Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-10-29
THE GRAND DUKE.

What is 1t that Fauvettc sees2 The dav
is cold and bleak; Fauvette gathers the
blanket more closely around her thinly
clad form and over her head as she looks
down the road and discovers far away,
in the direction of her own home. q
cloud of dust. 1t is not the dust of the
diligence, for that went by an hour ago:
Fauvette noticed it particularly. because
it was going fast The horses were gal
Looping, and Baptiste was urging them
on as though something were coming in
pursuit. Had Baptiste been running
away from that which made the clouds
of dust2 and was that which made the
cloud the German army?
Fauvette's heart stood still as this
thought came to her. She knew there
was war In the country, but as yet it had
not come anywhere near ChampviIIers.
which was the village where Fauvette
lived. Had it come near so soon2 When
she left home that morning with Bebe
there had been no thought of the Ger
mans; had they arrived already? She
looked around at Bebe, who was trying
almost vainly to get some pasturage out
of the stubble of the field. Then she
looked again at the cloud of dust. 1t
had lifted little by this time, and un-
derneath Fanvette could see the glimmer
| of bayonets and the forms of horses and
men. Yes, it was the German army
there could be no doubt of that.
At the first thought she started to run.
But where should she go2 The soldiers
were between her and the village; she
could not leave Bebe, and Bebe would
not willingly go in the opposite direc-
ton from home. Even if Bebe consented
the soldiers would very soon overtake
her. But if she staid would they not
take Bebe and herself, toog of, if they
let her SO, would they not carry Bebe OFF,
Fauvette's heart now beat quick and fast
The soldiers were coming rapidly nearer.
indeed, she could distinguish their
faces. The man in front on horseback
was old and ugly. Could that be the
Count Bismarck, she wondered. Fa1vette
crept up to Bebe's side and laid her
arm over the cows neck. For the first
time Bebe looked up, and seeing the sol
dlers, gazed at them with O look of
gentle surprise.
Bebe was Fauvette's special care Eau
vettes elder sister, Lucie, looked after
the children, and helped the mother at
home, while Fauvette brought the cow
to pasture, and in these troubled times
staid with it all day. At this season it was
cold work, and there was little in the
field for Bebe to eat Pretty soon her
task would end, and the COW would live
at home with the rest of the family. hay
ing better quarters, indeed, than they
had themselves. Fauvette now wished
that 1t mad ended before to day, so that
she might not have met the soldiers in
this exposed place.
The officer at the head, who, though
Fauvette did not know it, was only
colonel, eyed the COW, as he rode UP.
with grim satisfaction.
"Ah !" he exclaimed, in his own
tongue, ''this will make fine steaks.
Leave the cow, girl, and go back to your
village. No one will hurt you.n
Fauvette stood still. She did not un-
derstand German, though she guessed at
what he said.
'Achl" exclaimed the officer who can
speak this detestable tongue2 Where is
there man who knows the French?"
The colonel looked up and down the
Inc. Several OF the men appeared ready
to answer, when the attention of all was
attracted to young aid-de-camp, who
came galloping up the road, and de-
handed to know what was the matter.
The colonel pointed to Fauvette and the
COW.
II am just about to tell the girl to go
home to the village and leave the COW, y
he said, ''but unhappily am not ready
with foreign languages. When / have
something to say in French, require
help
The young man smiled. Then turning
to Fauvette, he said to her. In her own
tongue: My poor child, the colonel
wishes me to Tell you that you must
leave the COW and go home. You live
IN the village we have just passed, do
you nOt?'
Fauvctte gazed at him calmly. She
was terrible afraid, and her face was
pale, but otherwise she did NOT show it.
.Oui, monsieur" she said; II live in
the village, and l should be glad to go
back, but cannot leave Bebe."
The young aid de-camp-he was little
more than boy--looked at her plying
~. but you must, he said; 1.-THE
colonel says so.
Her eyes flashed ssWhat do / care
for the colonel she said s.If he kills
Rebe, he must kill me too"
''Oh, he won't kill you, ? said the boy.
eve don't fight children. But he wants
the COW, don't You Sec
What does he want it fort" asked
Fauvette, gravelY.
why, to eat suppose, he stam-
mered, not wishing to hurt her more than