THE NORTH PLATTE SEMNWEEKLY TRIBUNE.
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menmrusL
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MARY RATOD diwnm ANDREWS'
AUTHOR cf TMCRRfTCr Tf?lf)UrC, THC DETTfTf? TREAdlM", TC
ILLUSTRATION LLIVORTfl OVNG-
cofM?i&fr sa by cooes srr??u qomphy 13 12 12 IS
SYNOPSIS.
I'r.inroH lli-ntipro n peasant bsb nf
Ibiee yimrs, nftcr an amusltif; Incident In
which Marshal Noy tlgim-i, Is tnniln n
Cliivflllor of rnince by the Kmppror Na
poleon, who prophesied Unit tin- hoy
nilKht one da be h iriarthal nf 1'rnnce
itmipr another Ilonnpnrlo. At the age of
ton ItmicoIb visits (lenernl Huron Uas
imril Uourwud, who with Allxo, hH
ppn-ypar-old daiiKhfer, lives at the
Chateau. A soldier of thp Kmplre under
Napoleon lie fires the boy's ImiiKlnntlon
with stories nf his citmpnlKus. The boy
l'"om a roplst fur tin- Kciifral ami
learns of tin- friendship between tho Ken
t rnl and Marquis Znppl. who iwnpaluneil
wth tin- general umlur Napoleon. Mar
quis Znppl ami his son. i'letro. arrive nt
the Chateau. The Keupral nrpes to rnro
lor the Marquis' hou while tho former
kops id America The .Marquis asks Kran-
oIh to ln a friend of hlH son. Tho boy
solemnly promises. Kranrols koph to the
Chateau to live. Manjnls Xnppl dies eav
I",'? I'lefo iih ii wanl of the Koneral.
AIIxo. I'lotro anil Francois meet n strniiKe
bov who provcH to bo I'rlnco Louis Na
poleon Krancols saves IiIh life. Tile fun
eral discovers FrnnoolM loves Allxo. nnil
xtnicts a promise from hlin that Iip will
not Interfere between tho Klrl anil I'lntro.
Francois rocs to Italy iih secretary to
I'letro. Qiippii Hortoiiso plniM thP Pscape
of her son Louis Napoleon by illtftuhilnK
liltii and Man i ii In tfappl as her lackey.
1 rancols taken Miirnnlu y.nt.ni'u ninn..
who Is 111, In the cicupe of Hortenso nid
T.oiiIh. Dressed aa Louis' brother Krnn
rolH itiroB tlio AiiHtilutiu from tho hotel nl
lowing tho prlnco oml bin mother to es
capr. Francois Is prisoner of the Aus
trlans for flv years, tn the castle owned
liv I'lotro In Italy. He illscftvors In Ids
KiinnI oiiu of Metro's olil family servants,
nnd through him sends woril to his
friijmlH of his plight. The general, AIIxo
iiml I'lotro plmiH Francois' escape. Fran
cols receives ti note from I'letro explain
ing In detail how to escapn from his
Iirlsoii. Allxi ftwalls lilm on horsphaclt
mid loads him to IiIh friends on board
the American snlllmr vessel, tlio "lively
J-ncy I'rancols, us u Riiest of Harry
Hampton, on the "I.ovnly I.ncy," robh to
America to mimane I'ietrn'H estato In
Airulnla. I.tiey Hampton falls In lovo
with I-rnneols. I'rlnee Louis Napoleon
in America bocoinos tho uest of tho
HnmptpnH. where he meets Krnncols.
J.ncy Hampton roveals lier lovo for Krnn
cols after tho latter saves tho llfo of
Harry Hampton and Is hlmsolf Injured
in tho effort.
CHAPTER XXVI.
The Finest Things.
Endurance, Francois' own negro boy,
brought a noto to Honnoko bouso on n
morning flvo tlnyn nftcr. It rend:
"My enr MIbs llnmpton:
"Tho doctor hntt given mo normla
ulon to rido tomorrow and I wish to
rldo to Roanoko Iiouho boforo all oth
or placefl. Will inadomolaollo aeo mo?
