'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."
