The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-30
CoutInuedl

CcontInued.I
 Germany 6n... ......sd him m i'm mense bribe. He threw 1t back. fO now he hated Germany more than h+ hated France. You wonder why ht hated France? if France had not dis carded her empire-l do not refer tGs the second empire-he would have been great parsonage today. At least this must be one of his ideas.
 "And there you are abruptly S'Here we have a Napoleon indeed with all the patience of niS great fore bear. if Germany had left n1m alone he would today have been q RoOd c1ti zen. who would never nave permitted futile dreams to enter his head. and who would have contemplated his greatness with the smile of a phiIoso- pher. And who can say where. this will endf It is p1t1fuL''
 ''F'ififuIF' repeated Breitmann 'SWhy that?"-caImiy.
 M Ferraud FeprpSSed the admiration An hIa eyes. It was a singular duel "When we see a madman rushing bIindly over a prec1pice II Is human instinct to reach out a hand to save him %
 "But how do you know he Is rush Gng blindIyF' Breftr1ann smiled this question.
 HndeEarde sent him a terrified glance. But for the stiff back of her chair she must have fallen.
 M. Ferraud demolished an olive be fore he answered the question. "He has allied himself with some of the nobIest houses in France-that is to say. with the most heartless spend thrifta in Europe. Napoleon WI They are laughing behind his back this very minute They are making a carspaw Of his really magnificent fight for their own ignOble ends. the OrIeanist party. To wreak petty vengeance on France. for which none of them hns any love; to embron the government and the army that they may tell of it in the bOudoirs. This is the aim they have in view. What is it to them that they break a strong mans heart1 What Is 1t to them if he be given over to perpetual Impr1s onmenC? Did a Bourbon ever love Frnnce as a country2 Has not France always represented to them a purse. into which they might thrust their dishonest hands to pay for their base pleasures? Oh. beware of the con spiratOr, whose sole portion in life is that of pleasure! 1 wish that l could see this young man and tell him all know. If l could only warn him?'
 Breitmann brushed his sleeve. ~''l am really disappointed in your climax. M. Ferraud-"
 .'I said nothing about a climax" re turned M. Ferraud. That has yet to be enacted"
 e"AhF'
 "A descendant Of Napoleon direct Poor deviIP' The admiral was thun derstruck. ''Why. the very spirit oi Napoleon Is dead. Nothing could ever revive it. It would not live even a hundred days-"
 ''Less than that many hours." said M. Ferraud. He will be arrested the moment be touches French port"
 Father" cried Laura with a burst of generosity which not only warmed her heart. but her cheeks, ''why not < find this poor. deluded young man and give him the treasurer
 "what. and ruin him morally as well as politically7 No. Laura: with money he might become a menace" ''On the contrary" put iD Nj. Fer. raud: with money he might be made to put away his mad dream. But I'm afraid that my story has made you all gloomy"
 ''It has made me sad" Laura admit ted Think of the struggle. the self denial. and never a soul to tell him he as mad.'' The scars faded a little. but Brett mann's eyes never wavered.
 ''The man hasn't a ghost of a chance" To Fitzgerald it was now no puzzle why Breitmann' resemblance to some one else had haunted him He was rather bewildered. for he had not expected 90 large an order upon N. Ferraud's promise. Fifty years ago.
 -AhI Fifty years ago." interrupted ( M- Ferraud eagerly. ''I should have 1 thrown my little to the cause. Men and times were different then The world was less sordid and more TO- I mantle" well. I shall always hold that we { have no right to that treasure" ( , ''Fiddiesticks. Laura! This Is no I time for sentiment. The questions ' buzzing in my head are. Does this man [ know of the treasures existence2 Might he not already have put his ( hand upon 1tT I Tour own papers discredit that sup I position" replied Cathewe "A stun 6 ming yarn. and rather hard to believe | In these skepticaI times. What is 1t? he asked softly. noting the dead white q pn HildeGa rde's cheeks. [ "PerhapS it Is the smoke" she an- g Ewered with a brave attempt at [ smile Q The admiral in his excitement had ' lighted a heavy cigar and was con suming it with jerky puffs. ' ''I should like 10 know the end of 2 the story" said Rreitmann musingly ' "'Fhere Ia time" replied M. Ferraud And of them all only Fitzgerald caught the sinister undercurrent.
 The dinner came to an end. or. rath CT. the diners rose the dinner hnving '