Will mndomoiacllo pcrnilt mo to aeo
lier for a short time alone? I awqit
nnxioualy a word from you, and I am
your Bervant,
"FRANCOIS niSAUPRB."
Madcmolsollo sent a fair Bheot of
paper with a few unsteady acratchos.
across It, and sat down to livo over
It wna accomplished. Tho colonel had
ridden to Norfolk for tho day krtd
Francola known of that, ono wondorB?
lAicy, waiting in that amull stately
Htudy with tho dim portraits and tho
wldo vaguo view across tho Holds of
the James river, heqrd tho gay hoof
lieatB of Aquarollo pound down tho
gravel under tho window, hoard Fran
cola' doop gentle volco as ho gavo tho
liorao to Sambo, and waited ono mln
uto moro, tlio hardest minuto jot all.
Then tho door had opened and ho stood
thoro tho mlraclo, as it aeoms nt such
moments to a woman, possibly to a
man of all tho gifts and qualities
worth loving.
Ho had made his preciso bow, and
lie had heard his volco saying gently:
"Good morning, madomoiaolley" and
tho door was closed; and thoy woro
iilono together. In a flash bIio folt that
It could not do ondured, that ahe must
fsenpo. Sho roso haatlly.
"I'm sorry I must go; I cannot
Htny "
Hut Francola had laughed and takon
her hand and was holding It with a
tender forco which thrlllod her. He
understood. She know ho understood
tho ahnmo find fear of a woman who
has given lovo unasked; ho wbb iiafo
In his hands; alio know that, with a
Blgh sho lot hor Angora reat In his and
r.at down again and waited.
"Dear Mfldeniolnello Lucy," said tho
leop kind voice, "my llrat friend in
Virginia, aiy comrade, my little
scholar"
Why did Lucy grow cold and quiet
at theso words of gontlonoBa? Fran
cola wis sitting beside her, holding
icr hand la both his, gazing at her
ith Uto clearest affection In his look.
Yet aho bracofi herself against alio did
not know what. Tho volco went on
with Its winning foreign lnflectiona, Us
Blip of English now and thou, and Its
nover-to-be-doHcrlbed powor of reach
ing tho heart!
"See, madomolBollo," said Francola.
"we aro too real frlonda, you nnd I, to
have deception between ua. Wo will
not pretend, you und 1, to each other
la It not, mademoiselle? Thoroforo I
nhall not try to hldo from you that I
heard that day those words so wondor
ful which you spoke to mo ko unwor
thy, I have thought of those words
over since, mademoiselle, aa 1 lay 111
w.th thla troublesome nrm; ovor since
all tho time. My heart haa been full
f a gratification to you which cannot
bo told. I shall remember ull my life;
1 shall bo honored as no king could
honor me, by those words. And be
cause you havo so touched mo, and
have bo laid that little hand on the
heart of mo, I am going to tell you, my
dear comrado and scholar, what Ih
nioHt secret and moat aacrcd to me."
In as few words as might bo, ho told
lior of tho peasant child who had been
lifted out of IiIb poverty-bound llfo
-with such largo kludllneaa that no
liond which held him to that poor, yet
dear life had been broken; who had
beon left all tho lovo of hlB first home
and yet been givon a homo and a train
ing nnd an education which aet him
ready for any careor; ho told of the
blg-souled, blunt, Napoleonic olllcor,
tho seigneur; of tho gray, red-roofed
caatlo, with Its four round towers; of
hnndsomo silent Pletro, and of tho
unfailing long kindness of tht'm all.
