Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-04-19
The Argus Daily Story
The Two Sisters-By F. A. Mitchell
Copyrighted. 1911. by Associated Literary Bureau

II cannot permit you to be injured
in the sight of the world" the marquis
protested. Il beg of you TO consent to
first visit a priest"
NO" said Louise firmly 81 Will not
take q husband who would marry ME
for the purpose OF saving his life"
She was immovable. Neither her sis.
ters nor the young marquis were able
to persuade her.
Then" said the latter. eff live to
cross the border 1 will renew my pro-
posal."
That will not remove the stain be-
fore the world, but for the world care
not. Come, let US lay our plans"
The Marquis de Lavalette having de-
sired to see his father in prison, had
visited him there disguised as a serv.
ant. He was with his father when the
latter was taken away to the guillo-
tine.
By the sons paroxysms Of grief
1t was suspected that he was more
than a servant to the man about to be
executed. As he was moving away
from the prison lnsensible to all but
grief some one beside him said sharply,
Run for your life" Casting glance
backward, he knew that he was pur-
sued. In his flight, seeing a door open,
he had entered and begged those he
found there to hide him.
That night, with nothing except the
clothes they had on and some money
in their pockets, the two sisters" left
the house, turned into a street running
northward and crossed the Place de la
Revolution, now the Place de Ia Con-
corde. In it's center, where the Egyp-
tan obelisk now stands, stood the gull
lotine, and Louise felt the marquis
hand tremble on her arm as be glanc-
ed toward it. Passing over the Seine,
they hailed q cab-the first they had
met-and ordered the coachman to
drive them to the barrier. There they
were inspected, but since there seemed
to be no reason for OBTAINING them
they were permitted to go through.
Then the sisters" offered the coach
man a goodly sum to drive them to
Chantilly 1t was late, but the cab
man was tempted and consented.
They reached ChantiIly in the morn
ing, and since it was on a direct line
between Paris and the Belgian line
the nearest route by which the emigres
could flee to a foreign country-they
felt that they were objects Of suspi-
cion.
! There were Intercepted by an
agent of the revolutionary committee.
but Louise, who was an excellent ac-
tress, whose resources were unlimited
and whose nerve nothing could shake,
declared with tears in her eyes that
their mother was dying in st. Quentin
and they were trying TO reach her to
receive her blessing before she died.
So they were permitted to hire an
other conveyance, which took them to
st. Quentin. Before entering the town,
which they reached late in the after
noon, Louise. thinking it best not to
submit themselves to another such
scrutiny as they had been subjected to
at Chantilly, fearing also that some
one might be spying upon them to
learn If the dying mother story were
true, decided that they would better
leave their carriage and steal around
the town without entering it. So they
called halt, paid for the use Of the
vehicle and trudged on afoot.
Reaching a peasants hut just after
nightfall, Louise knocked at the door
and told a pidful story of having
walked out from st. Quentin to hunt
for flowers and got lost, asking food
and lodging for the night There was
but one room. so the marquis, feigning
20 10 oil fncr nv tha
great open fire which blazed merrily.
The next day but twenty miles re-
manned to tue nearest point OF the
Franco-Belgian line and the fugitives
resolved to make it. getting a lift from
some conveyance going the same way
when. possible. They walked more
than half the distance and crossed the
line at an unfrequented point, exhaust
ed, but greatly relieved. The moment
they were assured that they were on
Belgian territory both knelt and gave
thanks for their safety.
"And now" said the marquis, 81 re-
new the offer l made in Paris, not as
an offer, but as u prayer-that / may
devote the life which belongs to you
to your service"
Il am one OF the people" replied the
girl. you are noble"
"My nobility is gone. shall never
, claim 1t. l shall go to America, to New
Orleans, where 50 many Of my friends
, have gone, leaving my title behind me.
Come with me. 1 beseech you, that L
may repay what owe you with life
time Of love and gratitude"
/ There is a house still standing at
= Carrolton, a short distance above New
= Orleans, where lived the marquis and
= his wife. though not as mobiles. When
Louis XVIII. was restored TO the
throne Of France he invited them TO re-
turn. but neither the husband nor the
: wife had any desire to do so. They
: died in the Crescent City beloved and
respected by all who knew them and
; leaving a large number Of children and
grandchildren. The marquis kept his
! word as to his title and never used it.