The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-09-24
CHAPTER xxxvI11.
THE NIGHT 3

&c., @AAN GNASAAA Or SLNI+ O.
Out in the dark, in the harbor of
Boulogne the ship Edinburgh Castle
lay rocking in the wind. Prince Louis
Bonaparte, who had chartered her, and
the handful OF his followers who had
sailed with him on her from England.
had d~isembarked quietly at twilight,
n In small companies had succeeded
In entering the town and the quarters
or the officers who were, in France, the
nucleus and the hope of their attempt,
In the rooms Of Lieutenant Aladenize,
the host or the prince, a short council
had been held to go over once more
the plans which had been discussed
and settled by letters for weeks al
ready. The work was carefully ar
ranged; there was almost nothing to be
changed, and the little company of men
VINO We're trying so large a fate, scat
tered, with grave faces, with quiet
good nights to the prince who might
tomorrow night be their emperor, to
the prince for whose sake they might
tomorrow night be any or all ruined
men or dead men.
Charles Thelin, his valet Of many
years, unpacked his highness' belong
ings busily In Lieutenant A~ladenize's
bedroom; the prince heard-subcon-
sciously attentive to small things-as
the servant moved about, yet he stood
lost In his thoughts, as the last Of
~ ACAL I'LL OnH UdnQ lay ON a
table Uttered with papers Of the expedt-
ton the gray duh eyes were fixed yet
on the door that had shut out his
friends. There was no hint Of waver-
ing In the poised mind; there was no
shadow Of doubt Of his destiny, yet the
man was very human, and tonight
great loneliness seized him. These good
Fellows who were risking their lives and
their fortunes for him were devoted to
him without doubt, yet what did IL
amount to? That they hoped for ad-
vancement though him, 1t would be
absurd TO resent; n and all they be-
lieved that he would be emperor: they
knew that he would be grateful; their
fortunes were made IL tomorrow should
succeed. They had much friendllness
Tor htm-he realized that under his
fathers taciturn manner he had his
mothers gift OF winning hearts and
that HIS followers loved HMM a way.
But what did it amount to-love OF
Followers for a prince? He longed to-
night for something more personal. and
suddenly. with a pang, he knew what
he wanted-like the homesick lad who
had cried himself to sleep at the Tuil-
leries rs years before, he wanted his
mother.
The tie between Hortense and this
youngest and dearest son had been
close, and this was the first great event
OF his eventful life In which her clear
mind and charming spirit had not
played Its part. Before his attempt on
~Strasburg. now three years ago, he had
prepared two letters, one In a of
success, one OF failure, to be sent off
post-haste to the queen, Ill at Arene-
berg; tonight there was no one to write
70, no one to whom his success or
failure meant more than to himself.
All that warmth and eager hopefuIness
which had outlasted danger and exile
and Illness and age, had gone from
earth, and the body OF Hortense lay in
the little church OF Revil, near NAL
maison. The Emperor-to-be dropped
into a chair, his head fell and his out
stretcned arms rustled amid the plans
OF fortifications, and the writing under
his cheek was wet. The weakness was
only for a moment, and quietly. as he
did everything, the prince pulled him
self together. He sat erect and list
ened. Thelin was brushing clothes
with energy in the bedroom, and
through another door there came n
light sound Of a paper turned. OF a
gay song sung softly. And a
glow suddenly warmed the PRINCES
heart; here was some one who
had known his mother, who had been.
indeed. for a few days her son: here
was some one who cared for him. he
believed it, with a half-consunins
flame Of devotion. Since the mans ar
rival from Virginia six weeks before
to have him near himself had been a
pleasure to Louis Bonaparte; he
seemed to bring back the freshness, of
his early days, of the young Confidence
when his star shone for him, distant
perhaps, but undimmed by the black
clouds which drove now across It. He
was a bit superstittious about Fran
co.'s as well. with an idea, which he
spoke to no one, that a pivotal interest
or his career rested in the modest fig
ure.
Have a care Of that young man. nv
prince" had said General Montholon.
the old soldier. do not trust him too
far" ..
The princes faint smile CLEANED. Il
would trust the empire to his loyal
heart. genepaI."
But yes" answered the general
swiftly. ito his heart, but not to his
head. He Is OF the dreamers-a vis-
tonary. He might ruin many months
work with one good intention" And
the prince reflected. but did not agree.
He rose. this night in Boulogne, as
the paper rugtled and the little French
provisional chanson sounded from the
room where Francois Beaupre, now his
secretary, had been stalled, and stepped
to the closed door.
y o cote's Ton que Je suis bette"
Francois sang softly. The prince
smiled. He knew the song and its
place In French history. AS he opened
the door the singing stopped; the
young man sprang respectfully TO his