Then, hla volco lowered, holding tho
girl's hand still, ho told her of AIIxo,
of the fairy child who had mot him on
thnt day of his llrat visit and had
brought him to hor father, tho seig
neur. Ho described a llttlo the play
mate of hla childhood, fearlesa, boyish
In her intrepid courage, yet always ex
quisitely a girl. Ho told of tlio long
Hiiminor vacations of tho three nB they
grew up, nnd tho rides in tlio Jura val
ley, and of that last rido when ho know
that ho was to go to Italy next morn
lug, and of how ho had faced the solg
neur and told him that he loved his
daughter and hnd given her up then,
instantly, for loyalty to him and to
I'lotro. And then ho told her of the
pensant boy In Riders' Hollow In tho
gray morning light after tho night of
hla escapeand how, by hnnd on tho
Urldlo and aent In the saddle, and at
inBt by tho long curl of tho black Iaah
cb ho had known tho poasant boy for
AIIxo.
Lucy Hampton, listening, wbb ao
thrlllod with this romanco of a life
long lovo that alio could silence her
aching heart and hor aching prido nnd
could bo wUh a. painful aldk effort
hut yet could bo, uttorly generous.
Thero Is no midway in a case between
entlro aelllahneBs and entire solflcsa
ness. Tho young southern girl, wound
ed, Bhamed, cruelly hurt In vanity and
In lovo, wus able to chooso the larger
way, and taking It, felt that Bharp Joy
of renunciation which la as keen and
dilllcult to brentho and aa aweot In tho
breathing ua the air of a mountain
top. Trembling, alio put her other lit
tlo hand on Francois' hands.
"I eco," she said, and her voice shook
and alio smiled mistily, but very kind
ly, 'lou could not lovo nuyone but
that beautiful Allxe. I I would not
havo you."
And Francola bont haatlly. with
tears In hla eyes, and kissed tho wnrm
llttlo hands. Tho uncertain sliding
voice went on:
"I am not ashamed that I said
that to you. I would not havo aald
It not for worlds. I thought you
woro killed. I didn't know what I
Bald. But I am not ashamed. I am
glad that I am enough of a person to
havo known tho llnest things and"
her volco sank and sho whispered
the next words ovor tho dark head
bont on her hands "nnd to havo loved
them. Hut don't bother. I Bhall got
ovor It."
Tho liquid tones choked a bit on
that and Francois lifted " hlB head
quickly and his oyos flamed at her,
"Of courBo you will, my dear llttlo
girl, my bravo mndomoisello. It la not
as you think; It la not serious, mon
amlo. It 1b only that your soul is full
of kindness and enthusiasm and oagor
iiobs to stand by tho unlucky. I nm
alouo and. expatriated; I havo had a
llttlo of mafortune and you aro sorry
for mo. It is that. Ah, I know. I am
very old and wlso, mo. It would never
do," ho wont on. "Tho noblesse of
Virginia would rlao in a revolution if
it should bo that tho princess of Roa
noko houeo gavo her heart to a Fronch
pcusnnt. I am como to be a man of
He Bent Over Her Hand.
knowledge" And ho shook hla head
with as worldly-wise an expression as
if ono of Cluldo Rent's dnrk angols
should talk politics. He wont on again,
smiling a llttlo, an air of daring In his
manner. "Moreover. Matlomoiaollo
MIbb Lucy, thoro la a fairy prlnco who
uwalta only tho smalloat sign from
you."
Lucy smiled, "No," she said. And
then, "A fairy prince In Virginia?"
"Ah, yes, Madomolsello Miss Lucy.
Of tho true nohloBso, thnt otto. A lino,
big, linndBomo prlnco, tho right sort."
"Who?" domnnded Lucy, smiling
still.
"Of such a right sort Indeed that It
la no matter ah, no, but porhaps Just
tho thing to mako ono lovo him moro,
thnt ho Is lamo."
"Ilarryl" Luoy'B smite faded.
"Hut yea, Indeed, mon amle," and
Francola patted tho llttlo hand with
hla big ono. "Honry, Indeed. Henry,
who is waiting to kill mo for lovo of
you; Henry, tho beat truest follow, tho
manlleat bravest follow. Who rides
Hko Honry? Who has road nil tho
books in all tho libraries llko Honry 7
Who Is respected by tho old men, tho
great mon, for his knowledge and hla
thinking nnd hla atatccraft almost
llko Henry? Who haB such a great
heart and brain and such fearlesa
courago as Henry?"
