The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-12-16
CHAPTER III.

L..
there and his fiaxen-haIred wife, the
two men from his stables, a chamber
maid and two or three villagers, All of
them, women and men, were flushed
and angry, while there In the center OF
them, with pale cheeks and terror In her
eyes, stood the loveliest woman that
ever q soldier would wish TO look upon.
with her queenly head thrown back,
and q touch OF defiance mingled with
her fear, she looked as she glzed round
her like q creature OF different race
from the vile, coRrse-featured crew who
surrounded her. I had not taken two
steps from my door before she sprang
to meet me, her hands resting upon my
arm and her blue eyes sparkling with
Joy and triumph,
"a French soldier and gentleman!"
she cried, now at last I am safe"
Yes, madame, you are safe" said l;
and l could not resist taking her hand
In mine in order that / might reaSsure
her. you have only to command me-"
l added. kissing her hand as q sign that
I meant what l was saying,
II am Polish" she cried, Countess
Palotta Is my name. They abuse ME
because l love the French, | do not
know what they might have done to mo
had Heaven not sent you to help me-"
i kissed her hand again lest she
should doubt my Intentions. Then l
turned upon the crew with such an ex-
preston al l knew how to assume. in
an Instant the hall was empty.
Countess" said i, You are now
under my protection. You are faint,
and q glass OF wine Is necessary to re-
store you" / offered her my arm and
escorted her into my room, where she
sat by my side at the table and took the
refreshments which / offered her.
How she blossomed out In my pres
ence, this woman. like n flower before
the sun! She lit up the room with her
beauty, She must have read my adml-
ration In my eyes. and II seemed to me
that / could also see something OF the
sort in her own. An! my friends, ! was
no ordinary looking man when l wns
In my thlrtleth year. In the whole light
cavalry II would have been hard to find
n finer pair OF whlskers. Murat'B may
have been n shade longer, hut the best
Judges are agreed that Murat's were n
shade too long. And then ! had n man
ner. Some women are to be approached
In one way and some In another, just as
n siege Is m AFFAIR OF fascines and
gablOns in hard weather and OF trench
es In soft. But the man who can mix
daring with timidlty, who can be outra-
geous with IN air OF humility, and pre-
sumptuous with n tone OF Difference,
that In the man whom mothers have to
fear. For myself | felt that / was the
guardian of this lonely lady. and know
ing what n dangerous nan / had to deal
with / kept u strict watch upon myself.
Still even n guardian has his privileges,
and | could not neglect them.
But her talk was as charming MS her
face. In q few words she explained
that she was travelling to Poland and
that her brother, who had been her es-
cort. had fallen III upon the way, She
had more than once met with III treat
ment from the country folk because she
could not conceal her good will towards
the French. Then, turning from her
own affnirs, she questioned me about
the army, and no came round to myself
and my wi exploits, They were ia
mlliar to her, she said, for she knew
several OF Poniatowski's officers and
they had spoken Of my dOlngs. Yet she
would be glad TO hear them from my
own lips. Never have / had 30 delight
fui n conversation. Most women make
the mistake OF talking too much about
their own AFFAIRS, but this one listened
to NY tales Just as you Rre listening
now. eve asking for mor and more
and more. The hours slipped rapidly
by. AMI II was with horror that ! heard
the village clock strike eleven. and no
learned that for four hours ] had for
gotten the cmperor'B business.
Pardon me, my dear LADY, I cried.
springing to my feet. "But l must on
instantly TO Hof."
She rose also and looked at me with q
pale. r|cpronchful fRce. And rhe2"
she asked. what Is 10 become Of me2"
1T is the cmperor's AFFAIR. 1 have al.