The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-28

| day-anl has found no reason to be- afraid
of them. b.. they are Americans"
We followed the laughing couple through
H. hiE gate beyond the MediciS' Fountain
| ami sat down on a bench Ia king az other
things. lilly" Vas telling NE of MS cE-
peri. noes there when 4 medical student.
which We're yet fresh upon his mind. Tht
Frcncnmaa ard the American girl paradci
up and down at a little distance. II was
growing dusk.
\ long roll Of a distant drum came from
the direction of the palace II WAS the
CLOSING of the gates.
At the first note Billy started to his feet
and pe.yed hastily about hnm in the grow
ing darkness.
ITS the gates" he said. Where are
the? Where's Mary"
We listened. looked up and down, theh
started on in the direction We had seen
them last. 1t seemed incredible that Mary
Ann would have allowed herself t. he taken
out Of sight. We ran along at the loot OF
the statues Of the ancient queens OF FRANCE.
"Maiy!" cried BILLY" evidently codlt'liS
this as one Of her girlish FRANKS and eA-
rtctirg 10 see her jump cut 1T him from
some hiGlu- Place. Mary, come: lie
/ gates Will he closed. quick
Nut = sound. We listened intcntly for half
a precious minute. Then We heard the c.ans
of the hIs iron grille by which we had cn>
tered.
Irt.fA tI'r.'t ~ sAi"A 49, 49,
the sh.ver tina. Tdu through him. His voice
was nours-. as il from long oycrstrHininE;
but II was til voice Of OF mercy.
Of decision. # character-
The palace gate. Run. stop then
Then H. bounced away Ike 4 hound on n
fresh scent. running with the swiftness q
the trained animal under The chestnut iiees
and becoming lost in the da Ckness. fle knew
every nook and turning If this stUGeats Ie-
sort.
| OWNED that his course was laid for the
gate leading TO thu avenue At the opS"rEa-
tory. and saw at once that tie only two eX-
its where the couple might have passed were
that and the palace cate. T1e lover safes
VIZ. from fifteen 10 twenty minutes away
The public knew that the gates, once closed.
the only cxi; Lett to those vino had been
thus cut of WAS tha palace gate, opposite the
OdCrn. TEg", = II. Try =-arc wd$ Always
mounted. And | Euc" as We! as Billy
that want Of reasonable T.'-ap.a'sS al get
ting out after tnc warning GTim was likely
t. lie follow d By arrest and dH,ention.
This all came to me as / ran. Arriving
krCathless. almost, l had - rest before l
could inquire Of the sentry i; 4 yOIlng couple
had just passed out.
What Kind Of a cCupie?'
described them. Man tall. well built,
dark; girl a head less. light. slender, blond.
Gamer. s!unG to her.
There haG been no such ~couple-no. NOT
within the hour. He was certain. The
camera would have neen noticed.
l row realized for the first time Mary
AIMS danger. For the Frenchman knew
what that drum beat meant. As an honest
and honorable man he would have at once
returned 10 Us. ana failing in finding US
would have waited here at this exit. Mary
Ann would not know what to do. which nay
to go-co:!Id not even communicate her de-
sires-could not leave her faithles5 escort
and get out alone. She would be ct his
mercy.
The suspense was Sickening.
Are they, then. within the grounds?" the
sentr. inquired. finding me still pacing up
and down outside.
I'm afraid they. are" said l.
They'll be arrested"
Even that would be better than"
1 could not finish. 1t was horrible, And
moor '.BiIlv," Would be find them?
The sentry hailed his Corporal and the
latter questioned me through the bars of
the gate. | gave an elaborate description
and expressed myself as morally certain
that l had seen them within five minutes
of drum beat. l added that the girl was an
innocent American girl, who couldn't under
stand a word of French.
The Corporal smiled cynically.
THAT is very curious ne said; and the
MOI a word of English"
The Corporal laughed aloud. I could have
.strangIcd him for mis- humor.
Pleasant comrades for the garden of the
Luxembourg after nishtfail." he muttered.
That sort of innocence will be safer under
lock and Key. 1t will be st. Lazare for your
precious American demOiSelle."
The mention of ST. LaZare caused me a
bitter paEG.
a patrol Of four men was turned out up
on a signal from the Corporal. l heard the
crunch. crunch. crunch of their heavy mil
itary step long after they were out of sight.
1t seemed as if they were stepping on my |
heart. |
Poor Mary Ami She was paying dearly |
her wilifulness. What a terrible situa-
ton for a sensitive young wOmanl'
1t seemed as though L had waited an hour
an age-pacing nervous'y up and down
with mingled hope and despair; but |
It was really not more than twenty minutes |
before l heard again the crunch. crunch. |
crunch of the gravel. this time an irregular 1
tread.
1t seemed like a dream to my distorted
imagination. but l shall always remember !;
First came Billy" with the missing girl i
heavily upon his arm. accompanied
by a soldier. Then followed Dubois, with a
'ed-lcgged soldier on either side.
Billy was calm and confident. Mary Ann /