The Leon reporter., 1902-07-03
CHAPTER XIII.
Conclusion.


nounced his decision it created some
thing of an excitement.
Hildegarde's face lost it's pallor, and
Paul smiled grimly, at the same time
he kept an eye on Aimee.
Just as he expected, the ba.hed
countess aimed to carry out desper-
ate plan.
ut is a. lie, a base forgery, a trick
to deceive fools;. but it cannot hood
wink me. What is this you say-that
the man shall go free, he caught red
handed in the act, a spy, hated Ger
man spy, fit only for the halter? And
you dare to say that, you who swore
on bended knees that my word should
be law?"
The poor major, victim of cross
purposes, could only shrug his shoul-
ders.
my vow to my country to obey my
superiors. That is above life to me,
since my honored name is involved.
Even for you l dare not order my
men to arrest one who is under the
protection of such sacred document,
written by Marshal BaZaine him
SELF"
The countess, apparently cheated
out of her prey, and deserted by an
ally whom she had believed could be
depended upon through thick and
thin, looked about her sullenly. Des-
mad. and she would risk even her own
destruction in order to gain revenge
From figure to figure this glance
went-and then he saw fierce joy
flash over her face.
1t was as though she had discov-
cred that all was not yet quite lost.
All! it was Karl
Remembering as he did that the
| other had candidly confessed he was
in Metz as a secret agent of the Ger
man forces, no wonder Paul felt a
| sudden fall of his spirits when he
recollected that the magic document
OF his British friend would not cover
| two companions, and that the dread
| ful fate of death at the hands of the
mob, from which he had just escaped
by mere scratch, would probably be
| the doom of his friend and brother,
| poor Karl
Still keeping her eyes glued upon
Karl, the countess once more adj
dressed the major, resolved to test the
last remainder of her power over that
worthy.
"One has escaped us, you say, but
do not forget, my friend, there are
two. Yonder man, his comrade, is
the spy we seek. You prate of your
sacred duty as soldier-let us see
some of it now-arrest that man and
search him for positive evidence of
his guilt
The major woke up. He was once
more the warrior bold, eager to faith
/ fully serve the woman he adored
Heaven help the poor devil upon
whom his concentrated wrath now
fell, for, having been held in the leash
so long the fighting major was apt to
be exceedingly ferocious.
However, if the bellicose soldier an
ticipated any quailing on the part OF
Karl Won Stettin, he made the most
grievous mistake of his life.
The young Heidelberg philosopher
even smiled as brightly as one could
wish.
III fact, he even appeared pleased to
have all eyes concentrated in his di-
rection.
This was not braggadocio.
What could it mean?
Beatrix crept up beside Karl, and
caught hold of his arm.
Her action could not be mistaken
it meant as plainly as those words of
old which Ruth spoke to Naomi:
WHITTIER thou goest I shall go, thy
country shall be my country, thy God
God my God.'
Karl put an arm around the girl
and strained her to his heart.
And into Hildegarde's cheeks, hith-
erto as white as marble, the color
surged, as the light Of great reyela-
ton began to force its way.
Paul, then, was not lost-he had not
been unfaithful-he was all her most
fervid fancy had ever painted him
and deep down in her heart she knew
he loved her.
No wonder, then, she glowed with
sudden hope and the world took on a
new brightness after all. it is our
condition of mind that makes or mars
the scene. To the happy soul even a
dreary day of rain affords seasons OF
rejoicing.
Thus one good thing had come about
through this concentration of atten-
ton upon Karl.
Utterly helpless himself, in so far
as assisting his comrade was con-
cerned, Paul could only turn to watch
the progress of events, praying that
Sir Noel could see the way to lend a
hand, or that Karl himself might