The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-10

what real fear was until that moment.
But then / considered that after all !
could but do my best like brave and
honorable gentleman, and above all obey
the orders which had received, to the
letter. And il all went well, this would
surely be the foundation OF my fortunes:
Thus alternating between my fears and
my hopes, spent the long, long evening
until it was time for me TO keep my ap-
pointment.
CHAPTER w.
/ put on my military overcoat, as did
not know how much OF the night i
might have TO spend in the woods, and
fastened my sword on inside of II. put
off my hussar boots also, and wore pair
of shoes and CATERS, so that i might be
lighter upon my feet. Then stole out Oh
my quarters and made for the forest, feel-
ing very much easier in my mind, Tor
always at my best when the time OF
thought has passed and the moment Tor
action arrived.
/ passed the barracks of the Chasseurs
of the Guards and the line of cafes all flied
with uniforms. / caught glimpse as
went by OF the blue and gold OF some OF
my comrades and the swarm OF dark
infantry coats and the light green OF the
guards. There they sat, sippng their
wine and smoking their cigars, little
dreaming what their comrade had on
hand. One of them, the chief OF my
squadron, caught sight of me in the
lamplight, and came shouting after me
into the street. i hurried on, however,
pretending not to hear him. so he, with a
curse at my deafness, went back at last to
his wine bottle.
Ii is not very hard to get into the forest
at Fontainebieau. The scattered trees
steal their way into the very streets like
the tirailleurs In front OF q column.
n ia la1 int
edge of the woods and then l pushed
rapidly forward toward the old FIR tree
1t was a place. which, as j have hinted,
I had my own reasons for knowing wtl,
and could only thank the fates that IT
was not one of the nights upon which
Leonie would be waiting for me. The
poor child would have died of terror at
the sight OF the Emperor. He might
have been too harsh with her-and, worse
still, he might have been too kind.
There was a half moon shining, and as
came up TO our trysting place L saw that
/ was not the first to arrive. The En-
peror was passing up and down. his hands
behind him and his face sunk some
what forward upon his breast. He wore a
gray greatcoat, with a capote oyer his
head. had seen him in such dress in our
winter campaign in Poland, and IL was said
he used il because the hood was such an
excellent disguise. He was always fond,
whether in the camp or in Paris, OF walk
ing around at night and overhearipg the
talk in the cabarets or around, the fires.
His figure, however, and his way OF carry
ing his head, were so well known that
he was always recognized, and then the
takers would Just say whatever they
thought would please him best.
was afraid that he would be angry
with me for having kept him waiting, but
as i approached him we heard the church
,IocE pf Font m % bleau clanO ont the hour
of 10. IL was evident, therefore, that IL was
he who was too soon, and not too late.
! remembered his injunction that should
make no remark, SO / contented myself
with halting within four PAGES OF him,
clicking my spurs together, grounding my
sabre and saluting. We glanced at me
and then without word, he turned and
walked slowly through the forest, keep
| ing always about the same distance be-
hind him. Once or twice he seemed TO me 10
| look apprehensively to right and TO left,
| a. II he feared that some one were observ-
| ing us. ! looked also, but, although
| have the keenest sight il was impossible
| TO see anything except the ragged patches
| OF mooushine between the great black
| shadows OF the trees. My ears are as
| quick as my eyes, and once or twice
| thought ! heard q twig crack but you
| know how many sounds there are i'm Q
| forest at night and how difficult II il
even TO say what direction they como
| from.
| We walked for rather more than mil,
and knew exactly what our destination
| was long before we got there. In tn,
| center OF one OF the glades there is tn,
scattered stump of what must at some tim,
have been a most gigantic tree. IL Il
called the Abbot's Beech and there are sC
many ghostly stories about II that know
many a brave soldier who would not car,
| about mounting sentinel over II. How
| ever, cared as little for such folly as TN,
| Emperor did, so we crossed the glade anC
made straight for the old broken trunk
As we approached ] saw that two mel
were waiting for us beneath H.
When I first caught sight Of them the!
were standing ratner behind II, as IL the!
were not anxious to be seen, but as w