The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-06-13

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He laid on the table the gold
common soldier in the Algerian cav
airy, knew that by every law Of BIRTH
right he was now peer of England.
The vagabond throngs - Moorish,
Frank, negro, Colon-pa6sed as they
pushed their way over the uneven
road and stared at him vacantly where
he stood. There was something in his
attitude, in his look, which swept over
them, seeing none Of them, in the eager
lifting Of his head, in the excited fire in
his eyes, that arrested all, from the
dullest muleteer plodding on with his
string of patient beasts to the most vol
atile French girl laughing on her way.
He did not note them, hear them,
think Of them. He remembered moth.
ing save that he, and he alone, was the
rightful lord of Royallieu. Holding
the journal clinched close in his hand,
he went swiftly through the masses of
the people out and away, he little not.
ed where, till he had forced his road
beyond the gates, beyond the town, be-.
You'd all reach Of it's dust and it's bab
bic and it's discord, and was alone in
the farther outskirts.
Reaching the heights, he stood still
involuntarily and looked down once
more on the words that told him of his
birthright. He was Viscount Royal
lieu as surely as any of his fathers had
been so before him and was dead for.
ever in the worlds belief. He must
live and grow old and perish by shot
or steel, by sickness or by age, with
his name and his rights buried and his
years passed as a. private soldier of
France. There was a passionate re-
volt, bitter heartsickness on him.
All the old freedom and peace and lux
ury and pleasure of the life he had left
so long allured him with terrible
temptation. The honors of the rank
that he should now have filled were not
what he remembered. What he longed
for with an agonized desire was to
stand once more stainless among his
equals, to reach once more the liberty
of unchallenged, unfettered life, to re-
turn once more to those who held him
but as dishonored memory, as one
whom violent death had well snatched
from the shame Of a criminal career.
"But who would believe me now?"
he thought. Besides, this makes no
difference. If three words spoken
would reinstate me, could not speak
them at that cost. The beginning per-
haps was folly, but for sheer Justices
sake there is no drawing back now.
Let him enjoy it. God knows do not
grudge him it,
The distant mellow ringing notes Of
a trumpet call foated to his ear from
the town at his feet 1t was sounding
the return to camp. Old instinct, long
habit, made him start and shake his
harness together and listen. The trum-
pet blast winding cheerily from afar
off recalled him to the truth, summon
ed him sharply back from vain regrets
to the facts Of daily life. It awoke him
as it wakes a sleeping charger. It
reused him as it rouses a wounded
trooper.
He stood hearkening to the familiar
music until it had died away, spirited,
yet still lingering; full Of fire, yet fad
ing softly down the wind. He lis
tened till the last echo ceased. Then
he tore the paper that he held in strips
and let it float away, drifting down the
yellow current of the reedy river chan
mel.
$50 best after all perhaps" he said
half aloud in the solitude Of the ruined
and abandoned mosque. Gle cannot
well come to shipwreck with such a
fair wind and such a smooth sea. And
III am just as we'll here. To ride
with the chasseurs is more exciting
than to ride with the Pytchley. And
the rules Of the chambree are scarce
more tedious than the rules Of a court.
Nature turned me out for a soldier.
though fashion spoiled me for one. I
can make a good campaigner. should
never make anything else."
And he let his sword drop back again
into the scabbard and quarreIed no
more with fate. -. ~
His hand touched the 80 goldpieces
In his sash. .< e..
He started as the recollection Of the
forgotten insult came back on him.