The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1914-04-10

=
short council had been held to go over
once more the plans which had been
discussed and settled by letter for
weeks already. The work was care
fully arranged; there was almost moth
| ing to be changed, and the little COM
pany OF men who were trying so large
fate, scattered, with grave faces,
with quiet good nights to the Prince
who might tomorrow be their EN-
peror, to the Prince for whose sake
they might tomorrow night be any or
all ruined men or dead men.
He sat erect and listened. Thelin
was brushing clothes with energy in
the bedroom, and through another door
there came a light sound of a paper
turned, OF gay song sung softly. And
a glow suddenly warmed the Princes
heart; here was some one who had
known his mother, who had been. in
deed, for few days her son; here
was some one who cared for him, he
believed 1t, with a halfconsuming
fame of devotion. Since the mans
arrival from Virginia six weeks before,
to have him near himself had been q
pleasure to Louis Bonaparte; he
seemed to bring back the freshness
of his early days, of the young conf.
dence when his star shone for him,
distant perhaps, but undimmed by the
black clouds which drove now across
1t. He was a bit superstitious about
Francois as well, with an idea, which
he spoke to no one, that q pivotal in
terest Of his career rested in the mod
est figure.
He rose, this night in Boulogne, as
the paper rustled and the little French
. provincial chanson sounded from the
room where Francois Beaupre, now
his secretary, had been installed, and
stepped to the closed door.
de tous cote's Pon que je suia
bete."
Francois sang softly. The Prince
l smiled. AS he opened the door the
singing stopped; the young man
: sprang respectfully to his feet, let
ter grasped in his hand, and stood
} waiting.
: "Sire!" he said.
Prince Louis flung out his hand with
} a gesture of impulsiveness strange to
] his controlled manner, yet not out of
3 drawing to those who knew him well.
: "Ah. Francois" he cried. Let the
titles go for tonight. Say, Louis as
5 on that day when we first saw each
g other; when the four children played
2 together in the old chateau ruins. And
D Francois smiled his radiant exquisite
smile and answered quietly. But yes,
: my brother-Louis. And went on, 81
j believe shall not sleep tonight, Louis
. l believe l am too happy to sleep"
. AS one reads novel for relaxation
3 in the strain of critical business af-
+ fair, Prince Louis caught at the dis
s traction of this side issue. The next
morning was planned to the last de-
: tail; there was nothing to do till day
:, light, yet he could not sleep at pres
n ent. Here was a romance of some
S sort. He sank back on the cushions
- of the coach of Lieutenant Aladenize's
smoking room and put his feet up lux
uriously, and slowly lighted a cigar
r of Havana
:, ''Tell me-" he ordered, and the gen.
: tleness of appeal was in the order.
a "Sire'-the young man began-and
= corrected himself. Louis" he said.
q The Prince smiled dimly. Since our
e landing l have known that wonder
i full thing has happened to me. 1t is
he spoke lower-"it is the love of the
9 woman who is to me the only one in
: the world"
I 81 congratulate you, mon ami" Louis
e said gently. rs it by any chance the
: delightful little Mademoiselle Alike of
= the old chateau?"
t Beaupre turned scarlet He was a
marvellous man, this Prince Louis.
| How had he guessed? "She loves me
| Il have here letter in which she
| tells me that she loves me. Will his
| Highness read it," With an impetu-
| Gus step forward he held the paper
| toward Louis Napoleon.
| Il thank you," the Prince said grave
! ly. He read:
| francois, what you have wished all
your life is true. The good fairies
have granted one of your wishes be
fore the battle. That they will give
| you the other two on the day of the
| battle is the belief of your
| ALIKE"
And below was written hurriedly,
| "Pietro sends his love-"
The Prince gave back the letter with
a respectful hand; then looked at
Francois inquiringly. what you
have wished all your life.' mon ami?'
Francois laughed happily. "One must
explain. if it will not tire his High.
ness" And he told, in few words,
of that day when his self-restraint had
given way and how, when his guard
was down and he was on the point OF
: telling his lifelong secret love, some
spirit of perversity-but Francois did
not know it was an angel-had caught