The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-09-24

GIinG6 LOUIS HuDR out nlA uhNu Will
a gesture Of impulsiveness strange TO
his controlled manner, yet not out OF
drawing to those who knew him we'll.
"Ah, Francois" he cried. Let the
titles go for tonight. Say. Louis as
on that day when we first saw each
other; when the four children played
together in the old chateau ruins. I
have a great desire to hear some one
who loves me speak my name, simply
as friend to friend. With all those
good fellows"-and he tossed a wave OF
the hand to the door which the COM
spirators had left him-'with my Of
fcers. It is necessary to keep up for
mality-I realize IL. But you, my in-
spired peasant, r different. You
stand In no class; you would guard my
dignity more quickly than /, myself. /
can trust IL to you. The memory OF my
mothers voice calling me Louis is in
your heart; call me so, then, tonight,
brothers we once had to be for five
days" And Francois smiled his ra-
diant, exquisite smile and answered
quietly. but yes, my brother-Louis."
And went on, II believe / shall not
sleep tonight, Louis. I believe I am
too happy to sleep"
AS nj reads q novel for relaxation In
the strain OF q critical affair, Prince
Louis caught at the distraction Of this
side Issue. The next morning was
planned to the last detail; there was
nothing to do till daylight, yet he could
not sleep at present, Here was a
Romance OF some sort. He sank back
on the cushions of the couch OF Lieu
tenant Aladenize's smoking room and
put his feot up luxuriously, and slowly
lighted a cigar OF Havana.
Tell me-" he ordered, and the
~gentleness OF appeal was in the order.
"Sire"--the young man began-and
corrected himself. Louis" he said.
The Prince smiled dimly. "Since our
landing / have known that a wonder
full thing q happened to me-. 1T is
he spoke lower-"ft Is the love of the
woman who is to me the only one in
the world
Prince Louis, extended on the couch
smoking. a picture OF e~xpressionless
inattention. missing not an infection,
cast his mind back rapidly many years.
There, q vague memory now, he found
a picture OF a spirited, white-clad, little
girl framed in the ruins of the old
castle; of a boy stepping to her side
to champion her sudden embarrass-
ment. The heavy-lidded eyes turned a
kindly glance on the erect figure In its
new uniform OF an officer OF the For
ltieth.
Il congratulate you, mon ami he
said gently. Us II by any chance the
delightful little Mademoisolle Alike of
the old chateau?"
Beaupre turned scarlet. He was a
marvellous man. this Prince Louis. How
had he guessed? "She loves me- I
have here a letter In which she tells
me that she loves me-. Will his high
ness read it," With an impetuous step
forward he held the paper toward
Louis Napoleon.
Il thank you" the prince said grave
ly. He read:
your life is true. The good fairies have
granted one Of your wishes before the
battle. That they will give you the
other two on the day OF the battle is
the belief of your Alike"
"Pierto sends his love-" atss
The prince gave back the letter with
a respectful hand; then looked at
Francois in~quiringly. " What you have
wished all your life mon amir" Fran
co.'s laughed happily. zone must x
plain. If 1t will not tire his highness."
And he told, in a few words, OF that
day when his self restraint had given
way and how, when his guard
point of telling his lifelong secret
love, some spirit OF perversity-
but Francois did not know II was an
angel-had caught Alike, and she had
accused him OF wishing always that
she might love Pietro. And how,
meshed in that same net OF hurt reck-
-lessness, he had answered In her own
manner-"Yes," he had said, at was
that which had been the wish OF his
hfe-that Alike might love Petrol"
And Francois laughed gaily, telling the
simple ENHANCEMENT to the prince. the
night before the battle. "One sees
how she is quick end clear-sighted, my
Alike" he said. For she knew well
even then 1t was not that I wished" He
stopped, for IN the quiet contained look
of the listener an intangible some
thing struck a chill to his ~delicately-
poised sensitiveness. what Is 1t,
Louis?" he cried out. you do not
think I mistake Observation-Disclosures"
conformation. Rapidly he considered.
Was 1t well TO take away a mans hap
piness and courage Just before a fight?
He remembered some words OF
Francois spoken three years before,
worlds whose dramatic baroness had
struck him. when a knight of the old
time went into battle" the young nan
had said, h wore on his helmet the
badge of his lady, and the thought OF
her In his heart. A man fights better
TO-" Very well. This blind knight
should have his letter, with the mean
ing he had read into 1t, for his lady's
badge, and he should fight tomorrow
i with ~ AOA5h Va hCA IA AAo . -
The letter suggested another a
ing to sophisticated Louis Bonaparte,
but there Is no need to hasten the feet
OF unhappiness. The resonant French
voice spoke at last In an unused &C
cent OF cordiality and the Prince lied,
with ungrudging graciousness.
Mistaken, my Francois! Not at all.
The little billet-doux breathes love for
you IN each line-there Is no question:
But. mon ami, you have not finished
your story" So Francois explained
about the letter left with Lucy
Hampton and its premature sending.
THAT has reached her now-she
knows now that I love her, she knows
what has really been my lifelong wish
-she has hurried this and his hand
crushed his note tenderly-"she has
hurried this to me before the fight
that I might know her love also-that
l might fight before for you. my
Prince-Louis-wtth that joy In my
heart" Prince Louis, his head thrown
back, his expressionless eyes watching
the rings Of smoke which he puffed
from his mouth-ring after ring,
amounting in dream-like procession to
the low ceiling, considered again.
Somewhere in the chain OF events OF
| This Inva affair hfQ keen ~practical sense