The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-12-07

| died out. The dim aud lnire-
quent oil lamps alone liz up the
Streetof the Fountain and st. MI
chaers square. They reyclcd still down
ut the Hotel de Paris, whittier Max Won
IIollbrandt and dozen others had
hurried with the news OF tho evenings
great event But here, on the borders
Of the old north quarter. all grew still
the Golden Lion empty. the townsmen
TO their beds. the soldiers TO barracks,
full OF talk and fears and threats. Yet
light still burned In the round room
In the keep Of Sulelmans tower and
the commandments servant still expect
ell his royal master. Peter Nassip'
sturdy son OF Nolseni. had no apprehen-
sions. but he was very sleepy, and he
and the sentrics were the only men
awaLe. zone might as well be sol
der nj oncew he grumbled for the men
OF the hills did not esteem the regular
army 50 high as 1t rated itself.
The commandant fingered IN the
Street Of the Fountain. Sergius Stefan
0vitch was half a Bourbon, but II was
the Intellectual half. lie had the
strong. concentrated. rather narrow
mind Of Il Bourbon of before the fam
lily decadence. on II his training at
Vienna had grated a military pre-
cislon perhaps a pedantry. and no III
tie added scorn Of what men called lib
'erty and citizens called civil rights.
What rights had a man against his
country His country was In his King.
and TO the king the army was his su-
preme Instrument So ran his public
creed. his statcsman's instinct But
beside the Bourbon mother was the
Kravonlan father. and behind him the
long line Of mingled and vacillating for
tunes which drew descent from Stefan.
lord Of Praslok, and famous reiver OF
lowland herds. In that stock the tenn
permanent was different-Iudolent TO
excess sometimes. ardent TO madness
at others. moderate seldo>L
And for any young man the fight In
the fantastically Illuminated night, the
virgin with the broken lamp. a near
touch Of the scythe Of death and girls
white face at the window? Behind the
commandants stern wrath-nay. be
side. and soon before Il. for the mo
ment dazzling his angry eyes-came
the bright CLEANS OF romance.
lie knew who lodged no the sign OF
the Silver Cock Marie Zerkoyitch was
his friend. Zerkovltcis bg zealous fol-
lower The journalist was back now
from the battlefclds Of France and was
writing articles for the Patriot. the
leading paper Of Slavna. lie was deep
in the princes confidence. and his III
tie house on the south boulevard often
received this distinguished guest The
prince had been keen 20 hear from Ter
kovitch Of the battles. from Marie Of
the life In Paris With Maric's tale
came the name and what she knew Of
the story OF Sophie de Gruche. Yet al
ways. in spite Of her praises Of her
friend. Marie had avoided any oppor-
tunlty OF presenting her TO the prince.
Excuse on excuse she made. Tor his
curiosity ranged around Casimir &c
Savres' bereavcd lover ''Oh. ] shall
meet her some day. all the same" he
had said. laughing. aud Marie doubted
whether her reluctauce-a reluctance
TO herself strange-had not missed its
mark. infaming m interest which II
had meant to balk. Why this strange
reluctance? SO far II was proved base
less His first encounter with the lady
of the red r-Casimir's poetieal sobri-
quet had passed Marle's llps-had been
supremely fortunate.
From the splash Of blood TO the bro
ken virgin. from the broken virgin to
the open window and the dark room
behind. his restless glances sped. Then
came swift. impulsive decision. lie
caught up the bronze figure and enter
ed the porch lie knew Meyerstcln's
shop and that from II no staircase led
to the upper floor. The other door was
bis mark. and he Knocked on IT, rails
Ing first with cautious touch, then
more resolutely. the old brass hand
with Hospitality Reckoning finger which
served for knocker. Then be listened
for n footstep on the stairs. II she