Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-17

"A most horrible mystery" sobbed Mile. Arch
| sim6ault "It is the worst day Of my life"
Compose yourself. my child. +" said the able
| hastily. A servant entered and presented card
| to Marie on a gilt salver.
cit is Herr Karl Eichmann," said the Young
girl. "Ask Herr Eichmann into the snte-room,"
she said calmly to the servant; "and when I
ring the bell, bring him ill.,"
The footman bowed and retired.
"You, my aunt, and You, mon peve, had bet
| ter await us there" (pointing to an adjoining
room,) land when you hear me ring this bell
twice yOu will come to me-"
"She is right" said the able consolingly. Of
| fering his arm to Mile. Archaimbault And
feeling half.stnnned, he hardly knew why, he
| joining boudoir.
| upon them, and had arranged the portiere, she
made violent effort to compose herself for the
| coming interview. "Mon Dieu! what can it
mean3" she first said, wildly, pushing back her
hair from her burning forehead. How well she
remembered the events Of that awful day when
her NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. one with herself-her
| beloved Alph0nse-died! He had been brought
home to them, dying slowly of some injury to
| the spine, shortly after the capitulation, and
| they had endured the slow agony of watching
| him lie fnsensible day after day. hour after
hour: That cruel time, when Strasburg lay fet-
tered, the enemys strong foot upon her neck
dearer than ever to her children In her slavery
Each man, woman and child seemed to bear one
crown OF thorns, while they silently scorned
and stunned their cOnquerers, and caressed their
lost nationality In secret. In mourning garb
they thronged the churches, creeping thither
through streets where they would be least Of
Tended by the sight of those ':accursed Prus-
| sians." And while the market-place was CAV
the restaurants full of bright uniforms the mill
| tary bands 0oashing out the latest German
| WaltZes and quick-marches, not one citizen of
Strasburg could be seen there. They were
a "a Ct hnv n1ryno h0fn D1Ao
little chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows in the cathe-
dral was full of sad kneeling figures from early
morning till late night. Here Marie came here
she fled In her anguish, when the doctor told them
Alphonses lite was now an affair of hours. 1t was
evening; while the Pickering of the many votiye
tapers played upon SSe sad beautiful face of
the Mater DOlOrOsa in the great picture above
her altar. casting strange new expressions
across the panied features, the kneeling crowd
were In shadow. Marie could family distin-
gu1sh the outline OF the Pieta In the corner of
! the chapel-the great image of Mary with the
dead Christ in her lap. She wept and prayed;
and was rising to return to her watch beside
the death bed when she saw face gazing in
upon her through an aperture in the screen
that divided the chapel from the cathedral nave.
mans face, soft, tender; the eyes fixed upon
her with such pity, such deep, yearning love,
that lnstinctively she moved a step forward.
Then she remembered recOiled, and the face
vanished. Was it a comforting vislon3 Some
promise OF consolation. Gained, wondering
she went through the darkness and out into the
moonlight, unaware of quick step that fol-
lowed, till, the door shut behind her, voice
said pleadingly, "Mademoiselle !"
She started, turned. Heavens! she was face
to face with tall officer the moonlight cleaned
on the silver facings of his light-blue uniform.
"MOnsieur" she cried with passionate anger
Then, drawing herself up she flashed one glance
of hatred upon him and fled.
That night Alphonse opened his eyes: he was
conscious, he smiled upon them. Bending over
MIN, she had heard him say those two words,
karl Eichmann," then he sighed, and his spirit
went.
All these things came back to her as she stood
irresolute. looking at the card inscribed with
that name. At last she nerved herself, and rang
the bell.
"Herr Karl Eichmann" Quick footsteps
crossed the floor, spurs clanked, a tall figure
was there. She stood. her eyes fixed On the
floor.
"Mademoiselle!"
ALI! A shiver. q shuddering sigh; all color
left Marie's cheeks; her lips trembled. This
was the man in the pale blue uniform, and his
face was the face she saw that night in the ca
thedral. Bewildered, she shrank back and
stammered:
Sir there is some mistake. Iexpected Herr
Lieutenant Karl Echmann."
He smiled. His large blue eyes looked be-
nignant, though his huge moustache lent fierce
ness to his face.
81 am he, }" he said.
"fou,but you-you spoke to me-and my
did your brother tell you about me ?" he
eagerly asked.
Monsieur, my brother is dead; but he once
spoke that name to me-"
"Then you do not know that 1t was THAT
saw it-ah let me tell you, mademOiselle," he
cried for Marie turned away; the sight of that
hated uniform the recollection of that night
me $h0kG frl,f
ing near to your brother, saw the fragments of
shell strike his hOrse-saw 1t rear and throw
him. These arms lifted him and carried him
from the field. Yes. mademoiselle. his head
rested here" Che struck his shoulder), land If it
had not been for me you would never have seen
him again alive. I was powerless to save his
life, but at least can lay claim to having pro-
longed it. Now, will you still turn away as If
you could not bear to look at me?"
You were my brothers enemy-perha ps-
even-ah! l cannot bear the thought" She
spoke in hard choked voice.
"MademOiselle, was his friend"
How could you-a Prussian-bem my brothers
lriend;' She turned upon him in anger; more
with herself-fOr in spite of the fact that this
man was foe hated with cherished hatred.
the same curious influence affectedher az in the
cathedral. When she looked at that fine face
with the frank large eyes and the bronzed,
aquiilne features, she was attracted, pleased,
why did you not tell me this, then. before?"
III you remember, mademoselIe, tried to
speak to you, but you would not hear me-"
time" Wv
There take leave to differ from you. Twas
determined that no enc should hear the story of
Alphonse's death-blow, except you, from my
lips"
"Why?"
Because, mademoiselle, loved you" He
spoke with passionate earnestness. She blushed
violently.
''How could you do that, monsieur, when you
had never seen me2"
s'If tell You all. will you listen? Mademoi-
sele, Alphonse and were friends in Paris, lust
before the war began. He was there as YOU
know, with his regiment to enjoy myself dur
ing my leave. How little we knew, when we
used to talk of you. of the yawning gulf-the
battleheld-that would shortly divide US"
He spoke to you Of mei" The tears weled
into her eyes.
He drew a little velvet case from his breast.
reyerently kissed it, and held it toward her
perhaps you recognize this!"
''My Portrait The one I gave Alphonse.'
She was agitated. Ibid he give it you? But
| no; how could he?"
''When carried him into the tent after the
ha raA \; 10