Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-12-17
4 CASE OF
IDENTITY.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ioriglnal.1

Ind been missing for several Years.
He had been serving with the army ia
foreign parts and when the war was
over did not return with the rest. He
was handsome fellow. very pleasing
In manners and speech and had no
difficulty In establishing his identity
ut court. This was sufficient TO cause
him to be accepted by every one else.
He explained his absence by saying
that he had been In the military scrv.
Ice of the king of England incognlto
The count was brave. generous and
cSccllcd In MI manly sports. lie cared
little for learning. which lie had been
! partial 10 before his disappearance,
but accounted for this on the ground
that he bad entered the ranks as n
common soldier and had campalgncd
and messed with soldiers so long that
1t was II wonder he remembered how
to act like IL gentleman
Among the ladies' OF the court was
Mile. Louison de Pompcron. but TWEEN
~ years OF ngc, who was fond of lis
tcninB to the adventures OF the young
count. Indeed. she was so captivatel
with his personnel, his courage. his
audacity. that she fell desperately in
love with him. Her affection was re.
turned. and by permission OF the king
they were bctrothcd.
The affection of this young girl seem
cd TO have depressing effect on the
count. AT any rate. from the time of
MS betrothal he was never seen to
smile. The gallantry he had shown for
other women ceased, and, although
many of them were so unprlncipied as
to try to win him away from his
Louison. they made no Impression ON
him whatever.
One day there WAS review of
troops, ut which the king, attended by
his court acted rs reviewing officer.
Octave and Loulson were seated on n
balcony Mt the palace. behind the king.
!As one of the regiments marched past
n Soldier In the ranks looked up ut the
count ana, grlnning. shouted.
Hello Comradc Devercnux!"
The Incident might have passed with
out any serious results had not Mime.
de Noisicn, woman who had re.
ccivcd trlnlet she lnd sent the count
from I.ouison, noticed 1t ana saw in it
means OF revenge. Instead OF letting
II piss she talked about 1t SO incessant
ly, intmating that here was proof that
the count was I'm impostor, that the
King WINS finally constrained to order
nm investigation.
Lou.son was thunderstruck when ber
lover confessed TO her that he was tho
son OF country gentleman who Ind
| enlisted In the army and had risen TO
commission. lie had served I'm tho
same army With the real count ana had
oiten been mistaken for him. Then
they had become friends. and he had
/ once In battle saved the counts life.
I'hey were together when the count was
MORALLY wounded. and the dying man
had suggested TO his comrnde to 20 to
France and claim his estates, furnish
Ing him with documentary evidence
| that he was what lie pretended TO he.
! And now continued Octave, 81 can
no longer he your lover, and no
longer care what becomes OF me.
shall confess and go to the gallcys."
NO. said Loulson. "you shall do no
! such thing. You have accepted what
| was offered you, involving deception
for which | forgive YOU. You have
Il. been true to me. and this has created
mn enemy but for whom the soldiers
words might have passed without In.
Quiry.. love you too we'll to give YOU
| mp. and II did not would not permit
you to fall ut the hands of that woman.
1 VIII take the evidence the count gave
you. go to the king and convince him
that you nre what YOU represent your.
/ self to be. If succeed. my fortune ls
sufficient for us both. and YOU shall
resign your title on the ground that I
would not have you hold 1t under aus
piclon."
Mile. de pomperon took the proofs
of her lovers identity with the Count
dc ST. Lucien to the king, who was so
well satisfied that lie directed that the
matter be dropped. but Nine. de Volsl.
en- persisted, and Mt last the count, or.
rather, Emile Devereaux, called for nm
+ investigation. The man who had hail
| ed him and a dozen others testified
! that they had served In the ranks with
! Devereaux and under him after his
| promotion. They knew that the count
had been killed. md some OF them had
J assisted Mt the burial, but the count
had given Devereaux one proof that
could not be galnsnid. He had shown
Devereaux red spot on his neck that
had been with him from youth and
counseled him TO have It's duplicate
tattooed on his own neck This with
the documentary evidence the count
had given him. proved conclusive
! During all this trouble I.ouison went
F.. nbout apparently with perfect conf
dcnce that her lover was what he pre-
/ tended to be and that he would prove