Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-05-26
CHAPTER XII.
THE FLIGHT.


That night was dark and rainy
with a southwest wind blowing,
dirty patches OF brown cloud flying
over gray, sickly-loOking haze,
behind which the moon occasional
ly cast watery glimpse of herself
TO make things below more dismal
by contrast.
The streets of Berlin were deser-
ted save few gendarmes who cow
cred in the dOOrways and hid them
selves in huge clOaks to listen to
the splashing of the rain in the pud-
dies.
Nine o'clock was sounding from
the towers and steeples Of the city
when a travelling carriage moved
slowly off at walk past the palace
of the old Prince of Potsdam, and a
tall man wrapped in dark cloak
got out of il as it moved along and
went on toward the palace grounds.
He looked as If he were waiting for
some one, and If so he had not long
to wait for as soon as his figure
doomed up above the low brick
wall that encircled the grounds two
black figures stole out through the
rain from the servants wing of the
palace, hurried to the outer gaitand
Joined the man in the cloak.
He turned to them as they came
and said in low tone:
"There is no mistake, is there p"
None" answered one of the
women for they were both women
II am here and this is my maid,
Babette."
The man in the cloak bowed, and
the three walked up to the carriage
which came up to the curb on their
approach.
There was a pOstilliOn on the
leader Of the four horses and a tall
man on the box and one of them
said in low tone:
Forward and drive faster. We
must be at the frontier by morning
il we can"
The pOstillion shook his reins and
the four horses trOtted away out Of
the city of Berlin taking the direct
road south TO the frontier of BOhe-
mia.
The two men on the box were
Major LenOir and his orderly, Case
Tete, and they said but little to each
other on the way, nesting down
into their huge .clOaks and bearing
the rain in silence till they came to
the first pOst-hOuse on the road.
Here Prussian gendarme came
out with a lantern to examine the
passports, and Gabriel exhibited
those with which he had been care
full to provide himself.
The gendarme looked suspiciOusly
at him.
"This passport says you are
French officer, but what are you
doing on the box? Who is that
in the carriage?'
MY sister and her maid here
are their passports"
The gendarme Scrutinized them
closely and went to the door of the
carriage.
81 must compare the descript-
IONS" he said, in the same surly
tone.
Gabriel interpOsed.
you'll do no such thing. You
observe my passport commands
every one to help me. came from
the legation at Berlin. Rather than
submit lady to your rudedess I'll
turn back and complain of you"
This frightened the gendarme
who said:
~ only wish to do my duty,
sir"
"Your duty is performed when
you sign the passports. You're not
required to stare in ladies' faces"
The gendarme grOwled but sub
mitted.
BY the light Of his lantern Ga
briel looked into the carriage and
found Inez very pale and Tighten
ed.
Don't be afraid" he whispered.
"No one shall interfere with you
Then he noticed with some sur
prise, that both she and her maid
were attired i'm the black robes and
coal-scuttle bOnnets of nuns.
He said nothing about ii and the
horses were put to again.
Then they ratified away toward
the next station, the way getting
more and more lonely and desolate
rs they advanced.
At the next station they were
twenty miles from Berlin and they
heard the village clock strike elev-
en-. The gendarme on duty there |
sleepy cOunterSigned the passports
and let them proceed without ques-
tons, and at the third stations they !
had even less trOuple. AT the fourth |
and fifth stations they found the |
horses improving in speed and be-
fore the day broke Gabriel knew |
that they were nearing the frontier
Of Bohemia.
At sunrise they saw before them
The dark range Ofthe Err Gebirge |
while the spires of a large town
,hOne in the light.
"What is that ?' asked Gabriel. |
"Dresden, mein herr" said the
"Then 1t is time to change pass
ports, and turn Prussian," said Ga
lriel, to his orderly. 1--WE are in
SaxOny now, Casse Tete, and you
ire my French servant"
He called to the pOstilliOn to stop
md descended TO the door OF the
carriage.
"WilI mademOiselle excuse me-"
ne said, "if / enter the carriage for
lWnllG ~ 10 hCNNsosooAN W
hange our passports and l must do
hat where the postillion cannot see
ls."
Inez looked pleased.
"But certainly, monsieur, 1 was
urprised that you staid out in the
ain all night" i
ait was necessary" he answered
for the protection OF madem0lSelle
rom any breath Of suspicion" /
Then after he had entered he told
er how she had passed for his SIS
er and how it now became neces-
airy for him to change his character
he expected to be allowed on Aus
Ran territory.
She agreed to all he said and the
lsatian, taking out his false pass
orts proceeded to put in the visas
'om the true ones rs fast as posi-
lie by the simple process of tracing !
nd transferring them bodily to the
Il |