The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14
THE LITTLE LEADEN SOLDIER

ed to his men to guard the door, then said to Julie:
 1 "Citoyenne we have just learned that you are in correspondence with the agents of Pitt, with emigrants and the conspira- i tors of the prisons. In the name of the law l have come to seize your papers For a long time you have been known as an aristocrat of the most dangerous kind Moderate officers have spared you too long. I am master here now and you shall not escape the guilotine Hand over your papers, cheyenne
 Take them yourself" replied Julie; my secretary is open It contained bills of different kinds. all of which the officer set about examining deliberately
 Julie saw that the visit was to be long one She could not help casting a furtive glance at the couch, and she saw corner of letter protruding from un- der the cover like the white ear Of a cat. At the sight her anxiety suddenly ceased. The certainty of her loss filled her mind with a tranquil assurance and gave to her a calm expression resembling that of se- curity. They would surely see the pa per. so white on the red carpet. But she did not know whether they would see 1t at once the speculation as to how long 1t would be before they would discover it distracted and interested her In inis tragic moment she curiou5ly watched the patriots approach and move away from the white spot
 Brichaut. who had finished his eXamin- alton of the papers in the desk. impa- tiently declared that he would find what he was seeking. He upset furniture. turned pictures around and struck the wood work with the hilt of his sword to see if it was hollow He even took the mirror out of it's frame to sec if anything was behind it. He found nothing
 During this time. the men took up parts of the floor They swore that beggarly arstocrat should not outwit good sans culottes. But not one of them saw the little corner peeping out from under the cover of the couch
 They took Julie into the other apart ments and demanded all her keys. They broke glasses and tore open upholstery but they found nothing.
 Brichaut did not despair yet. He re- turned to the chamber and exclaimed: By heaven! the papers are here; l am sure of t!''
 He ripped open the couch. plunging his saber into it several times Finding noth- ing. with a fearful oath, he ordered his men to depart. On reaching the door af- ter them. he turned shook his fist at Julie. and said:
 '.Trembe while awaiting my return. am the sovereign peoplei'
 At last they were gone. Julie heard the sound of their steps as they descended the stairs She was saved. She had not be- trayed him! She ran out to embrace her sleeping child who had not been awaken ed by the disturbance around his cradle
 La Tulip was silent.
 "Frend," said l, T must be just For a garde-francase. you tell a story very well. But 1t seems to me I have heard that tale somewhere"
 "It may be that Julie herself told 1t. She was a person of great wit
 What became of her?'
 "She led a happy life under the con- sulate. But in the silence of evening, she whispered sad secrets to the trees of her park. You see, she was more courageous in presence of death than in that of love"
 And the writer of the letters?'
 "He became baron and prefect under the empire"
 And little Emle?"
 He was a colonel Of the gendarmerie and died at Versailles in 1S5S.'
 'Indeedr'