Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-02-14
CHAPTER XIII.

careful plans for Nine. st. Jovite. She
would have vanished utterly on our
return; so, l fancy, none would have
been the wiser. But in that brief
sally had killed the madame; she
could serve me no more. | have been
careful in my account of this matter
to tell all just as it happened, to put
upon it neither more nor less of ro-
mantle color than we saw. Had l the
skill and license of novelist, could
have made much of my little mystery:
but there are many now living who
remember all these things, and then,
am soldier, and too old for a new
business. So make as much of them
as there was and no more.
In private theatricals, an evening at
the Harbor, had won applause with
the rig, wig, and dialect of my trip to
Wrentham Square. So, when | pro-
posed a plan to my friend the general.
urging the peril of raw hand with q
trust OF so much Importance, he had
no doubt Of my ability.
borrowed a long coat, having put
of my dress, and, whom all was ready.
went with lantern to get the ladies.
Louise recognized me first.
Grace au ciel! lie capitaine!" said
she, running to meet me.
dropped my lantern as we came
face to face, and have ever been glad
OF that little accident, for there in the
dark my arms went around her, and
our lips met for silent kiss full of
history and of holy confidence. Then
she put her hand upon my face with a
gentle caressing touch, and turned her
own way.
Il am very, very glad to see YOU"
said.
"Dieu!" said her sister, coming near,
I'VE should be glad to see you, II It
were possible"
lighted the lantern hurriedly.
"Ciel! the light becomes him." said
Louison, her grand eyes aglow.
But before there was time to answer
! had kissed her also.
He is q bold thing" she added.
turning soberly to the baroness.
Both a bold thing and happy
thing" answered. Forgive me. I
should not be SO bold If l were not
well-insanely happy"
HE is only boy" said the baron
ess. laughing as she kissed me-.
! Poor little ingenu!" said Louison,
patting my arm.
Louise, tall and lovely and sedate
as ever, stood near me, primping her
bonnet.
Little ingenu!" she repeated, with q
faint laugh Of irony as she placed the
dainty thing on her head.
"Well, what do you think Of him?"
said Louison. turning to help her.
"Dieu! that he is very big and dread
ful," said the other, soberly. IT shosld
think we had better be going"
These things move slowly on paper.
but the greeting was to me painfully
short, there being of it not more than
q minuteful, I should say. On our way
to the lights they piled me with whis-
pered queries, and were in fear of more
dghting. The prisoners were now in
the coach, and our men-there were
12-stood on every side Of 1t, their
pixies in hand. The boats were near,
and we hurried to the river by tote
way. Our schooner lay some 20 rods
of a point A bateau and six canoes
were waiting on the beach, and when
we had come to the schooner unbound
the prisoners.
"You can get ashore with this
bateau," said. "You will find the
horses tied to a tree"
"Wha' does thet mean?" said D'ri.
That we have no right to hold
Them" was my answer. "Ronley was
in no way responsible for their COM
ing"
Leaning over the side with Ian
tern, while one Of our men held the
bateau. I motioned to the coachman.
"Give that 'humberreller' to the but
Ter. with my compliments" l whis-
pered.
Our anchors up, our sails took the
wind in fifty.
Member how we used ye," D'ri
called to the receding Britishers, "an'
eff We ever meet Yankee try t. be
p'lite tew i'm"
Dawn had come before we got off at
the Harbor dock took the ladies to
an inn for breakfast, wrote report,
and went for my horse and uniform.
Gen. Brown was buttoning his sus-
penders when they admitted me to his
room.
What luck, my boy?" said he.
All have returned safely, including
the ladies'" l replied quickly, "and
have the honor to submit report"
He took chair, and read the report
carefully, and looked up at me, laugh
ing.
What lucky and remarkable young
mani" said he Il declare, you should
have lived in the Middle Ages"
All, then l should not have en-
joyed your compliments or your friend
Ship" was my answer.
He laughed again heartily.
Nor the demoiselles," said he. II
congratulate you. They are the love-
lest of their sex: but I'm sorry they're
not Americans
Time enough. ! have decided that
one OF them shall become an Ameri-
can" said |. with ell the confidence of
youth.
1T is quite an undertaking" said he.
"You may find new difficulties. Their
father is at the chateau"
"M'sieur de Lambert?" l exclaimed.
"M'sieur de Lambert. Came yester-
day. via Montreal, with fine young
nobleman-the Count Esmon de Brov-
81" said he. "You must look out for
him; he has the beauty of Apollo and
the sword of cavalier"