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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (April 14, 1914)
'W I'tfl X THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, i 13 1 WeIAMMf rT"""" hARY RAYTOID 5ftP1AIN ANDREVJ Aunior? J mpmrtcr triutc, thc petto? mzk&mz, etc. ILLUSTRATION Jy ELLSVORTrt YOJNG - CQW6r9J BY DOOOS WmLL CQMPAtlY ZJ U 15 SYNOPSIS. 1' ran. ols Hiaupre, ii peasant babe of three )mrt, after un amualhK Incident Iti whkh Murshnl Nay flKHrcH. I made a t'li'j'v.'ler of France by tlm Hmpcrnr Nil PUoi wtio prophoslfxl that the boy miKlii un day bo a marshal of trance uhufr another Bonaparte. At tlm bk of tel !'rati'ol visits (Jeneral Huron Uas p.rl liourgaud, who wllb Allxe. his Mti n v rar-old iluuKhtnr. lives lit tlm r'latenu A soldier of tbe lCmpIro under NapHton ho fires the boy's Imagination wil! rtnrlro of bin rampiilKiix Tlm boy )( onus a topytHt for tin- Kcimral urul ! irri' i.f the frloiKlBhlP between the Kdll; 1 1 it .itnl Marquis Zappl. who campaigned vlti tin Keneral under Napoleon Mar ti ils . prl and his son, Pietro. arrlvi nl tl i r hiiti-nu. Thc Knorul agrees to care for tin Marquis' son whllo tlm former :oos to America. The Marquis asks Itiw ioIk in ! a friend of his son. The boy t- ilemnlj promises. Francois kop to the I .it.ui In live. Marquis 'appl dies leav li l'li fro as u ward of the Keneral Alixe 1'letro and Francois meet a stramje In. Vln. proven lo be Prince Louis Na pnl. . i Francois saves his life. The kch- rj' I1m overs Francois loves Ally. in lr;iHs h promise from him that he will J. i iimifere between the Kirl and Pietro 1 r.mcols goes lo Italy as seiretnry to J'luro Queen IJortcnso plurm the escape t ' Ik i fen Uiuls Napoleon bv cIIskuIsIiib JmIi and Marquis Znppl as her lackeys. J raiKols taken Marquis Zappl's place Mho If 111. In the wniipt' of Hortinse and J.onls Dressed as IaiW brother 1- rati ruls lures the Austrian from tlm hotel al JowliiK the prince, und his mother to os cnpi IiiukoIb Is a prisoner of the Atis irliins for live years. In the castlo owned lit I'letro In Italy. He discovers In his KU-ird on- of Metro's old family servants, find through him sends word to lis friends of his plight. The Kcnerul. Allxe nml IM. tro plans Francois" escape 1 run tnlH m elves it note from I'letro explain ing in detail how to eseapo from his prison Allxe awaits hint on horseback urul leads him to his friends on board tin AmerUan salllnK vessel, the "Lovely J .ur j " Francois, as a Kiiest of Hurry Jlampton. on the "Lovely Lucy." Roes to America to manairo Pletro's estate In A irKlnla. Lucy Hampton falls In ovo with Francois. Prince Louis Nnpoleon In America becomes tho truest of tlm JliiinploiiR. where he. meets I'rnncols. J.iuy Hampton reveals her love for Fran cols nfter the latter saves the life of OMrrv Hampton ami Is himself Injured In the effort. Francois tells Lucy of his loe foi Allxe. He returns to France and tells Mlxe his one wish In life Is that she lo o Pietro. Francois loins the political plotter His health falls and he Is forced to return to America Later Napoleon numinous him to London to aid him In Ms plots to pain Jlic French throne. Lucy Hampton weds her cousin. CHAPTER XXVIII. Continued. "Mndemolsollo Lucy," lie Mild. "I havo eomaihliiK to auk of you." t "I will do It," Lucy promised blithe ly, not waiting for dutalls. KrnncolB laughed. "You truat one, WudcmolBello Lucy that Is plain. Then Ills face became serious. "Do you remomber a talk wo once had together when 1 told you of my old playmate. Allxo?" The brldo-to-be flushed furiously as Bho recalled that talk. Then she nod ded In a mattor-of-fact manner. "1 re member very well," sho said. "It was When 1 threw myBelf at your head and you mild you didn't want mo." Francois' shouldem and hands and eyes went upward togothor luto an eminently French gesture. "What a horror!" ho cried. "What an unspoak able mannor to recollect that talk! How can you? How can you bo bo brutal to me?" Uoth of them, at that, burst Into light-hearted laughtor. Lucy was grave Buddenly, "Hut you have something to ask iu Francois. You spoko of your playmate beautiful Allxe:'' "It is only you whom I could ask to do this, Madcmolello Lucy. I have nover told anyono olso about hor. Only you know of" tho words came slow ly -"of my love for hor. Sho does not know It. Altoe does not know. And I may be killed, one sees, In this light for tho prlnco. Quito easily. And Allxe will not know. 1 do not like that In fact 1 cannot bear It. So this Is what I ask of you, dour mademoi selle " Ho brought out a lcttor and hold It to her. "If you hear that 1 am l:lllod, will you send It to Allxo?" .Lucy look tho letter and turned It over doubtfully. "I do not liko this sort of post-mortem commission, Fran cols. 1 feel fib If 1 were holding your death warrant." "Hut U. in not by a bit of writing I vhnll ny.