The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1903-12-30
CHAPTER VII.


and in the clear atmosphere the russell
hills were sharply outlined. As they
swung out into the road, with Hans.
the musician. at the reins. the young
girl removed her bonnet and leaned
back in the chair of state where kings
had fretted and queens had lolled.
The throne. imposing on the stage.
now appeared but fiimsy article of
furniture. with frayed and torn up
holstering and carving which had long
since lost its gilded magnificence.
Seated amid the tumble of theatrical
appliances and accouterments-scen
rolled up rug fashion. property trunks.
stage clock. lamps and draperies-she
accepted the situation gracefully. even
finding nothing strange in the presence
of the soldier. New faces had come
and gone in the company before, and
when Barnes had complacently in
formed her Saint-Prosper would jour
. ney with the players to New Orleans
I'm a semlbusiness capacity the ar
rangement appeared conformable TO
precedent.
The managers satisfaction augured
well for the Importance of the semi
business role assumed by the stranger,
and Barnes friendliness was perhaps
in some degree unconsciously reflected
in her manner, an attitude the soldiers
own reserve. or taciturnity, had not
tended to dispei SO his being in the
property wagon seemed no more singu-
lar than Hans occupancy of the front
seat, or If Adonis, Hawkes. or Susan
had been there with her. She was ac-
customed TO free and easy comradeship;
indeed. knew no other life, and it was
only assiduous attentions like those of
the land baron's that startled and dis
quieted her.
AS comfortably as might be she set
tied back in the capaciOus, threadbare
throne, a slender figure in its depths
more adapted TO accommodate a corpu-
lent Henry Willard smiled gayly as
the wagon. in avoiding one rut, ran
into another and lurched somewhat
violently. SalntProsper lodged on a
neighborng trunk. quickly extended a
steadying hand.
You see how precarious thrones
are" he said.
There isn't room for it TO more than
totter," she replied lightly, removing
her bonnet and lazily swinging it from
the arm Of the chair
Then it, safer than real thrones"
he answered. watching the swaying
bonnet. or, perhaps, contrasting the
muscular, bronzed hand he had placed
on the chair with the smooth. white
one which held the blue ribbons; a
small, though firm. hand to grapple
with the minotaur, Life!
She slowly wound the ribbons around
her fingers.
"Oh, you mean France" she said. and
he looked away with sudden dispute
tude. Poor monarchs! Their road is
rougher than this one"
'Rougher truly"
you love France" she asked sud-
denly after studying. with secret, side
long glances, his reserved. impenetra-
bic face.
His gaze returned to her-to the bon
net now resting in her lap-to the hand
beside il.
1T is my native land" he replied.
Then why did you leave tin its
troubleY' she asked impulsively.
Why he repeated, regarding her
keenly; but in a moment he added:
For several reasons. returned from
Africa, from serving under Bugeaud, to
find the red dag waving in Paris; the
king fedw
"Oh" she said quickly. "a king
should"-
"WhatY he asked as she paused.
81 was going TO say it was better to
die like king than
Than live an outcastw he concluded
for her, a shadow on his brow
She nodded. AT any rate, that is
the way they always do in the plays"
she added brightly. But you were
saying you found your real king fed"
His heavy brOws contracted, though he
answered readily enough: Yes. the
king had fed. A klnsman I'm whose
house ! had been reared then bade me
head a movement for the restoration of
the royal figure. For what object?
The regency was doomed, the king a
AidJ ny
"And so you refused 2"
I'VE quarreled; he swore Nike a Gas
con. His little puppet should yet sit in
the chair where Louis XIV had lord
It, |, who owed my commission to l.
noble name. was a republican. a d,
serter! The best way out of the diiii
Guilty was out of the country. First II
was England; then it was here; tomor-
row-where" he added in lower tone,
half TO himself
"WhereT she repeated lightly. THAT
is our case too"
He looked at her with sudden inter-
est. Yours is an eventful life, Miss
Carew"
81 have never known any other" she
said simply. adding after a pause: "Aty
earliest recollections are associated
with my mother and the stage. AS a
child watched her from the wings. 1