"You aro very loyal to your frlonds,"
Lucy snld, half pleased, half stabbed
to the aoul.
"Certainly. What for la gratification
worth, otherwise?" Francois throw at
her earnestly. Thoro woro a few Eng
lish Vords too much for him Btill;
"gratltudo" seemed to bo ono. Ho stood
up nnd his groat eyes glowed down at
hor. "Mademoiselle," he said, "two
women of earth, my mother and Allxe.
aro for mo tho Madonnas, tho crown of
women," nnd his glance lifted to tho
celling nB If to heaven, without pose,
unconscioua a look no American
could ever hnvo worn. "And, volla,
mademoiselle my llttlo scholnr will al
ways stand next to and closo to them."
Ho bont over her hand nnd hla lips
touched It long nnd tenderly. "Is It
right botweon us, mon amle? Aro we
friends alwayB? It Is indeed so for
llfo with me."
And llttlo Lucy folt a healing pence
settling on hor bruised feellncs nnd
heard horsolf saying generous words
of friendship which healed also as she
spoko them.
Then, "I must And that savage boy
Henry, and beseech him to spare ray
life," spoko Francois at lnat. "My life
Is of more vultio today, thnt It jkis
sosses a sure friend in Mademoiselle
Lucy," ho aaid and smiled radiantly.
And was gone.
"Ho said thnt Harry loved mo!
What nonsenBo!" Lucy whispered to
herself. And tho broken-hearted one
was smiling.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Once More at Home.
In fewer words, with less told, Fran
cols' straightforwardness metamor
phosed the angry lad Harry Hampton
Into a follower moro devoted than ho
had been even in the float flush of en
thusiasm for his rescued prisoner.
Again tho boy dogged his footsteps
and adored him frankly. And Francois,
enchanted to bo friends again with
hla friend, wondered at tho goodnesa
and generosity of the people of this
world. It Is roughly true that one finds
llfo in genoral like a mirror; that if
one looks Into It with a smllo and a
cordial hand hold out ono meets smiles
and outstretched hands In return.
Through all hie daya it had happened
bo with thla child of a French village.
So that when the day came at last
when ho stood onco moro on tho deck
of tho Lovely Lucy, loaded with her
cargo of tobacco for foreign ports,
Francois felt as if ho were leaving
homo and family. Tho long green car
pet of tho rolling lawn of Roanoko was
crowded with peoplo como to tell him
good-by. All of hla aoldlor boyB woro
there, the lads trained by him, ono and
all ready to swear by him or to die for
him. Lucy and Harry stood togother,
nnd tho servants woro gathered to do
him honor, and peoplo had ridden from
all over tho county for tho farewell.
HIb eyes dimmed with tears of grate
fulness, ho watched them aa tho gang
plank was drawn up and tho sails
caught tho wind and tho ship swung
slowly out into tho atroam.
"Como back again como back
again," they called from tho ahoro.
Francois heard the deep tones of
tho lads and tho rich voices of tho ne
groes and ho know that some there
could not speak, even as ho could not.
So ho waved hla hat silently, nnd the
ship moved faster and the faceB on
tho lawn Boomed smaller farther away,
aud yot ho hoard thoso following
volcea calling to him, moro faintly:
"Como back again oh, como back
again!"
And with that tho nogroes had
broken hfto a melody, and tho ship
moved on to tho wild awoot mualc.
Way Down Upon do S'wanoo Rlbber,
tho negroes sang, and tho ship was at
tho turn of tho rivor. Tho stately walls
of Roanoko houeo, tho greon slopo
crowded with flgureB of Ills frlonda,
tho aparkllng water front tho current
had Bwopt away all of tho picture and
ho could only hear that walling music
of the negroes' volcea, lower, moro fit
ful; nnd now It was gono. Ho had left
Virginia; ho was on his way; to friends,
And for all IiIb Joy of going, ho wns
henvy-heartod for the leaving.
