Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-06-16
CHAPTER XVIII.
A MEETING.

On went the cuiraSSiers at the same
fast trot till they saw another fire
ahead.
1t was the picket reserve on the
other side of the cavalry camp, and
they heard shouts and cries that
told it to be fully on the alert.
Gabriel hastily s1ung his sword
and dived into the holsters of his
saddle for the pistols he expected to
find there.
TO his dismay, each holster pipe
was filled by the neck of bottle OF
wine. The colonel had been evi-
IDENTIFY hard drinker.
1--WE must get out, each for him
SELF" he said to CaSse Tete. Here
they are"
Crack crack |! crack
Red flashes in the fog, splitting
out and followed by the whiz of
bullets; then more shots from the
hussars in the rear, and scattering
in front.
The next moment they rushed
through a mob of twenty or thirty
hussaF5, and scattered the light
horses like chaff before the dash OF
their l0rdly Dig chargers.
There was confusion OF cutting
and stabbing for a few seconds, and
then they were off again, the hus-
sars galloping after them, firing
pistols and carbines, but not daring
to come to close quarters with the
men whose strength they had just
felt.
Ten minutes later the hussars
gave up the chase, and Gabriel OBJ
served:
"That is the last of them. Our
next hail will be in French, Casse
Tete."
He was right. The hussarS had
no successors and, ten minute after
ward, Casse Tete said, in tone of
great satisfaction
"We have done it at last, major.
Who would ever have thought it
For my part, if | could find a
church by the wayside, should
feel like vOWing candlestick to the
Holy Virgin in gratitude"
Now they Travelled on unmOlested
for several hours, the country round
them seeming to be entirely desert
ed. Not a light burned in a cottage
nor did there seem to be any cot
tages, with or without light. The
aspect of desolation was universal,
and remained so for several miles
OF further travel.
Of course they realized that q
great part OF this dismal prospect
was due to the fog and darkness !;
but none the less 1t had its effect on
their spirits, and when at last they
perceived the gleam of light ahead
Of them, Casse Tete broke out:
"Thank Heaven Ibegan to think
we had wandered into the desert
and got lost"
AS he spoke they heard the rum
BILE and rattle of wheels, and per-
ceived that the lights came from
the lamps Of a vehicle rolling toward
them.
Pretty soon it loomed out Of the
fog, four horses to travelling car
riage, and Gabriel said TO Case
Tete:
"Stop it. We might as well know
who is coming between the armies" 1"
They separated, drew their swords,
and stopped the carriage, the pos
tillions, in greUt fear, crying for
mercy.
Gabriel told them to be quiet, and
rode to the door of the carriage.
"Who is coming this way at such
a time" he called out in German.
"ShOw me your passports or turn
back"
"Certainly," cried a mans voice
inside, in a nervous kind of way.
L have a safe conduct from both
parties, gentlemen. l am the Prince
of POtsdam, on my way to Berlin.
Here are my papers"
Gabriel knew the voice at once,
and took care to disguise his own.
"Handthem out here" he replied,
gruffiy.
b The prince handed out bundle
of papers with q shaking hand,
and our hero took them to the car.
riage lamp.