Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1905-01-07
CHATTER XXI.

kept crowd Of gapcrs at bay outside.
Two medical men were engaged In
heated argument about their respective
diagnoses Of the ease. while Henris
groom stood by. waiting their decision.
Helene and Adams were both well known
TO the chemist. and obtained immediate
admission to the wounded mans pres
encc.
To Adams experienced eye even the
most outward symptoms were at once
conclusive. His deadly pallor. his total
unconsciousnpss. his cold, clammy skin.
the arms and legs which were bent upon
the body. the slow breathing aud the
transient shvcring proved that Henri
was suffering from conclusion. In addi-
ton to this. his right leg was severely
injured. his horse having stepped ON him.
and II was crushed and splintcrcd below
the knee.
Adams. who was taken by the French
man to he nm English colleague, ordered
the patients immediate removal to his
rooms ut the Hotel Braudot. where he
occupied the whole of one floor. and
Helene insisted upon herself aud Adams
accompanying him thither. When the
doctors demanded absolute quiet for the
wounded man. and forbid all visits,
Helene protested.
lie will require nurse" she plead
ed, "and | am very good one. | have
bad plenty of experience. aud my time
II my own. DO let me stay. | will be
30 careful
''For the present. Mt any rate, my
dear" said Adams. "sucll thing can
not be. | do not>know what can prompt
you to your course Of action. but ! will
not ask you To- explain"
You need not" rcjoined Helene. "You
would not understand my reasons If |
gave them to YOU But may come back,
may | notT'
The doctors promised that ms soon as
their patient was In n state To be seen
by anybody. permission should be grant
ed to her.
Perhaps you will tell me. my dear"
said Adams, rs they were driving back
10 lielcne's. mansion, "who Is this man In
whom you are taking so great an Inter
eat! You say he saved your life. How
was that?"
Henry Roberts IL Henri Sainton." an
sw cred Helen. 'who loved me when he
was boy and l n girl. and whom you
sent TO penal servitude. He is the Louis
lima soldier Of your battalion who saved
me from being murdered by that horri-
lines"
t. tell me that you can bear kindly
memory for the man who. whatever you
may say. aided that man Quayle in his
attempt upon your life!"
II remember" was Helene's rctort.
shat he saved my life ut the risk Of his
own"
There was no further assault after
that defense. Adams bit his lip. and
when they had arrived ut Helcnc's door.
he left her with n simple Good day.
my dear"
A fortnight passed. during which
Helene called twice every day ut Hcnri's
hotel without being allowed to see him
II fortnight portcntous to the fate of
Europe. War had been declared against
Germany. and all Paris for the moment
went mad AS the week wore on. came
the news Of disaster and defeat. and the
v foreign residents of Paris commenced to
seek safer quarters.
Helene had been untiring In her Mt.
tendance upon Henri all this while. The
injured man had rcgnined consciousness.
but the surgeons still forbid all but the
most casual conversation. "A few weeks
more passed, during which Henri rallied
slowly, still with Helene as his faithful
nurse and attendant.
Then came the news Of the disaster
of Standardization wounded. his army
destroyed Ur captive, and the Emperor
himself u prisoner. All this was swiftly
followed by the nations vengeance In the
form Of the proclamation Of the repub-
lie.
Months passed. and Henri was still
unable to rise from his couch. The in.
jured leg had been put into a shield of
plaster of paris, and motion was forbid
den. In the meantime events around and
about Paris had proceeded with hurri-
cane pace. The enemy had drawn around
the besieged city n line Of iron and fame.
and the thunders Of war crashed and
rOared from every hillside around the
city.
All Hclene's friends had left. all ex.
cept Walter, faithful Walter. who was
glad to find IN excuse for staying In the
acceptance of temporary post ut the
British embassy, 80 that he might remain
near the woman he loved NO much.
Walter, however, took care not to let
Helene know that he was still In Paris.
lie did not wish to obtrude his presence
upon her. His purpose was to watch
over her. to protect her, IL danger threat.
ened, not to force his suit upon her when
she seemed to be 50 happy In the society
Of another man.
Winter came on npace. and the terrors
Of the siege increased, but Helene saw
aud felt little of these. Being known to
be possessed of immense wealth, the pro.
prietor of the hotel In which she lived
did his best 81 that she should feel none
OF the privations which pressed upon
nearly all the population.
No man can be for any length of time
IN the daily society of II beautiful woman
without feeling drawn toward her, and
Henri, who first of all looked upon Hell.
enc merely rs II woman who had betray-
ell him. aud whom he might trent with
such scant honesty as to his mind she
deserved. gradually came to look for Hell
ene's visits as for Il necessity In his life.
Thus II came quite naturally that Hell
ene's love for Henri raised a harvest of
affection on the barren, stony soil of the
mans heart. Soon they both got to know
that each knew that the other loved him
or her
During all those long, weary months,
Walter never once approached Helene.
Every day n messenger from the British
embassy inquired ut the two hotels after
Helene and Henri, but the man had slr.ci
orders not TO mention Walters name, aud
Helene thought that Lord Yorley had left
instructions at the embassy that she be
knI Mt n,,I tInk Ia n,sN tph