Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-06-23

not see his companion. who had
shruRk away to the opposite side,
and it was in whisper he said at
last
"And can you do all this ?''
sit is my duty now," was the re-
sponse in an equally faint whisper. ,
He put out his hand in the dark /;
it met hers, and in another moment
her head was resting on his breast,
while he whispered:
"Oh. Inez, is it possible you love
me ?'
us it not my duty ?" she said
again, but this time there was a
laughing ring in her voice. 81 was
brough up in the church, monsieur,
and my cOnfessor told me to prefer
duty to pleasure at any time"
"Then you have no pleasure in
loving me ?" he persisted.
She made no direct answer, but
he felt a soft little pinch on the back
of his hand, as if to rebuke his un-
due curiosity, and somhow. within
very short time after Gabriel Len
DIR and his strangely-made bride
were talking together as if they had
known each other for years discus
sing the future.
"You will leave me at Brunn,"
she told him, ''fOr a soldiers wife
must be content to see but little of
her husband while hOstilities go on.
You must also tell the emperor
boldly of your marriage. I am a
poor coward, but you are a brave
man, and will not be afraid to face
him. He will storm perhaps, but
you must be firm and refuse to tell
him where / am. There is lady
in Brunn, whom l know, who will
take me into her house, and no one
wilt be able to find me. AS soon as
you have done that, send the car
riage back after that poor Prince of
POtsdam. begin to feel sorry at
the scurvy way we treated him now
that 1t is impossible he can marry
me. After that, we must trust to
him and the Empress Josephine to
work our pardon from the emper-
or"
He agreed willing enough to this,
and SO the time passed on till they
saw the light of early dawn stream
into the carriage, and soon after
were halted by the French pickets
outside OF Brunn.
Gabriel got out and announced
himself to the officer, who expressed
himself as much amazed, but recog-
niZed him instantly.
"You have become quite ia
nous man in the Grand Army,
major" he said, sand even the Gas
cons of the Deaths Heads begin to
swear by you Major Blancbec. l
heard Marshal Ney make bet with
Marshal Murat the other day that
you would be back in safety yet
Yes, you can pass. All, who is that
in the carriage with you?"
"Hush :" said Gabriel, pretending
sIyness. "Not word, ON the hon
or of a soldier. You understand"
81 understand" said the chasseur
officer, with wink. "Ah, we
French are all the same. Good
luck, major"
They drove on into the city and
stopped by Inez's direction at a
large house in the suburbs.
"It is the house of Margarine of
Olmutz," she told Gabriel. "She
will take care of me. Now, my
noble husband, it is time. We
must part"
One close embrace, the first Ga
briel had ever dared to take, and
then he took her to the house and
consigned her to the care of an old
lady, who saluted her as if she had
known her all her life, and said to
Gabriel:
"Have no uneasiness, monsieur.
We will take the best care of mad
$685..
"Oh, yes" added Inez, "they
know me well here. Is the Mar
gravine visible, Emilia ~
mot yet, mademoiselle. l will
wake her, and she will be delighted
at your visit"
Then Gabriel bowed low, the door
shut, and his neW-made wife van
ished
lie sent off the carriage as she had
and then he and Casse
Tete mounted their weary horses
and rode into Brunn.