The weeks went slowly at sea, but
aftor a wlillo ho had landed, was in
Franco, was at Vieques. Ho had seen
hla mothor, with hor hair whitened by
thoso years of his prison llfo a happy
woman now, full of business nnd re
sponsibility, yot alwayB with a rapt
look In her faco aa of ono who lived In
a deep Inner qulot. Ho had talkod long
talks with his prosperous father and
slipped Into hla old plnco among his
brothers nnd Blators, utterly refusing
to bo made a stranger or a great man.
And ovor and over again he had told
tho story of his capture aud the atory
of his eBcapo. '
At tho caatlo the returned wanderer
picked up no Iobb tho thread dropped
so suddenly eovon yoata boforo. The
general, to whom tho boy Boomed hla
boy risen from tho dead, would hardly
lot him from hla Bight; Allxe kept him
In a tingling atmosphere of tenderness
and mockory nnd sisterly dovotlon.
which thrlllod him and chilled him and
made him blissful and wretched In
turns. Tho puzzlo of Allxo was moro
unreadable than tho puzzle of tho
sphinx to tho thrco mon who loved hor,
to hor fathor and Francois and Pletro!
Tho general and Francois spoko of it
guardedly, In fow words, onco In a
long tlmo, but Pletro never apoko.
Pletro wna thoro ofton, yot moro often
away In London, whoro tho exiled Maz
zlul, nt tho head of ono wing of Ital
ian patrlota, lived and conaplred. And
othor mon appeared auddonly nnd dls
appeared at tho chateau, and held con
ferences with tho genoral and Fran
cols In that largo dim library where
tho llttlo peasant boy had Bat with his
thin ankles twisted ubout tho legs of
hla high chair, and copied tho.hlatory
of Napoleon. These men paid great
attention nowadays to tho words of
that peaaant boy.
"As soon as you are a llttlo strong
er," thoy snld, "thoro Is much work
for you to do," and the general would
como In at that point with a growl like
distant thunder.
"He Is to rest," tho general would
order. "He Is to rest till ho Is well.
Ho has dono.enough; let the boy alone,
you others."
Hut tho tlmo came, six months aft
er hlB return, when Francois must be
Bent to visit tho ofllcers of certain
regiments thought to bo secretly
Honapartlst; whon he, it was believed,
could got into touch with them nnd
tell them enough and not too much of
the plans of the party, and And out
where they stood and how much ono
might count on them. So, against tho
general's wish, Francois wont off on a
political mission. It proved moro com
plicated than had scorned probable; ho
was gone a long time; ho had to travel
and endure exhausting experiences for
which he was not yet fit. So that
when he came homo to Vieques, two
mouths later, he was white and trans
parent nnd III. And thoro were some
of the mysterious men at tho chnteau
His Voice
Was Full of
Pleading.
Passion and
to meet him, delighted, pitiless. De
lighted with tho work ho hnd done,
with his daring nnd finesse and suc
cess, without pity for his weakness,
hogging him to go at once on another
mission. The general was Arm as to
that; his boy should not bo hounded;
he should stay at homo In the quiet old
chateau and get well. But tho boy
was restless; a fovor or enthusiasm
was on him and he wanted to do more
and yet more for the prince's work.
At this point two things happened:
Piotro came from London, and Fran
cols, on tho point of leaving for anoth
er secret errand, broke down and was
111. Ho lay in his bed In his room at
tho farmhouse, the low upper chamber
looking out through wide-open c.ibo
ment windows, their old leaded little
panes of glass glittering from every
unoven angle looking out at broad
ftelda and bouquets of chestnut trees,
nnd far off, Jive milea away, at the
high red roofa of the chaiiteau of Vie
ques. And gazing so, he saw Piotro on
old Capitalne, turn from the shady ave
nue of tho chestnuts nnd rido slowly
to tho house. With that he heard hla
mother greeting Pletro below In tho
groat kitchen, then tho two voices
uio ueop one and the soft one talking,
talking, a long tlmo. What could his
mother and Pletro havo to talk about
ao long? And then Pletro's step was
coming up tho narrow atalr, and he
wbb there, In the room.