-o-; ;ay finish, mademoiselle I promlso not w dlo one minute sooner for that lettnr. It Is only that It will make me happy to know you will Bond it " l So Lucy, holding tho letter gingerly, hBreed, Hut as Francois roso to go !ie stood by him a moment and laid her hand on his coat sleeve. "Fran cols 1 want to tell y(u something." "Hut yes, madomolsollo yes, Lucy." "It Is Bomothlng wrong." "Yes Lucy." "1 am going to tell Harry I said It." "Yes." "This Is it, then" and Francois, smiling, waited and thorn was duop Hence In the big, cool, cjulot drawing room for as long as a minute. "This Is it, then. 1 don't know how I can bo so unreasonable but I am. I lovo Harry - I am hapjiy. Hut 1 am quite jealous Df Allxe. And 1 think you are tho most wonderful jiereon I havo over known - much moro wonderful thun Ilnrry. (f thcro hnd been no Allxo; If you had - liked me 1 can lmagluo having Adored you. I do adore you, Francois. Now, how 1b all that compatible with my Joy In marrying Harry? I don't know how It 1b but It Is so. 1 am a wicked sinful person but It is bo," The next tlmo Lucy Hampton saw Francois It wan when, whlto-robed und nwoot In hor enveloping mist of veil Vho went up tho chancel steps of the little Virginia country church, and looking up mot a emtio that was a aedlati.-vs tztau tho man whom she V hud loved, who Btood close now nt tho side of her lovor, her husband. CHAPTER XXIX. The Prince's Drlght Shadow. There aro old people living In Eng land today who remember hearing their fathers and mothers speak of n young Frenchman of uncommon per sonality, constantly seen with I'rlnco Louis Napoleon during tho last days of his life in London in tho yeur 1810. Lady Constance Cecil nicknamed this Frenchman "tho prince's bright shadow," Thero seemed to ho a closer tie than brotherhood between them, and tho tradition runs that tho my ticnl priuco had a Btiperstition that his luck went with him In tho person of the Chevalier Heaupre. It was all as It should bo; ho was entirely happy. Ho had asked thrco wishes of the good fairies, as ho had said long ago; that the prince should bo omporor that ho might become "a marshal of Franco under another Hona parte" that Allxo should lovo him. Tho flrat two ho believed about to be realized. Tho last? It was not now tho tlmo to think of that. Allxo had kissed him good-by. That would moro than do till tho light was over. So ho sped back to London, missing Pietro, but hbpeful and buoyant. And In Lon don thero was a letter for him from Virginia. "Hear Francois," Lucy began. "To think that the first letter sent to you by Harry's wlfo should bo to tell you that sho has betrayed your trust In her. I am dlstroesed beyond words, for I have mado a mistake which may mean distress to you. You romomber the letter to Allxe which you trusted to me to send in case anything should happen to you? I had It In my hand tho week after my wedding when I had gono upstairs to get other letters for Europe which my father had command ed mo to send by the next packet. And In some stupid unoxplalnablo way 'I slipped yours your precious letter among thorn In place of ono to my fa ther's agents In London, and I hur ried down and gave tho parcel to Sam bo, who was waiting to rldo to Nor folk with them. And then Harry and I wont away on a visit to Martin's Brandon for threo days, and It was only when I camo back that I discov ered the dreadful mlstako I had made. Cau you over forgive mo? Harry and I thought over every possibility cf stop ping it, but thero seemed to bo no chance. Aro you very angry with me, dear friend of Harry's and of mlno?" Tho letter wont on with reproaches and rogrols and finally slipped Into a tale of a now happy life which Fran cols hnd made possible for tho two. Ho road It ovor several times. His lottor to Allxo, which should havo been sent only after his death, had gono to her. What then? Sho