
tho very nnmo of Napoleon Is Insplra
tlon It pricks the blood; a monarch
or uuu nnmo on I'Tanoo's throno, and
our country will wako, will live You,
my prlnco, aro Ui hope of tho house
of Nupoleou.''
With a quick step forward ho throw
himself on his knees before tho qulot
figure in tho throno-Uke chair; ho seiz
ed tho prlnco's hand and, head bent,
kissed it with paBslon. Thero was a
lino of color in each cheek as his face
lifted, and his brilliant look was shot
with a tear.
"If I may die believing that I havo
helped to win your throno, I shall dlo
In happiness."
Prlnco Louis hnd his mother's warm
heart, and this wont to It. He put his
hand on tho other's shou4der, famil
iarly as if tho two wore equals, kins
men. The brotherly touch on Francois'
shoulder was withdrawn, and with gen
tlo dignity, with a glance, the prlnco
lifted lilm to his feet, and Francois
stood happy, dazed, beforo him. Ho
found himself telling his plans, hlB
methods, hla efforts to fit hlmBolf for
the usefulness thnt might bo on tho
way
"I havo studied enormously, my
prlnco. All known books on warlike
subjects, all 1 could borrow or Bteal I
havo Btudled. Ah, yesl I know much
of these things."
Louis Bonaparto, with an exhaustive
military education, a powor of appll-
uriFiui
"Mon Ami,", Cried Loulo Bonaparte.
cation and nbsorptlon beyond moat
men In Europe, let the gleam of a
smllo escapo. Ho listened with close
attention while Francois toldot his
organization of the youth ot tho neigh
borhood Into a cavalry company, and
of their drill twice a week.
"And you are tho captain, Mon
sieur?" Francois Bmlled a crafty, worldly
wise smile or perhapB It was as if a
child would seem crafty and worldly
wise. "No, my prlnco," ho answered,
shaking his head sagely. "That would
not bo beBt. I am little known, a for
eigner. They think much of their old
families, tho people of these parts.
So that It Is better 'for tho success
of tho company that tho captain should
bo of the nobility of tho country. Ono
sees that. So tho captain of tho com
pany Is Monsieur Honry Hampton, tho
younger, tho kinsman of Monsieur lo
Colonel, and a young man of great
goodness, and tho best of friends to
me. Everything that I can do for his
pleasure 1b my own pleasure."
Tho prince turned his expression
loss gaze on tho animated face. "Mad
omolsello Lucy likes the young mon
sieur?" "But yes, my prince she 'likes ev
ery one, Mademoiselle Lucy. It Is sun
shine, her kindness; It falls every
where and blesses where It falls. She
loves Honry as a brother."
"Aa a brother!" the prince repeated
consideringly. "Yes, a brother. You
find Mademoiselle Lucy of of a kind
disposition."
"Beyond words, and most charm
ing," Frnncols answerod steadily, and
flushed a little. Ho felt himself being
probed. With that tho facile, myste
rious, keen mind of tho prlnco leaped,
It seemed, a world-wldo chasm. "That
most winning llttlo girl of tho ruined
chateau of Vieques our playmate
AUxe you remember how sho stated,
'I am Allxe,' and was at once ship
wrecked with embarrassment?"
"I remember," Francois said shortly,
and wns conscious that ho breathed
quickly and that his throat was dry,
and that tho prince know of both trou
bles. "Is sho still 'Allxe' the same
Allxo?" Inquired tho prince, turning os
tentatiously to the window. "Has she
grown up as sweet and fresh and bril
liant a flowor as tho rosobud prom
ised?" Francois, hearing IiIb own heart
beat, attempted to answer in a par
ticularly casual manner, which is a dif
ficult and sophisticated trick. Ho fail
ed at It. "Thoy say 1 think sho
has oh, but yes, and I think" he
stammered nntl tho prlnco cut short
his sufferings. "Ah, yes! I soo that
It is with you, as with Monsieur Hen
ry, a cbbo ot devoted brotheihood. You
lovo hor as n brother you will not
boast of her
"You havo dono well, Chevalier
Beaupre. You have dono so well that
whon tho time Is ripe again It will
not bo long for Strasburg must b'o
wiped out In success that I shall send
for you to help me, and I shall know
that you will bo rendy. I seo that
tho star which lends ub both Is tho
only light which shines for you. It
holds our undivided soul, ChovnIIor
I am right?"
Francds turned his swiftly chang
ing face toward tho speaker, drawn
with a fooling which swopt ovor hlni;
for 11 moment ho did not nuBwor. Thon
ho spoke in n low tone
"Whon a knight of tho old time
wont to battlo," ho said, "ho woro on
his helmet tho badgo of his lady and
carried tho thought of her In hla heart.
A man lights better so."
I &2U 1110 Biioiii punco unuerstood.
CHAPTER XXV.
