, 1903-11-18
AN EPISODE OF THE
REIGN OF TERROR
tOriginal.1


During the French revolution Nine.
de Four and Nine. Breton, two friends,
found themselves on opposite sides.
Nine. de Four's husband o sides
with the revolutionists, while NJ. Bre-
ton was a royalist. One day Nine. Bre-
ton came hastily from her chateau and
told her friend that young Victor Bre-
ton was to be arrested.
An arrest during the reign of terror
meant death. The young man must be
concealed, and the two women hurried
ly consulted as to how this could be
best accomplished. Nine. de Four final
ly agreed that he should come to her
house, provided he could be taken there
without being seen. But how was this
to be done? 1t was morning, and as b
arrest was liable to take place that
afternoon he must go in broad day
light. In fact, the revolutionary COM
mittee had him already under surveil-
lance till they could make other impor-
tant arrests and find time to attend to
his case. Therefore, since the mother
and her friend could not wait for dark
ness, some disguise was essential, and
as the boy was only twenty, had no
beard, but did have a pair of pink
cheeks, they decided to put him Into
girls clothes. Young Breton, having
donned feminine attire, walked down
the road, passing citizens who were
watching to see that he did not leave
the house. Nine. de Four picked
him up in her carriage, and he drove
with her to her chateau. Once there,
he was introduced as Nine. de Four's
niece.
The risk Nine. de Four was running
in %concealing a royalist kept her in an
agony Of fear, for If discovered h
would fall under the ban of the "
~lutionists. She would have better TAX
en- her husband or at least her daugh-
ter into her confidence. Louise de
Four was only eighteen, but was far
beyond her years in good sense. Be-
sides, women are far better fitted for
aiding and abetting such concealment
than men. Madame's keeping her Sc
cret from Louise resulted In its getting
to the revolutionists. Louise spoke to
a friend about her cousin, wondering
why she had never heard of her be-
fore and why she always kept her
room. This friend told the police.
One evening there vas a stormy
scene at the De Fours'. NJ. de -Four
came home and told his wife that he
was suspected of harboring young Bre-
ton. Madame confessed to her hus-
band, and, the danger threatening the
whole family being of the greatest mo-
ment, Louise was called into the con-
ference. She saw at once that In her
ignorance she had put the hounds on
the scent. But now that she knew all
she proved the most fertile of any of
them in expedient. She laid a plan and
at once put it in operation.
1t was just after dusk that a corporal
and six men, accompanied by a woman,
reached the De Four chateau. The
lamps were lighted, but turned low.
Corporal" said NJ. de Four, proceed
with your search. The premises are
at your service, and if any royalist is
hiding here | hope you will find him"
HIM" said the corporal, who knew
well who was suspected. Summon
the inmates of the chateau"
This was done, and when all were as
sembled the corporal at once turned
his attention to the niece who had
lately come and who was present with
the others.
"Who is this person." asked the cor
poral.
my niece, Julie de Four" replied
Nine. de Four.
"And thisT"
"My daughter"
mime. Renaud," said the corporal
to the woman who had accompanied
him, take Mile. Julie de -Four aside
and see IL she is a woman"
The woman called the niece to one
end of the room and ordered her to IN
button her dress from the throat.
what" she exclaimed. SIS it really
so? She's a woman"
"By gar! Who has put us to all this
trouble for nothingY' exclaimed the
corporal.
"If it Is any one in this house." said
M. de -Four with dignity, ~ demand to
be informed who he or she ISL
Monsieur need not suspect any one
here. The information came from the
outside. l am sorry to have troubled
so good a friend to the cause. Mon
sieur, I bid you good evening"
With that he led his men and the
woman, Renaud. away. AS soon as
they had gone NJ. and Nine. de Four,
Louise and the niece went upstairs
and entered a room for conference.
She who had been Louise took the
hand of her who had been the niece
and said:
"a thousand thanks. mademoiselle.
l w you my life!"
Eyes, and you came pretty near ow-
ing me your death. 1t was who in
nocently gave you away"
Louise took off a wig and going to
q basin began to wash paint from her