would know that ho loved her; that ho had loved hor always; that ho would lovo hor forovor; that tho ono wish of his llfo hud been that sho should love himself not Pietro. Ho hud said that In tho letter; that was all. Ho was glad that The Gray Eyes Met Hers. sho should know, though ho would nevor havo told hor In llfo, , It was done and ho would llnd out now If Pietro Indeed cared for hor, If sho cared for Pietro. And If not, then ono had waited long enough; then at last tho Joy of tho thought choked him. A knock came at tho door of tho room In tho I-oiulon lodging where he sat with Lucy Hampton's letter beforo him. Fritz Hickenbach stood thero; his highness would like to seo tho chovaller. All personal thoughts were locked swiftly Into tho drawer with Lucy's letter and "tho prince's bright Bhadow" wont to the prlnco. CHAPTER XXX. The Third Wish. On tho day when Francois In Lou don read that lottor of Lucy Hamp ton's which bad awaltod his return from Franco, a lottor from Lucy Hampton reached Allxo at tho chateau of Vlcquoa. Sho carried 1U to Plotro's room whoro ho sat In a doop chair at a window which looked over Doles montes valley nnd tho racing Choulto river, and tho vlllago strung on tho shores. His olbow on tho stono win-dow-ulll, his chin in his hand, ho stared at tho familiar plcturo. Allxe, coming in without knocking nt tho opon door, stopped across and stood by him, and ho did not lift his head, his listless eyes did not yet shift their gazo from tho broad land scape. Allxo, looking down at tho blnck head with Its short curls sot In thick locks nfter tho manner of tho curls of Praxiteles' Hormeu was startled to seo many bright lines of gray through tho dark mass. Was ov orybody getting old? Francois with tho broad bund of whlto In his hair and now Piotn big Httlo Plotro, who. had como to them and learned to rldo Coq and played with them. Was Plotro gottlng old and gray? By one of tho sudden Impulses char acteristic of her, her hand flow out nnd rested on tho curled head ns It to protect It, motherly, from tho whiten ing of time. And Pietro turned slowly and looked up at hor with oyes full of hopeless ness and adoration. Such a look he had never boforo given her; such a look no ono could mlstako except a woman who would not lot horself un derstand. "It Ih good to ho up nnd at tho win dow, Isn't It?" Allxo spoko cheerfully, and hor hand left his head and sho wont on In n gay disengaged tone. "You will be downstairs In two or threo days now, and then it Is only a Jump to being out and about, and then then In a minuto you will bo well again." "Oh, yes," Pietro answerod without animation. "It will not bo long beforo I am well." "Look, PietrQ;" Allxo held out tho paper In her hand. "Such a queer let tor! From Virginia. From tho little Lucy Hampton of whom Francois talks. I don't understand It. Will you lot mo rend It to you?" "Surely," said Pietro, nnd waited with his unsmiling oyes on hor face. "My dear mademoiselle," Allxo rqad. "I nm writing to beg your forgiveness, as I have begged that of tho Chevallor Bcaupro, for tho very great fault I have committed. Tho chevalier trust ed to mo n lettor for you which was to have been sent you only In caso of a certain event; by a carelessness which, unmeant as It was, I shall nover for give myself, I gavo It with other let ters to our negro Sambo to be posted at once. By now it mny have reached you. I cannot tell if I havo mado troublo or not, but in nny case, I can not rent without saying to you as well as to tho Chevalier how sorry I am. If you can nnd it In your heart to forglvo me, pleaBo do so, dear madomolBcllo. That 1 should have mado trouble for one as dear to the chovallor as you a,ro Is a deep grief to mo. IIo has talked to mo of you. With a very earnest prayer again for your forgiveness I am, mademoiselle, yours faithfully and sincerely. Lucy Hamp ton Hampton." Pietro looked bewildered. "What Is It about?" ho asked. "I wonder," and Allxe laughed and frowned at tho paper In hor hand. "It seome Francois wrote mo a letter and loft it with Httlo Mistress Hampton to bo Bent 'In caso of a certain event. What event? What n strange thing for FraucoiB to do ! And then he came to us hero nnd said nothing of mys terious letters loft cooking In Vir ginia. I cannot make It out, Pietro can you?" "Not I," said Pietro. "Tho letter of Francois has not