"Francola," Piotro began in his di
rect fashion, "I think you must go
back to Virginia."
Francois regarded him with startled
oyes, aaying nothing. Thoro was a
chill and an ache in his heart at the
thought of yet another parting.
Piotro went out. "I havo a letter
from Harry Hampton. The place needs
you;' tho people want you; nnd Harry
and MIsb Hampton say thoy will not bo
married unless you como to bo best
man at tho wedding." Francois smiled.
Piotro went on again. ''Moroovor, boy.
Francois you are not doing well hero.
You are too usoful; thoy want to use
you constantly and you aro ready; but
you aro not fit. You must get away
for another year or two. Then you
will be well and perhaps by then the
prlnco will have real work for you.
And you must havo strength for thnt
tlmo. Your mother says I am right."
With that his mothor utood in the
doorway, regarding him with lier calm
oyes, nnd nodded to Pietro'a words. So
It came about thnt Francois went back
shortly to Vlrglnln.
On tho day before he-went he sat In
the garden or tho chateau with Allxe,
on tho stone seat by tho sun-dial where
they had sat years boforo when the
general had seen him kiss tho glrl'a
hand, 'n that unbrotherly way which
had so aurprlsed him.
"Allxo," aald Francola, "I nm going
to tho end of tho world."
"Not for tho llrat time," Allxo an
awered cheerfully.
"Perhaps for tho last," Francola
throw back dramatically. It la hard
to have one's best-boloved discount
ono'S tragedies. And Allxo laughed
and lifted a long stem of a spring flow
er which she hold In her hand, and
bruehod his forehead delicately with
tho distant tip of it.
"Smooth out the wrinkles, do not
frown; do not look solemn; you al
ways como back, Monsieur the Bad
Penny; you will UUb time. Do not bo
melodramatic, Francois."
Francois, listening to theso sano
aentlments, was hurt, and not at all
inspired with cheerfulness. "Allxo,"
he said and knew that ho should not
say It "thoro la something I have
wanted all my life all my life."
"Is thero?" Inquired Allxe In com
monplnco tones. "A horse, per ex
omplo?" ilo caught her hand, disre
garding her tone; his volco was full of
passion and pleading. "Do not be
honrtlcBs and cold today, Allxo, dear
Allxe. I am going so far, and my very
soul is torn with leaving you nil."
It takes no more than a syllable, an
Inflection at times, to turn tho course
of u life. If Francois had left his sen
tonco alone boforo that last little
word; if he had told the girl that his
soul was torn with' leaving her, then
it is hard to say what might havo hap
pened. Rut "you all" ho did not
wish then to havo her think thnt it
meant more to leave her than to leave
the others. Allxo readjusted tho guard
which had almost slipped from hor,
and Btood again defensive.
I won't bo cruel,v Francois; you
know how Ave nil aro broken-hearted
to havo you'go."
Francola caught that fatal little
word "all," repeated, and dimly sow its
significance, and hla own responsibil
ity. Alixe went on.
"I wonder if I do not know what It
is that you havo wanted all your
llfo?"
Eagerly Francola caught at her
words. "May 1 tell you Allxe, Allxo?"
"No." Alixe spoke quickly. "No. lot
me guess. It Is It Is" and Francois,
catching hla breath, tried to take tho
word from her, hut she stopped him.
"No, I must tell It. You have wished
nil your life" Allxo was breathing
rather fast "that I should care for
Pletro."
A cold chill at hearing that thing
sTiid lu that voice seized him. 'Very
still his eyes down, he did not apeak.
"Is la that it?"
