Evening star., 1898-07-30

she went. smiling and nodding her gray
head IL n
Her son was killed the last day of the
siege, said Hilde:a Il sent her to the cita-
del, where they Will tell her"
There werotearsi in her eyes: she laid
her head on Harevoods shoulder.
Life is too sad, z she said! !.sy
The bell in the citadel began to toll. a
column of soldiers, marching without
drums or arms, entered the parade. already
crowded with vehicles.
That Is the end said Harewood solemn
sia. ss; the fort belongs to to the King of prus-
Our fort said Hide, turning very
white.
She trembled so that he drew her to him
holding her close.
Wait she whispered, remember what
We said of youth and springtide The land
needs sunshine and pure air and green
leaves and stiffness. Death will be a mem
ory with summer. France can wait; her
promise is in her youth"
The bell toiied nonotonously: three silent
files of men entered the gun road and he
gan the long descent.
There Is somebody in a carriage COM
ing this way, said Hardwood The next
moment he uttered an exclamation half
petulantly, half amused
Hide! It's the Mouse!'
she rose, GREATNESS, excited. hands out
Stretched; woman leaned from the car
riage, then sprang to the ground
Yolette! Yolette"' cried Hide; little sis
ter, l am herei"
There's Bourke!" stammered Harewood
and tried to rise on his crutches,
Yolette was in Hides arms. sobbinp
Little sister! Darling Hide, Don't cry
SO, dont-we are going home-home-reaily
We are" Bourke's strong hands clasned
HarewOod's; his keen grave face QUESTION
ed the younger man.
What he read in Harewood's eyes lighted
up his own, and he stepped back and took
Hides hands in his When he turned
again to Harewood the latter was holding
little court of his own. Yolette. Red Rid
ing Hood and the Mouse surrounded him
the chlld mad both arms close around his
neck; Yolette was grteving over his wound
ed limb, and holding his hand in both her
gioved ones. AS for the Mouse he chawed
straw and looked on with mixed senti
ments impossible to fathom
He brought me silver cup" said Rcd
Riding Hood gravely
The Mouse shifted the straw hetuee, bis
teeth and looked anywhere but at Hare
We are to have white bread tomorrow in
Paris observed Red Riding Hood. still
holding Harewood's neck encircled in her
And wedding cake" he said savlv ..but
not II you choke me to death, little sweet
sth,a hne te leeF ] on the Mouses face was impos-
well or i'll is problem. The chances are
that he intended to convey the assurances
oI ar MS benevolent interest in Harewood and
Hide However, he only said that the car
rage was ready and the drive to Paris a
long and cold one, and he the Mouse was
ready to start as soon as ICES messieurs''
We're ready. ,n m
Hardwood laughed and took his cr,,,.hos
Hide, coloripg family, placed one arr,
around round him ard aided him to rise -
Come on, Bourke,i he said, with touch
OF the old boyish impetuosity-yet. under r.
there was something tender, even a little
wistful as though, he needed the strenvth
OF MS comrade toostrengthen him In body
Il think,'' be sata as Bourke picked hin,
up unceremonious1g and carried him off to
the carriageTI think Cecil that vn,,:ii
find hereafter That my conscience ia
straighter than my leg
wen mend both. jim" laughed gourke
Hide and Yotette.-, o'
Red Riding Hoes ,a vas set high on the ariv
Harewood gently in the corner beside Hide.
then. noddingi 10 the Mouse. he entered III.
carriage himself.
"Yolette ard I nave taken house In
Passy." he said, smiling across at Hare
wood. "Yoiette says we must have
honeymoon IL We wait ten years for it 80
I'm thinking-if you and Hide are MARRIED
and the blockade is raised-we might rnn
down to- the Breton coast until Paris has
cleaned house.
I'VE were thinking said Hide with
sweet dignity, "of doing the same tbinS, y,
Yolette suddenly leaned across the Ear
riage and kissed her.
The Mouse. outside. cracked his whip and
sang as he drove:
For what things shall our brothers plead,
A rope, match a barley seed
Iaps E 20 burn s E" wr Esess need.
To feed the poor. barley seed,
4 barley seed
Crack! crack! went the whip: the sifted
snow flew high: the wheels sns,p s,inred :
kad a nh In, ol,<