come; that Is certain; I wonder If the nogro Sambo lost It." "Probably," Plotro said. "It should havo como before this one, otherwise." "It Ib a rlddlo," Allxe decided, "and I nover guess them." Then, dropping Into' a seat on tho wldo wlndow-slll, "Plotro you aro letting yourself be depressed," Tho gray eyes met hors with some thing that seemed a wall of reserve In their steady glance. "I think possibly I miss having no exercise," he said. "I will fool moro natural when I can got about." Allxo lookod at him. "You are eat ing your heart out to be with Fran cols," sho said, nnd laid her hand on his. Plotro stared as If tho light touch had shaken him; thon slowly his largo fingers twisted lightly around the small ones, and ho turned his face again, holding her hand so, to the win dow, nnd the view of tho valloy and tho river and tho village. A moment they ant so, tho girl's hand looso- In tho hollow of tho man's; a slow red crept Into Allxo's face; thero was con fusion in hor brain. Sho had laid hor hnnd on that of her brother; hor broth er had takon It In his nnd behold, by a witchcraft It wiib all chnngod. This dollcntc big grasp that hold her was not brotherly; through all hor veins suddenly bIio know that; tho Hush shot up to hor oyee, to hor forehend, and Bho tried, with an attempt at an every day mannor, to draw her hand away. But Plotro, his sot palo faco toward thq window, his oyos gazing out, held her hand. With that tho world had reeled and was whirling past hor. Plotro had caught both hor hands In a tight grip and had drawn them against him, was holding them thoro, was looking at hor with a faco which not oven sho, this time, might mistake. "Allxp," ho said, "I know you don't enro for me. I know you lovo Fran cols. I did not mean ever to sponk, but whon you put your hand on mlno " Ho hold her palms togothor and parted tho palms and kissed tho flu-gor-tlps, first of ono and then of the othor, nB It he kissed somothlng holy. "I shall novor sponk again, but this once I will. I always loved you ono must. 1 know alwuys that a slow si lent porson like mo would havo no chance ugnlnst a follow llko Francois. So I havo kept still, and It was hard. It won't ho so hard now that you know. Aro you nngry, Allxo?" Allxo, with her hoad bout so that Plotro did not seo her fuco, with hor head bonding lower lower, suddenly wus on hor knoos by tho chair and hor faco was on Plotro's ami, "Allxo," ho whispered, "what 1b It what havo I douo?" But tho brown waves of hair with tho bluo ribbon tied around them lay motionless on his arm. And suddenly a thought shook htm, "It cannot ho!" ho gasped. And Allxo lifted her face, nndtho exaggerated black lashes lifted, aud tho bluo glance lifted and rested on Plotro's blnck hair bent down where tho light shone on thc silver lines through It. Up flashed her hand Im pulsively, gontly as Allxe did things, and touched tho thick lock with an In finitely delicate caress. "Your hair Is all turning gray," sho whlspored In two quick breaths, and at that, In somo occult fashion Plotro know. For moments they had no need of that makeshift, language; tho great house was vory quiet, and ono heard tho hordes stamping In thc paved courtyard and tho grooms singing, and yet ono did not hear it. Distant sounds camo from tho vlllago, but ono only knew that long nfter, In remembering that morning. All they know was that tho ghost of a lifelong affection of brother und sister stood beforo them, chnnged by a miracle to a shining angol into whoso face, for these first moments, they dared not look. Then Blowly, exquisitely, courago came and, hand closo in hand,' they looked at each othor astonished, glad, .t was Pietro and Allxe still, tho ancient piny fellows, tho childhood friends all the dear familiarity was thoro yet, but no longer were they brother and sister And then, aftor a while they began to comparo notes of things hidden. "When did you begin to liko mo this way, Pietro?" "I don't know," answered Pietro Btupidly. "Does It make any differ ence?" "A great doal," Allxe Insisted. "It's Important. It's historical." "But this Isn't history," said Pietro. Allxe, howovor, returned to the charge. "Last year?" "Last year what?" Pietro asked; he had already forgotten tho question. "Oh that I began to mon dleu no. LaBt year! Why,' I think it was the day I came and saw you riding Coq." "Oh, Pietro if