The Holly chieftain., 1902-05-16
CHATTER KIN fcop.,nu.a,

md through this he might continue his
Journey.
As he moved about In the early
dawn. too restless to remain quiet,
Paul noticed that he was being fol-
lowed up and down by figure that
limped badly, yet walked with the stiff
air Of soldier.
1t was the veteran, now In the secret
service OF Bismarck. determined not
to lose sight Of his man.
Paul was rather charmed by such
peStinacity, and resolved to make It
4 easy for the old fellow as possible.
The relief train arrived ut last, the
wounded were placed aboard. and the
unhurt had the privilege OF finding
places as best they could.
= Nor was Paul at all sorry to leave
Whe scene of the disaster, for though
1t had freed him of the unwelcome at
tentions of the two keepers. its un-
pleasant associations would always
finger in his memory
One who has passed through such an
experience can understand how he felt
The wounded were left at the near
est town, where they could be properly
taken care of.
Paul often wondered what became of
the stout pretended merchant, since he
ut the time of the catastrophe-he
might be running yet for all the Am
erican could say.
Rhinelander was glad when the
spires of Berlin appeared In view.
= Once in the capital. as the day was
drawing near its close, Paul deter
mined to seek an hotel and defer his
mission until the morrow.
The veteran was the old man of the
| sea, who chung so tenaciously to the
shoulders of Sinbad the Sailor-he was
not to be dislodged either through
cajolery or threats.
Compelled to make the most of a
bad bargain, the American frankly
Invited his shadow to share the
haGkney droschky in which he intend
Ngoing from the station to the hotel,
&hich opportunity the other eagerly
seixed.
Berlin was unusually thronged for
the season OF the year, and soldiers
!, were to be met with In squads and
Scompanies at every turn, arriving and
He2arting-yet 1t might be noticed
that all who quilted the capital went
toward the south.
1t was a wonderful sight tM see
these two. great nations pushing their
legions forward toward common line
Of demarcation, the Rhine, and fac
Ing them there at several points long
before the first tocsin Of war had
sounded.
But shrewd Bismarck knew full well
what untoward influences were NOV
Ing Louis Napoleon, and that there
could be no other settlement Of the
grave questions between them save by
the arbitrament OF arms. Hence,
every move he made was done with the
full assurance that 1t would presently
prove to be one of the stepping stones
to Paris.
And Bismarck made no mistake
when he played his pawns with such
telling effect that Won Moltke was
afterward enabled to sweep the chess
board.
For more than half century had
the Germans awaited . chance to pay
back the scores Of Napoleon Bona
papfe's time, but the hour was at hand.
Paul had much to think Of that
eevening.
4 He even forgot that the veteran con-
tinued to hover near by. keeping an
eye upon all his movements.
~ That those he had left In the univer-
Ny town were much in his thoughts
was foregone conclusion.
When would he see them again?
His heart went out to Karl, whom he
loved almost as though he were =
brothsr-and then there was Beatrix.
his sister, and last but mot least, Hill
degarde.
The recollection gave him pain,
because clouds seemed to hover about
their sky, and he could not sec clearly
what the end would be-yet It were
certainly better to have known this
( charming girl and lost her than that
they had never met-he was the bettsr
for the experience, It. exalted hh
ideas Of womanly virtues. and, though
/. the probe brought keen pain. he ex-
pressed no wish that his steps had
turned other than thither.
Thus he considsredas the night drew
on, seated Just outside the hotsl, and
watching the animated scene upon the
fannouG nfraat known far and vide n