Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-04-28
CHAPTER III.

11E MAlD Ot hONOh'
Gabriel Lenior hardly knew
whether he were awake or asleep as
he resumed his lonely tramp. He
felt as happy as bird. The en-
perOr had not forgotten him. 1t
seemed too good to be true.
Absorbed in his thoughts he was
recalled suddenly to himself by
voice near him saying hoarsely:
"Hola {! sentry, are you blind that
you cannot see an officer ?"
Gabriel halted stiffiy and gazed at
a handsome but dissipated young
man in the Prussian diplomatic uni
form who looked at him supercili-
Ously, and observed in tone of
wonder.
"Well, upon my word thought
you gentlemen of the Guard at least
knew your business, but by JoYe
our recruits are better instructed.
Why don't you present saber" "'
Gabriel looked at the young man
and disliked him intensly.
because, my orders are to salute
none but field officers" he answer
ed, "and you are only captain"
The young man sneered openly.
"You are very wise"
Then he advanced as if he was
about 10 enter the Pavilion, when
Gabriel put himself in front of the
door and said sternly:
"That is forbidden, save to the
emperor aud the ladies of the court"
The young Prussian drew up
haughtily.
Don't you recognize my uni
form? | am the Prince of POtsdam,
of the blood royal of Prussia, on ii
visit here. Do you wish me to
complain to the emperor of your
Insolence?"
Gabriel had heard of the prince as
on visit to Paris, and knew that
the emperor had shown him distin-
guished honor but he was also in
flexible in his duty on account of
the strange and violent antipathy
he had taken to this PruSSian stran-
ger.
Not but the prince was handsome
for he was tall and graceful, with Il
sharp.cut aristocrat face, blue eyes
and fair hair but there was GER
tain redness and puffiness about the |
cheeks that told of drink and disSi- !
patton, and naughty cruel curve
to the mouth that aroused the cuir- |
assier's antagonism at once.
So he pointed his sword at the |
prince and said sternly:
"Stand back. i have my orders"
The Prussian ground his teeth and !
turned away with curse saying : |
"Pll pay you for this yet"
Then he stalked off toward the |
palace, and Gabriel resumed his |
walk in a frame of mind in which |
hatred for the Prussians were blen-
ded with a sense of triumph that he
sustained the dignity of the French
army against this Overbearing bull
ly.
But his tour of duty WAS destined |
TO have some more little adventures
before the relief arrived and he had !
hardly taken three turns before he |
saw his enemy coming back.
Presently the prince came up and
on one arm was the most beautiful |
being Gabriel had ever seen, while |
the other sustained no less a person /
than the Empress Josephine her
self, who was talking and smiling |
in her own gracious way to this dis
ipated Prussian, much to the poor |
sentry's secret disgust.
AS they passed, he stood at sa-
lutte to the empress, who bowed her |
head with her own sweet smile, and
he heard the prince say with a
harsh laugh:
"Your sentries here are sitter
than ours your majesty. That fel-
low wanted to kill rue just now, for
trying to pass him."
Gabriel heard and could say moth
ing, though he flushed slightly;
but if the prince ment to humiliate
him he failed ito do so, for just at
that moment the lovely girl on his
arm raised her eyes, looked Gabri-
ell in the face and said:
"Pr0bably he was right, prince,
for they only put veterans on guard
here"
And Gabriel flushed scarlet then,
for the girls eyes seemed to look
right into his soul and such "a face |
he had never seen before, dark |
oval, statuesque, warm with color,
with intense black eyes and hair
like night.
He heard the prince say as they
went into the Pavilion
VETERANS! Why that's only a
boy"
And the lady's soft voice answer
ed:
sour French boys count their
years by battles, prince, and every
one of them is victory"
After that the young sentry could
afford to pass up and down outside,