yo'u will talk only nonsense!" Allxo's voice was disap pointed. "But why, thon, didn't you over say so boforo this? "Wo aro both a thousand years old now. If you loved mo" sho spoko tho word In a lower voice "why, then, wero you as quiet as a mouse about It all these years?" "I thought you cared for Francois," Pietro said simply. And added, "Didn't you?" Allxe considered. "I don't think I ever did, Pietro. Not really. I thought did perhaps. He dazzled me Francois with his way or doing all sorts of things brilliantly, and that wonderful something about him makes everybody love him. IIo believed In his star; there was around him tho romance of the emperor's prophecy and the romance of tho career which Is; wo bellevo, about to begin now; there was always a glamour about Francois." "Yes," Pietro agreed. "Tho glamour of his courage, Allxe, of loyalty and un selll8hneB8; the qualities which make what people call his charm. Francois is unlike the rest oi the world, I be llevo, Allxe." Plotro talked on, tho silent Pietro. as If delivering a lecture He had read much and thought much; It was sel dom he spoko of tho speculations which often filled his scholarly mind; today It seemed easy to talk of everything. Joy had set wldo all tho doors of his be ing. Allxe opened her eyes In aston Ishmont. "Pietro! You are talking llko a book! But it Is true; something of that sort has come to me, too which proves It to be true. I havo felt al ways that Francois hnd notes in him which nre not on our pianos." Plotro smiled, looking at her. "And yet, Allxo, you do not love Francois, with nil theso gifts and all his power over hearts but only com- monplaco mo?" Allxo straightened ugaiiiBt his arm. "Monsieur tho Marquis Zappl, tho gen tleman' I care for, Is not common place. I thank you not to sny It," she shot at him, nnd then, melting to n BUdden Intensity, sho put a hand on each sldo of his dark face ind spoke earnestly. "Pietro, dear, listen. I be llevo I always cared for you. When 1 was Httlo It hurt mq to havo Francois forever tho one to do tho daring things. Do you romomber how I used to scold nt you because you would not light him?" Pietro smllod ngaln. "Then ho wns captain of tho school and you only a prlvalto, and I cried about that when I was alono at night. And when you wont off to Italy so quietly, with never a word said about tho danger, I did not know that you were doing n flno deed I thought It a commonplace that you nhould go back to your country, till Francois opened my eyes." "Frnncols?" Pietro asked. "Yos. Tho day beforo ho wont to Join you wo wero riding together and ho told me what It mennt to bo a pntrlot In Italy under the Austrians. That day I realized how unbearable it would bo If anything happened to you. But I thought'l cared for Francois; if ho had siokon that day I Bhould have told him that I cured for him. But he did not; ho went and was In prison flvo years." "And all that time I believed you loved him, and wero mourning for him," Pietro said gently. "I half bellovod it too." Allxo an Bwered. "Yot all tho time I wns Jealous for you, Plotro, for It was still Francois who wns tho hero not you. Thon when thoro camo a question of his rescue I w'as mad with tho desire to havo you do It and you did It." Hor olco droppod. Sho laid her hand against his shoulder and spoko, In a quick cautious way. "But all that Is Immaterial, I Just love you that's tho point." A mo- rocnt inter sho spoko again. "I want to finish telling you und then wo need never apeak of It again. I did think you were commonplace. And yet 1 know In my henrt you wero not, for I resented your scorning so. So I urged you Into danger. I wanted you to bo av hero. 1 had that echo of a schoolgirl's romance about Francois in my mind, nnd I clung, all along, to the Idea that I loved him and that per haps he secretly loved mo but would not sny It bepauBo ho was poor and a peasant; thnt ho waB waiting till his future wns mado. Thon, ono day, only the other day, he told me that he had asked three wishes of life of the good fairies' ho said. Ono wns to make Prince Louis Emperor, ono was to be Marshal of France; tho third " sho stopped. "What?" Pietro demnnded, his mouth n bit rigid. Allxe flushed and smiled and took Pletro's big hand nnd covered her eyes with it. "That I should love you. Monsieur. He suid he had wished that all hlB life." "May heaven