The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-06-27

slowly and painfully over the loose,
heavy soil on foot, raising the dropping
head of the lifeless rider. It was bitter,
weary, cruel travail, of an intolerable
labor, of an intolerable pain. At last
ne drew near the caravansary where
he had been directed to obtain a change
OF horses. 1t stood midway in the dis
lance that he had to traverse, The
groups in the court paused in their
converse and in their occupations and
looked in awe at the gray charger with
its strange burden and the French
chasseur who came so blindly forward
like man feeling his passage through
the dark. Cecil moved slowly on into
their midst, his hand on the horses
rein. Then a great darkness covered
his sight. He swayed to and fro and
fell senseless on the gray stone of the
paved oourt. When consciousness re-
turned to him, he was lying on a stone
bench in the shadow of the wall, with
the coolncss Of the fountain water bub-
bling nearand throng of lean, bronzed,
eager faces about him.
Instantly he remembered all.
Where is hep he asked.
They knew that he meant the dead
man and answered him in a hushed
murmur Of many voices. They had
placed the body gently down within in
a darkened chamber.
A SILVER passed over him. He
stretched his hand out for water that
they held to him.
Saddle me fresh horse. have my
work to do.'
He knew that for no friendship or
grief or suffering or self pity might
soldier pause by the wayside while his
errand was still undone his duty unful-
filed
He drank the water thirstily; then,
Keeling slightly from the weakness
that was still upon him, he rose, reject
ing their offers of aid. "Take me to
him." he said simply. They under
stood him.
He motioned them all back with his
hand and went into the gloom of the
chamber alone. Not one among them
followed.
When he came forth again, the reck-
less and riotous soldiers of France turn
ed silently and reterentially away. 50
that they should not look upon his
face, for it was we'll known through
out the army that no common tie had
bound together the e1iles of England,
and the fealty of comrade to comrade
was sacred in their sight.
The fresh animal, saddled, was held
ready outside the gates. He crossed
the court, moving still like man with
out sense of what he did. The name
that some Of the hurrying grooms
shouted loudly in their impatience
broke through his stupor and reached
him. TWAS that of the woman whom,
however madly, he loved with all the
strength of passion born out of utter
hopelessness. He turned to the out
rider nearest him.
You are of the Princess Corona's
suit? What does she do here?'
MADAME travels to see the country
and the war;"
"The war! This is no place for her.
The land is alive with danger, rife with
DEATH"
"1iladi travels with the duke, her
brother. Miladi does not know what
fear isl
But
The remonstrance died on his lips.
He stood gazing out from the gloom Of
the arch at a face close to him, on
which the sun shone full, a face unseen
for II long years and which a moment
before laughing and careless in the
light changed and grew set and rigid
and pale with the pallor of an unutter-
able horror. Cecil brought his hand to
his brow in military salute, passed
with the impassiveness of a soldier
who passed a gentleman, reached his
charger and rode away upon his errand
over the brown and level ground
He had known his brother in that
f1eeting glance, but he hoped that his
brother would see no more in him than
a French trooper who bore resemblance
by a strange hazard to one long be-
lieved to be dead and gone The in
stinct of generosity, the instinct of self
sacrifice, moved him now as long ago
one fatal night they had moved him
to bear the sin Of his mothers darling
as his own.
Within six and thirty hours the in
structions he bore were in the tent Of
the major whom they were to. direct,
and he himself returned to the cara
vansary to fulfill with his own hand to
the dead those last Offices which he
would delegate to none.
1t was in the GOODNESS and the hush
of the night with the great stars shin
ing clearly over the darkness. Of the
plains, that they made the single grave
under a leaning shelf of rock, with the
somber fans Of pine spread above it
and nothing near but the sleeping
herds Of goats. The sullen echo of the
soldiers 'muskets gave it's only funeral
requiem.
When all was over, Cecil still re-
NAMED there alone. Thrown down I'D.
on tho pravo he nnvor rpovod aGsSfsSa,,..