Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-06-16
WHOLE NO. 2,47S.

| cnlei Oh advance, giving license Il
his Serene Highness, the Prince o
Potsdam, to pass through the line
on his way to Berlin.
Besides this was another paper
signed by the Russian General, Kut
usoff, giving the prince safe conduct
through the Russian lines con bust
ness of value to the empire"
Gabriel saw at once that he could
not stop his rival, and was about tC
return to him the papers with a bad
grace, when thought struck him.
He would play Austrian.
"rhese are all well enough" he
growled in tone OF distrust, "but
| don't care snap of the finger fol
the French or the Russians. My
master is the Emperor of Austria,
and you have no Austrian safe con-
duct"
"There are no Austrian troops on
this road, are there ?' asked the
prince,
81 call myself one, and if you
can't show me authority from some
Austrian officer, you'll nave to turn
back said Gabriel.
"Indeed, | did not think il neces-
sary," said the prince, in some con-
fusion. l am too well known as a
friend of Austria"
GAS a friend of France, you
mean," our hero interrupted him.
1t is well known you are going to
marry French Princess, and that
Frenchman carried her away from
you. Where Is she now ?"
"She is in this carriage" was the
unexpected reply. "Iappeal to you
sir, as an officer and a gentleman to
let me pass on to the Russian quart
ters with her. If you are an Aus
trian, you will find out, when it is
too late, that you have done wrong
i'll stopping me. Let me pass, or
else take me prisoner. I did not
come here to be insulted'"
Gabriel listened and his heart
bounded. Inez was in the carriage.
He concealed his feelings, how
ever, and said in his gruffest tone F:
"You must come out of that car
riage at once. l suspect you of
being spy. Here, Casse Tete, make
the postillions dismount."
He had to speak this in French to
MAKE Case Tete understand, and the
prince cried:
"Who are you, sir? If you are
a Frenchman, you shall rue this
insult ~
81 am a Frenchman," returned
Gabriel in his fiercest tone, "and if
you don't get out of that carriage, I'll
run you through the body. Do you
hear ?"
The door was opened hurriedly
and the prince descended into the
mud, grumbling and swearing.
"Take him away" said Gabriel
to Casse Tete, who forthwith con-
Quoted the prince, at the point OF
his sword, to the roadside, and made
him sit down.
Then Gabriel dismOunted, went
to the door, looked III, and beheld
two dark figures. The Prussian had
told the truth.
81 am here, mademoiSelle," he
whispered, 81 have escaped, as you
see. Do you still wish to go to the
convent at AusterlitZ ?"
He heard Inez sob.
"Oh, monsieur, that / am glad
you are safe! No, no, the convent
is closed. They took me to the
emperor, and I found that man
there before me. / have been sent
back. Oh, there is no hope for me,
before God or man! l must submit
to my fate"
Gabriel felt his heart beating rap
idly.
"If you desire to leave this man,
| will defend you against all the
world" he said earnestly. 81 will
defy the emperor himself, any one,
if you will only give me authority
to defend you"
at is impossible" she said sadly.
"Oh, monsieur, forget you ever
knew me. You are too noble, too
generous, to sacrifice yourself for
me-"
. Gabriel felt her little hand held
out to him in the dark, and he seiz-
ed it and covered it with kisses.
"Oh, mademoiselle," he murmur-
ed softly, "if l had but the right to
protect you from that villain! But
there is only one way ! can obtain
that right"
"He felt her trembling violently,
and heard her whisper:
"What way ?'
"By turning back at once with
me" said Gabriel, surprised at his
own audacity. "There must be
villages on the road, and where
there is village, there must be a
priest"
"Oh, monsieur :" he heard her
say, and she snatched away her
hand.
Then he heard another voice, that
of Babette, say, slyly:
"Indeed, yes, mademOiselie.
There is Il church close to the post
house at the last station, and the
priests house is close to the road. F"
Gabriel felt as if he could have
hugged Babette for those words,
and he went on in low, rapid tones {:
at is too late to hesitate, madem-
oiselle. You hate and loathe this
man, and you cannot escape marry
ing him, save by wedding some one
else, even il it be form. You do
dot absolutely hate me, and / swear
to you that l only seek the right to
protect you from this villain. Con.
sent to this ceremony, and ! prom
ise to leave you at once in a retired
spot, and never to claim any rights
that will offend you. Only it will
give me the right to kill the prince
of Potsdam if he presumes any fur
ther persecution"
Inez said nothing, but he heard
hnr nrxyinn in tho 1arH uyhiln Da.
bette whispered to her something
the cuirassiar heard not.
He waited a little while, and then
said in his most respectful way:
81 am sorry mademOiselle cannot
trust me. / thought the hand Of
Heaven had brought about this
meeting, as unexpected by US all.
But since you prefer to marry the
Prince of Potsdam, / have no right
to complain. / will bid you fare
well, mademoiselle."
"Oh, monsieur!" was all she
could say, and Gabriel, his heart
sinking, was Just falling back when
Babette the maid exclaimed impul-
sively:
"Oh, mademoiselle, he too will
desert US. Tell him TO stay. Any
thing is better than going back to
Berlin"
And as Inez still said not a word
Gabriel closed the door OF the car
ciage and SAID for the last time:
Farewell, mademoiselle, farewell
forever"
Then as if the last words had
reused her, she faltered out:
"Oh, no, no, not forever. Save