grant him his wish," said Pietro fervently, nnd then, reflect ing, "It seems a strange wish for Fran cols. You are sure, Allxo?" "Yes, he said so," Allxe Insisted. "Our dear Francois," she went on soft ly, and tho bluo intensity of her oyes grew misty. "Dear Francois," she re peated, "It is only he who could have had those three wishes. Tho single ono that was for himself was not be cause ho cared for It himself, but be cause It was tho Emperor's prophecy." "I always thought," I'letro spoke slowly, "that It was not Indeed for himself that lie wished to be a Mar shal somo day, but because It might make him. In a mannor, your equal. It was for you." "For me!", Allxe was astonished. "I never thought of that. I think you thought of It, Pietro, only because you cared' for me and thought Fran cols must care also." "Yes, I thought ho cared," Pietro considered. "I can not believe other wise yot." "You may believe It." Allxo was firm. "For ho said that what he had wished always was that I should lovo you. I did It mostly to please Fran cols," she added serenely. And Pletro's response to that was apt, but not to be given here. The minds of these two happy lovers were full of that third who had ben so close always, to each of them. "Pietro," Aline spoko earnestly, com ing buck to the same subject, "you know that I love Francois of course. But you do not know In what way. I lovo him as If ho wero one of tho saints but nlso as If ho wero a help less little child. Yet not i'letro ns if he were the man I lovo. I would give my life for him In a rush of de light, If he needed it. But 1 know now, whatever wero my vague dreams in past years, that It Is not In Francois to care for a woman as a human man." "I am not so sure," said Plotro, aud shook his head. "You know 1 am not abusing our Francois," Allxe protested. "Why, Plotro, my father believes, and I be lieve, that if affairs should so happen that he has his opportunity he may yet be one of tho great characters In history. My father says ho Is made up of Inspirations, illuminations and limitations." "Yes," said Pietro thoughtfully. "Ho has the faults of brilliancy nnd fear lessness. He judges too rapidly. If he were afraid ever If he saw the othor side of a question over, his judg ment would be snfor. It may woll hap pen thnt ho will be one of the great Suddenly a Thought Shook Him. mon of Europe; It may also happen that by some ulnglo act of mismanage ment he will throw away his career or his life. God keop him safe!" Pie tro said feimply. And Allxo echoed It "God keep him safe!" And then, "I am going to write him, Plotro about us. My father knows whoro to reach him qt Bou logne I am going to sny just a word that what ho has wished for all his life is true. It will get to him tho night before the battle." "Aro you suro you aro right, Allxo?" Pietro asked doubtfully. "Sure," said Allxo buoyantly. "Give him my love, thon," said Plo tro. CHAPTER XXXI. The Night Before. Out In tho dark, In tho harbor of Boulogne, tho ship Edinburgh Castle lay rocking In tho wind. Princo Louis Bonapnrto, who had chartered her, and tho handful of his followers who had called with him on her from England had disembarked quietly at twilight, and In smnll companies hnd succeeded In entering the town and the quarters ft tho offlctira who wore, In Franco, IK nucleus nnd the hope of tholr at tempt. Vx tho rooms of Lieutenant )) iiii Aladcnlze, the host o? tho Prlnco, n' short council had been hold to go ovot once moro tho plans which had been dlscusBod and Bottled by lottor for wooks already, Tho work was care fully arranged; thoro wns almost noth ing to bo changed, nnd tho Httlo com pany of men who woro trying so largo a fate, scattered, with grave facos, with quiet good nights. to tho Prlnco who might tomorrow bo their Em peror, to tho Prlnco for whoso snke they might tomorrow night bo nny or all ruined men or dead mon. Ho Bat erect' and listened, Thelln was brushing clothes with energy In tho bedroom, and through another door there camo n light sound of a paper turned, of n gay song sung softly. And a glow suddenly warmed tho Prince's heart; hero was somo ono who had known his mother, who had been, In deed, for a few days her son; hero wns Borne one who cared for him, ho bellovod It, with a half-consuming flame of dovotion. Slnco tho man's arrival from Virginia six weeks before, to havo