There la an angel of perversity who
possesses our souls at times. Ho
makes ua say tho unkind thing whon
we wish not to; he tnngles our feet so
that we fall and trip and hurt our
selves and our dearest nnd behold
long after we know that all tho samo
It was an angel; thnt without that
trouble we should have gone forever
down the easy wrong way. Wo know
that the perverse angel was sent to
warn us off tho pleasant grass which
was none of ours, and by making
things disagroeablo at tho psycho
logical moment, save our souls alive
for right things to come. Somo such
crosswise heavenly messenger gripped
the mind or Alixe, and sho said what
aho hated herself for saying, and saw
tho quick result in tho downcast
misery of poor Francois' fnco. And
then the same cruel, wise angel turned
his attention to Francois. "If sue
thinks that, let her,", whlapored tho
perverse one. "Let it go at that; say
yes."
And Francola lifted mournful eyes
and repeated, "That you should lovo
Pietro yes that Is what I havo
wished for all my life.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Summoned.
On tho morning of May 9, 1840, tho
sun shone gaily in London. It flltored
In Intricate patterns through tho cur
tains which shaded the upper windows
or a house In Carlton gardons, and tho
breozo lifted the lace, and sunlight
and breeze together touched tho bent
head of a young man who sat at a
writing-tuble. A lock of hair had es
caped on his forehead and tho air
touched It, lifted it, as if to say: "Be
hold the Napoleonic curl! See how he
is like hla undo!"
But the pen ran busily, regardless of
the garrulous breezo; there was much
to do for a hard-working prlnco who
found time to bd tile hero of ball
rooms, tho center of a London season,
nnd yet could manipulate his agenta
throughout tho garrisons of Franco,
nnd plan and execute a revolution. It
wna the year when the body of Napole
on the First waa brought from St.
Holona to Paris, and Louis Bonaparto
had resolved, in that steady mind
which never lost Its grip on the reason
of being or his existence, that with
the ashes of tho emperor his family
should como back to Franco. For
months tho network had been spread,
wna tightening, and now the memory
which held Its friendships securely al
ways, took thought of sa Frenchman
living In Virginia. Aa aoon ns IiIb, let
ter was finished to hia father tho pen
flew across the lines:
"The sword of Austerlitz must not
be in an enemy's hands," he wroto to
his father. "It must stay whoro It
may again be lifted la tho day of dan
ger Tor the glory or France." His let
ters were apt to bo slightly oratorical;
It wns moreover the rnshlon or the day
to write so.
Ho raised his head and atared Into
tho street. It was enough to decldo
his expedition for tills summer that
General Bertrand, well-meaning, nnd
ill-judging, had given to Louis Phil
llpe the arms or the emoror, to be
placed In the Invalides. Every mem
ber of the Bonaparte family was
moused, and to tho heir it was a trum
pet call. He could hurdly wait to go to
France, to reclaim that Insulted sword.
Ho wrote on, finished the letter to the
exiled king, his father, a gloomy and
lonely old in mi whom the son did not
forget through years spent away from
him.
Then he drew out a frosh sheet of
paper, and hia faint smile glenmod;
for tho thought of thla adherent in
Virginia was pleasant to him.
"Chovnllor Francois Beaupre," ho
headed the letter, nnd began below,
"My friend and Marshal of Somo Day."
Ho considered a moment and wroto
quickly ns if tho words boiled to tho
pen. "Tho baton awalta you. Come.
I make an expedition within threo
months, and I need you and your faith
in me. Our stara must shine togoth
er to give full light. So, mon ami, Join
mo hero at the earliest, that tho em
peror's words may como truo.
"LOUIS BONAPARTE."
Across tho water, In Virginia, two
years had made few changes. On tho
Juno day when tho prince's letter lay
in tho post oince of Norfolk tho last of
tho roses woro showing pink and red
over tho gardeiiH in a sudden breeze.
Tho leaves of tho trees that archod the
road that led to Roanoko houso wero
sappy green, JUBt lately fully Bpread,
nnd glorious with freshness. Their
shadows, dancing on the white pike,
were sharp cut agalnat tho brightness.
