The Delta independent., 1906-03-09
Count Carpi and His Daughter
IOriginal.l

sian war the Germans moved their ter
ritory westward part of the border
line was the river AIoselle. The city
Of Nancy is on the French side of the
river and is only 100 miles from Paris
Very naturally the French on one side
and the Germans OH the other have
done good deal of fortifying, and each
keeps considerable force either on
the border or within short distance
One morning Francois Villiers,
| young French lieutenant Of artillery.
was inspecting the guns ON fort near
! Nancy when Il white haired old gen
tIcman very carefully dressed, with a
young lady hanging affectionately to
his arm, strolled toward the lieutenant
and watched him while he made his in
| spection.
'M'sieu," said the old man, II very
much like to inquire what you do"
Then, turning to the girl, he said in
Italian. Blanca. ask him what he is
DOING The girl proceeded to tell the
| Lieutenant that her father had been
soldier in his younger days in the ItaI-
ian army and took an interest in the
changes in warfare. especially in arms,
since forty years ago.
Nilliers returned the bewitching
! glance Signorina Blanca gave him and
! proceeded TO explain to her father the
manner of loading and firing the gun
and the kind of ammunition used. The
/ old man was greatly interested in and
! profoundly astonished at the wonderful
| change in weapons since he had fought
| against Garibaldi in 1860 Villiers
showed him other guns and various
| kinds of ammunition, some of which
was a new type. OF course the young
/ lady acted as Interpreter. Villiers was
! talking through her to the old man and
| 10 her through his own and her eyes,
| there being two distinct topics Of con-
\ versatlon. war and love. She laid her
soft hand on one of the big guns, and
/ it was like the touch of a kittens paw.
| Then she started back as IL she had
! handled miniature volcano.
Here comes the officer of the day."
| said Nilliers suddenly. please walk
On, and l will join you after he has
passed. We are not permitted to give
/ any information on military matters to
any one
! The young lady seemed to have diff
/ fculty in making her father under
| stand the reason for the request. He
evidently could not see why he should
/ not be given all the Information above
board he desired. Whereupon Tilliers
explained that the German govern
/ ment kept a swarm Of spies busy all
the while trying to gain information Of
! the French improvements in arms.
Ammunition. movements of troops and
Il increase of fortifications. The old gem
tlcman at this declined to accept any
| further information and. being tired,
| sat down on bench. His daughter.
| not SO sensitive. strolled along the par
apet with the officer with view to
seeing more interesting sights.
"Signorina,- he said rs soon as they
were out of hearing. Il have been de
lighted, thrilled, with your presence
here. May l not have the honor. the
exquisite pleasure. of calling on you:"
"My father is very old fashioned"
she replied. He will not consent TO
He always says Count Carpi's daugh-
ter must not associate with any but of
her own kind"
Il must see You again. We are to
get in a new kind of projectile tonight,
put In secretly that the Germans may
not get hold of it. Will you not induce
your father to come and examine it:''
Il will try, replied the girl. blushing
and hanging her lead.
At IL o'clock that evening Count Car
pi and his daughter We're admitted into
the fort, being passed by the guard at
Lieutenant Viiliers' order and witness
ed the storing of thousands of shells.
Count Carpi was even furnished with
the fuse of one of them. being caution
cl by the lieutenant not TO show it to
any one, since his giving it might cause
him to be shot for treason. The count
put his hand on his heart and declared
that he would sooner be shot himself
than permit any one to see it. BY mid
night the work of storing the shells
was finished, and the count and his
daughter departed. the latter promis-
Ing to communicate with Villiers at the
earliest opportunity.
The next morning Lieutenant VII
ssSAS WIS ehS"Ssu Win LIS guns oh tue
parapet when, looking out upon a
bridge. he saw an old man and girl
walking across toward German terri
tory. The pair We're Count Carpi and
Blanca. The lieutenant smiled The
pair proceeded to the headquarters OF
the officer in command Of the district
and were admitted to his presence.
swell, Bellona," said the officer,
"what did you gather?"
1--WE learned from a simpleton about
| the guns on the fort and last night wit
messed the storing of a new kind Of
shell just got in. Here is the fuse
used something lately devised-a Won
l. s1o,sf,,l