How Lucy Told. ,
Tho prince was gone Thrj hid
been festivities nnd formalities, &reat
dinners, gatherings ot the Virginia no
blllty to do honor to his highness nt
Roanoko houso nnd elsewhere; every
where tho Chevalier Beaupre had been
distinguished by his highness' most
inarked favor. And Lucy Hampton's
eyeB had shone with quiet delight to
seo it and to seo tho effect on her fa
ther. For tho colonel, confused In his
mind as to how It might bo true, re
luctantly acknowledged that thore
must bo something of lmportanco
about this Chevallor Beaupre, that a
prjnco should trcnt him as a brother.
Ho believed that it would be best to
treat him ho also at least as a gen
tleman1. So tho French lessons wero
continued and the Jefferson troop was
encouraged, and Francois was asked
often to Iloanoke house. And as the
months rolled on ho tried with every
thoughtful and considerate effort to
express to tho little lady of tho manor
his gratltudo for tho goodnesB of her
family. It troubled him moro than a
llttlo that tho early friendliness and
Intimacy of Harry Hampton seemed to
bo wearing off. The boy did not comb
so often to Carnlfax, and when ho
camo ho did not stay for hours, for
days BomotlmoB, as was his way at
first. Ho was uneasy with his friend,
and his friend wondered and did not
understand, but hesitated to push a
way into tho lad's heart. "Ho will
tell mo in tlmo," thought Francois,
and, suro of his own Innocence, wait
ed for tho tlmq.
Meantlmo he was going homo. Go
ing, much against tho advice of tho
Norfolk doctor, who warned him that
he was not yet well or strong, that
tho out-of-door life In tho mild Vir
ginia climate should be continued per
haps for two years moro, beforo he
went back to the agitation and effort
of a Bonapartist agent in France. But
ho could not wait; he must see his old
home, his mother, his father, and all
the unforgotten faces. Ho longed to
watch the black lashes curl upward
from tho blue of Allxe's eyes. Ho
longed to hear her clear volco with
Its boyish note of courage. It would
put new llfo into him, that voice It
was seven years now and more since
he had left them nil at a day's notice
to go to Pletro In Italy to a living
death of five years, to many undream
ed of happenings. The fever was on
him and lie must go home.
There was to bo a celebration for
the new and very fashionable cavalry
troop of which Francois wns the un
official backbone and author. In the
great grassy paddock at Bayly's Folly
the proud mother of eighteen-year-old
Caperton Bayly llrst lieutenant, and
tho most finished horseman in the Vir
ginia country had Invited tho gentry
from miles about to feast, with her and
to wntch her son and his friends show
how the Chevalier Beaupro had made
them into soldiers. They came In
shoals, driving from far off over bad
roads in big lurching chariots, or rid
ing in gay companies, mostly of older
men and girls and young boys, be
cause all of the gilded youth were In
tbo ranks that day.
When tho drill was over thero was to
bo rough riding and jumping. Hur
dles wero swiftly .dragged out and
placed in a manner of ring.
"This one is very close to the bank,"
said Lucy Hampton, standing by Blue
bird and watching as the negroes
placed tho bars. "If a horse refused
and turned sharp and was foolish, he
might go over, And the bank is
steop."
"Lucy, you aro a grandm6therly per
son," Clifford Stewart who was an
other girl threw at her. "You would
like them nil to rldo in wadded wool
dressing gowns, and to havo a wall
pndded with cotjton batting to guard
them." And Lucy smiled and believed
herself overcautious.
Tho excited horses came dunclng up
to tho barriers and lifted und were
over, with or without rapping, but not
one, for the first round, refusing.
Then tho bars woro raised bIx Inches;
six Inches in mid-air Is a largo space
whon one must Jump it. Caperton
Bayly went at It first; his mothor
watched breathless as ho tlew for
ward, sitting erect, intense, his young
eyes gleaming. Over went his great
horso Traveler, and over tho next and
the next all of them; but tho whlto
heels had struck the top bar twice
tbo beautiful, spirited performance
was not perfect. Harry Hampton
camo next; all ot tho kindly multitude
gazed eagerly, hoping that tho boy to
whom life had given less than tho
others might win UiIb honor he want
ed. Tho first bars without rapping;
tho second; and a suppressed sound of
satisfaction, which might soon be a
great roar of pleasure, hummed ovor
the field. Black Hawk came rushing,
snorting, pulling up to tho third Jump,
tho jump where Lucy stood. And aa
he camo a llttlo girl, high In a car
riage, a chariot as ono said then, flour
ished her scnrlot parasol In the air,
and lost hold ot it, and It flow like a
huge red bird Into the course, clos'o
to the hurdle. And Black Hawk,
strung to the highest point of his
thoroughbred nerves, Baw, and a hor
ror of the flaming living thing, as it
seemod, caught lilm, and ho swerved
at the bar and bolted bolted straight
for tho stoop slopo.