And through the llght-plercod cavo of
ahado a mnn traveled on horseback
from ono plantation to another, a man
who rodo as a Virginian ridos, yet with
a military air for all that. Ho patted
the beast's neck with a soothing word,
and smiled nB Aquarollo plunged at tho
wnving of a bough, at a fox that ran
across tho road. But If an observer
had been thero ho might havo seen
that tho man's thought wnB not with
horae or journoy. Francois Beaupre,
riding out to give a French lesson to
MIsh Hampton at Roanoko house, as
he had been doing for four years, all
unconscious aa ho was of tho letter
awaiting for him at tho moment In
Norfolk, was thinking of the event to
como to which thnt lettor called him.
"Lucy! Oh, Lucy!" A voice called
from the lawn, and in a moment moro
tho colonol was upon thorn. "Lucy,"
ho began, "somebody muat arrango
about tho now harnesses; my tlmo Is
too valuable to bo taken up with do
tails. Undo Zack says thoy aro need
ed at once. It has been neglected. I
do not understand why things aro so
neglected."
"I have seen to It, father. They will
bo ready in a week," Lucy answered.
Then tho colonol noticed Francois.
"Good day, chevalier," ho spoko con
descendingly. "Ah by tho way" ho
put a hand into one pocket and then
another of his linen coa(. "They avo
me a letter for you, chovaller, knowing
that you would be at Roanoke houso
today. Hero it is" and Lucy saw a
light leap Into Francois' eyes as they
fell on tho English postmark. ,.
And Lucy spoke quietly again. "I
did ask you, father, but you did not
see to it, and they wero necessary. So
I did it." And then, "chovallor, road
your lettor. I seo It Is a foreign one."
"Will mademoiselle pardon?"
At that moment an uneven step
camo down the sl6po and Francois
flashed a smllo at Harry Hampton and
retreated to tho other side of the sum-mer-houBo
with his letter; while the
colonel, murmuring complaints about
harnesses, wont strolling up tho
shadowy, bird-haunted lawn.
Harry Hampton stood by his sweet
heart with a boyish air of proprietor
ship, radiant, as ho had been through
theso two years of his engagement "I
havo It," ho announced. "Don't ypu
want to seo It?"
"Walt, Harry;" the girl glanced at
Francois. But tho lad caught her
waist. "Look," he said, and opened
hla free hand and a plain gold ring
glittered from It. With a quick move
ment ho slipped It over tho little third
finger. "There," ho said, "that will bo
on to stay pretty soon, and then Uncle
Henry shall not badger you about har
nesses. Ho haB made mo wait two
years because he needed you, but I
won't wait much longer, will I, Lucy?
Next Wednesday that Is tho wedding
day, Lucy."
With that Francois turned around.
His faco shone with an excitement
"You Have
News What
Girl Cried.
Is It?" the
which could not escape oven preoccu
pied lovers.
"What la It, chovaller? You havo
nows what is it?" the girl cried.
For a moment ho could not opeak.
Then: "Yes, madomolsello, great
newa," he said. "The prlnco haa sent
for me. And I am well and fit to go. I
have lived for this time; yet I am
grloved to leave you and Harry, my
two old friendB."
"But, FrancolB, you cannot go beroro
Wednesday," Harry Hampton cried
out. "Wo cannot bo married without
you."
And Francois conaldored. "No, not
before Wednesday," ho agreed.
That last French lesson In the summer-house
on tho bnnks or tho smooth
flowing JameB river waa on n Satur
day. On Monday tho Chovaller Beau
pre rodo over rrom Carnlfax and asked
to seo Miss Hampton.
(TO niC CONTINITKD.)
Women and Exercise.
Moat women, whether thoy bo fleshy
or thin, walk rar too llttlo. Tho wom
an who tends to bo fleshy should walk
for at least an hour overy day, and
do it regularly and systematically. Ah
sho gota accustomed to tho exorcise
sho should lncreaso tho number of
mllos sho walks a day until she Is do
ing flvo mllos.
5 n .
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