Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-07-14
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DEATHS HEAD CUIRASSIERS /;
A Legend of the Old Guard.
BY CAPT. FRED. WHITAKER,
AUTHOR OF @THE PHANTOM KNIGHTS,
"RED RUDIGER," "NEMO, KING OF
TRAMPs,' "THE IRISH CAP
TAIN ETC; ETC.
CHAPTER XVII.
A DISCOVERY.

with rage.
He had seen Inez before in tn
power of that man, and had had n,
fears. What then was it now tha
caused him to gnaw his lip till i
bled as he looked down?
1t was the insulting words of th'
prince at Berlin:
"YOu haze SdUed me from marry
ing her :"
And yet here was Inez de Real
his own wife, in the same carriage
with that man.
1t was lucky for Gabriel that ht
was alone then, for, had others beer
present, they would have seen hin
break boWn.
But after the first spasm of jealous
rage had passed over he lifted his
head, and a CHASTITY smile lighted ul
his face.
He heard his men coming.
The dull clank, clank, clank, Oi
scabbard on stirrup as they came
was the sweetest of music to his
ears.
There lay his foeman, not half a
mile below him, his flank in full
view, while the terrible Deaths
Head Cuirassiers were coming up
at Il trot oyer the soft carpet of pine
cones hehind him to his aid.
He turned his horse and gallOped
back.
"Not a loud order," he said hur-
riedly, to the leading captain.
"Spread out in two lines. Do every
thing by signs"
The veterans needed no second
bidding. They remembered their
young colonel at the field of Auster-
litz, and since that time the ranks
had been filled up with new men
who had heard the most marvellous
tales from the veterans about the
white colonel of the Black Deaths
Heads.
They were prOuder of him now
than they had been of LenOir Sem
iOr.
"He can't help his eyes and hair"
they would say. "The good God
gave him them. But he mas dOna
all he could to be worthy of the
Deaths Heads. He has taken the
name of Lenoir. and he is a cuiras-
sier TO the core"
So the grim heroes OF Austerlitz
spread out silently to either flank,
and when they emerged from the
woods in line and went sweeping
down on the PruSSianS not sound
was uttered.
They had actually got nearly a
hundred yards out of the woods be-
fore they were fully noticed below
and then came wild scene of con-
fusion as the PrtISsian officers
shrieEed out orders to their men
and began to wheel their squadrons
TO form line in the new direction.
Then Gabriel Lenoir waved his
sword, pointed to the confused
mass Of plunging horsemen, and
cried out:
"After me, Deaths Heads !"
A deep-toned roar OF triumph
came FROM under those black mus
taches, the sable chargers quickened
their trot TO slashing pace, and
the whole line, without a swerve or
break in its magnificent order,
swept down on the Prussians and
drove them in headlong rout from
the field.
AS for Gabriel Lenoir, he had rid
den straight for where he had seen
the Prince of POtsdam but in the
confusion he missed him, and, when
he at last came 10 the entrance of
the lane, there stood the carriage
alone, a mob of Prussian horsemen
galloping inadly away down the
lane, others scattered over the field
in all directions, but still no prince
to be seen.
He dashed up to the carriage and
shouted out to the terrified driver:
"WhO is in this carriage ?"
Nobody, so please your highness,
but two ladies'"
"Two ladies :"
He was off his horse in a moment,
and. at the carriage window, was
met by the wrinkled face of Madame
la Marquise de Saint Jean, who
simpered out:
"Why, it is Colonel Lenoir him
self. Oh how happy l am to see
you ~
"Who is in that carriage with
you ?" demanded Gabriel, not
her politeness.
"In the carriage? Why of course
you must know Mademoiselle de
Real. You remember her colonel ?"
"What is she doing here ?" pur-
sued Gabriel, as sternly as before"
His heart was growing more bit
ter than ever az he saw Inez herself
did not look out to see him.
"What is she doing here ?" litter
ed the old lady. "WeIl, really,
that is a most singular ques-
ton. / know it is war time; but
by what right do you ask such
question? We are ladies, sir, not
used TO the manners of the barrack-
rOOIn."
Gabriel smiled bitterly. He saw
hat the oil marquise had been into
some plot against him, and he was
afraid OF its being discovered, but
ne was only thinking of Inez i'm that
carriage.
"YOu ask by what right | ask a
question of her, madame," he said.
IF you know anything, you know
hat the lady is my wife. What is
s she dong in carriage with the
Prince of POtSdam 2"
"Oh, no, not with the Prince of
Potsdam," the old lady replied,
me, with me, mon
,ieur. No one will dare associate
my improperly with her name
lnder my protection, l hope. We
have Travelled a few miles under the
escort of his highness, but that is
all, assure YOU"
''He was i'm the carriage not half
IN hour ago." said Gabriel. "I saw
him through glass from the top OF
hat hill. in plain sight. 1 saw my
wife put her head out of the car
riage. Where is She? Is she
afraid to come out and look me in
the face"
ie was pale with passion now,
and his words were directed, not to
the marquise, but at her he deemed
lhe faithless Inez, covering inside
the carriage.
They had their effect.