him near himself had been a pleasuro to Louis Bonaparte; he seemed to bring back tho freshness of his early days, of the young confi dence when his star shono for him, distant perhaps, but undlmmed by tho black clouds which drovo now across It. He wns n bit superstitious about Francois as well, with nn idea, which he spoko to no one, that a pivotal In terest of his career rested In the mod est figure. Ho roso, this night in Boulogno, nn the paper rustled and tho Httlo French provincial chanson sounded from tho room where Francois Beaupre, now " his secretary, had been installed, and stopped to the closed door. "Do tous coto's Ton quo Je suIb bete." Francois sang softly. Tho Prlnco smiled. As ho opened tho door the singing stopped; tho young man Bprang respectfully to his feet, n let ter grasped In his hand, and stood wniting. "Sire!" ho said. , Prlnco Louis flung out his hand with a gesture of Impulsiveness strange to his controlled manner, yot not out of drawing to those who know him well. "Ah, Francois," he cried. "Lot tho titles go for tonight. Say, 'Louis,' as oh that day whon we first saw each other; whon the four children played together In the old chateau ruins. And Francois smiled his radiant oxqulslto smllo and answered quietly. "But yes, my brother Louis." And wont on, "I believe I shall not sleep tonight, Louis. 1 believe I am too happy to sleep." As one reads a novel for relaxation In the strain of a critical business af fair, Prlnco Louis caught nt the dis traction of this sldo Issue. Tho next morning wns planned to tho last de fail; thero was nothing to do till day light, yet ho could not sleep at pres ent. Hero was a romance of soma sort. Ho snnk back on tho cushions of tho coach of Lieutenant Aladenlzo'a smoking room nnd put his feet up lux uriously, and slowly lighted a cigar of Havnna. "Tell me," ho ordered, and the gen tleness of appeal was In the order. "Sire" tho young man began and corrected himself. "Louis," ho said. Tho Prince smiled dimly. '-'Slnco our landing I have known that a wonder ful thing has happened to me. It Is" he spoke lower "It Is tho lovo of the woman who Is to mo tho only ono In the world." "I congratulate you. mon ami," Louis , said gently. "Is It by any chance the delightful Httlo Mademoiselle Allxo of the old chateau?" Beaupre turned scarlet. Ho was a marvelous man, this Prlnco Louis. How had he guessed? "Sho loves mo I havo horo a letter In which sho" tells mo that sho loves mo. Will his Highness read it?" With an Impetu ous step forward he held tho paper toward Louis Napoleon. "I thank you," the Prince said gravo lj. He read: "Francois, what you havo wished all your llfo Is true.' Tho good falrieB havo granted ono of your wishes bo foro tho battle. That they will glvo you the other two on tho day of the battlo Is tho belief of your "ALLXE." And below was written hurriedly, "Plotro sends his lovo." Tho Princo gavo back the letter with a respectful hand; then lookod at Francois inquiringly. " 'What you havo wished all your life,' mon ami?" Francois laughed happily. "Ono must explain, if it will not tiro his High ness." And he told, in a fow wo: ds, of that day when his self-restraint had given way and how, when his guard wae down nnd ho was on tho point of telling his lifelong secret love, somo spirit of perversity bu; Francois did not know It was an angtl had caught Allxe, and sho had accused him of wishing always that sho might lovo Plotro. And how, meBhed In that same not of hurt reckloBsnoss, ho had an swered In hor own mannor "Yos," ho had said, "it was that which had been tho wish of his llfo that Allxo might lovo Pietro!" And Frnncols laughed gaily, telling tho Blmplo entanglement to the Prlnco. tho night before tho battle. "Ono sees how sho is quick and clear-sighted, my Allxo," ho said. "For sho know woll oven then it was not that I wished." Ho stopped, for In tho quiet contained look of tho listener an intangible something struck a chill to his dolicately-polsed sensi tiveness. "What Is It, Louis?" ho crleil out. "You do not think I mistake her mlstako Allxo!" (TO UK CONTINt'KO.) Philosopher's Purpose, "I am looking for an honest man," said Diogenes. "What do you wnnt with one?" "Oh, nothing In particular. My real plllianthroplc purposo Is to show tho world how to conduct a long and ro BUltloss investigation with as Httlo ei penso as possible."