A gasp went up from tho throo hun
dred, four hundred pooplo; tho boy
wns dashing to death; no ono stirred;
every musclo was rigid tho specta
tors wore paralyzed Not all. Fran
cols from his babyhood had known
how to think quickly, and those boys
wero his pride and his care, ho hud
thought of that possible danger which
Lucy had forsoon; when the jumping
began, mounted on his mare Aquorollo,
ho was posted near the head of the
slope, not twenty yards from the hur
Ue, to be at hand In any contingency.
When Hnrry'B horse bolted, ono loue&
put Aquarelle Into motion. Llko a
line ot brown light she dashed at right
angles to tho runaway n linn dram
to lntorcept tho line of Blnci Hawk's
flight. There was sllcnc: over tho
Held ono Becond two seconds thd
lines ahot to tho nnglo then It camo
the Bhock they awaited.
Black Hawk, rushing, saw tho other
coming nnd swerved at tho last mo-1
nient too late. The animals collided,,
not with full force, yet for n momon
it, looked llko nothing but death for
lldors and mounts, Harry Hampton
was thrown bnckward to the level
field; Black Hawk galloped off, frantle
and unhurt, across It; Aquarelle, onu
saw, lay on tho very edge bf the drop
and wns scrambling to her feet with
liveliness enough to assure her safo
ty; of Francois there wns no sign. In
half a mlnuto tho breathless still
crowd was In an uproar, and a hun
dred men woro jostling one nnothof
to reach tho sceuo of tho accident.
It was two minutes, perhaps, before
Caporton Bayly, with a negro boy at
his heels, with Jack Littleton and
Harry Wlso and a dozen other lads
racing back of him, had plunged over
the drop of land whero Francois had
disappeared. Two minutes are enough
Bomctlmea for a large event. In that
two minutes Lucy Hampton, without
conscious volition, by nn instinct an
slmplo and imperative as a bird's In
stinct to shield her young, had slipped
from hor horse Bluebird and flown
ncroBS tbo level and down over the
steep bank till sho found herself hold
ing Francois' dark head in her arms
and heard her own voids saying words
sho had never said even tb herself.
"I fovo you, I lovo you," she said,
and If all the world heard she did not
know or care. There was no world
for her nt that mlnuto but the man
lying with his head against her heart
dead It might be, but dead or allvo,
dearest. "I love you lovo you love
you," sho repeated, as If the soul were
rushing out of her In tho words.
With that tho luminous great eyes
opened, and Francois was looking at
her, and she knew that he had heard.
And then tho training of a lifetime, of
centuries, flooded back Into her, and
womanly reticence and maidenly
shnme and the feelings and attitudo
which are not primeval, as she had
been primeval for that one mad mo
ment. Sho drew back as she felt him
trying to lift himself, and left him freo
and was on hor feet, and then with a
shock sho was aware of another pres
ence; turning she looked up Into tho
angry glow of her cousln'B eyes. He
waB not looking at her, but at the man
who, dazed, hurt, was trying painfully
to pull himself up. Harry Hampton
glared at him.
"We will settle this later," he
brought out through his teeth. "I hope
I can kill you." And Lucy cried out:
"Shamo!" sho cried. "He has just
saved your life)"
"Damn him!" said Harry Hampton.
"I do not want my life at his hands.
1 hate lilm more for saving mo. Damn
him!"
And Francois, clutching at a bush,
things reeling about him unsteadily,
looked up, friendly, wistful, at the boy
cursing him.
With thnt there was an Influx of
population; the whole world, appar
ently, tumbled down the steep bank,
Sjffjgr '' j! M
She Found Herself Holding Francois'
' Dark Head In Her Arms.
every one far too preoccupied with
help for tho hero to remark Harry
Hampton's grim humor.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Bobble Burns' Granddaughter.
An action has been entered In Dum
fries 8horlff court by MIbs Annie Beck
ett Burns of Cheltenham, tho only sur
viving granddaughter of the Scottish
poet, claiming "to have herself, as the
nearest of kin, declared executrix of
certain hitherto unconfirmed personal
estate of tho said Robert BurnB." This
is a sequel to tho recent announce
ment that tho Liverpool Athenaeum
had sold for 5,000 fho two volumea
of Burns' poems and bettor known as
tho dlonrlddell manuscripts, nnd that
thoy wero likely to go to Amorlca, an
announcement which brought strong
protests from Lord Roseborry, Dr. Wil
liam Wallace and others. Westmin
ster Gazette
Old American Coins.
Robert Morris, the financier of thn
Confederation, early In 1783, arranged
with Benjamin Dudley to striko off
somo "pattern pieces" that could bo
placed beforo congress. On April 2
Dudley doltvered to Morris soma
pieces, which woro In reftlltji tho llrst
coin struck having the nnmo "United
Stntos coin." Tho particular sped
mens are known to numismntlsts as
tho "Nova Constellatlo Paterus."
TJipy woro of silver and denominated
tho' "mark" and quint." Tho llrst
colus struck by the United State
mint were Fomr half dimes, lu 1782.
'
