Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-07-23

Louis Bonaparte's brother-and as he
presented himself dressed in them. he
saw the painful flush which crept up
on the princes face.
Your highness, l am sorry" he
stammered. ut Is grief to me-" Aad
then he threw himself impulsively or
his e by the side of Louis chair
My prince. I wear them with rever-
ence." he said, n then. h%esitating, he
added. Perhaps I would seem lees
unworthy II your highness knew that
mere secretary as I am, I am yet more
l am noble. 1t isnot simple Francois
Beaupre whom o honor, but a mar
created chevalier by the sword OF the
emperor"
The dull eye OF the prince shot a
glance between dropping lids. What is
It you mean. monsieur?" he demanded.
nut at the III queen entered
the room. and the lads sprang to their
Ieet. Her eyes caught the picture OF
the young Frenchman in his new dress
at once; they opened wide and then
filled with tears.
I, Louis. Louis!" she cried. and laid
her hand on his arm. He looks like
him.; he looks like Napoleon!"
And the brother. considering, saw
there was a certain likeness. in the
alert figure and the dark pale face.
From that on Hortense wished Fran
co.'s with her as much as possible. and
as ne was supposed to be her son it
was natural that he should be. There
was a rushing anxious day or two, a
frontier passed in the middle of the
nlght where trouble with a sleepy COM
missioner almost brought disaster upon
them; there was a city to be gone
lnrough ! n broad daylight, which was
nlled with travelling English. any one
OF whom might know the queen: there
was a foolish. enthusiastic. young Of
nicer who noisily greeted the prince at
announcer post; there were ~hairhreadth
q At length. one
night. n the valley of Chiana, they
came to a quiet little village where SO
near We're they to safety, it seemed
prudent to take a nights rest. After
thls new luxury the party. refreshed
ana encouraged, breakfasted together
the next morning.
A d~ererential knock sounded at he
900 OF the breakfast room. Francois
sprang to 1t, and the landlord stood IN
the opening. bowling elaborately-a sol.
dierly old mar with thick, grizzled hair.
Thousand pardons for disturbing
mlladl and the messieurs." and uilad;
smiled forgiveness. Might an old sol
uler OF the emperor dare to say that n
could not help knowing the emperor,s
hliislnen he bowed again to both
boys alike. n again Hortense smiled
at him. 1t was comforting to sl knnw
tnat the two seemed brothers to the
Morld IN general. and she was so used
70 and loyalty now tha.
Lney appeared to belong together
Mignt an old soldier of the emperor
are to show miladi-her majesty.
I ~ Tue ~hlghnesses. the sword which
the emperor himself had touched The
sword which he. Jean Gredin. an olI
@tulrassier OF the guard. mad carried in
lour battles? There was a little story
OF the sword. a story also of the won
deriul good Of the emperor. which MI
ajesty-permitting. he wo,,i1d
nesses." az Hish-
And. her majesty permitting, and the
eavalryman brought he sword oia
arew It from it's sheath and gave a'i II
70 each OF them to handle. and cai1aa
on them to remark how it was 80
ana bright as it had ever been at ILL.,
OF Austerlltz. He cleared his throa+
strongly. for the tale. osa.e'
Mliaol-her majesty PERMITTING
d d t eau solder began. ut was on 4
Austerlftz. The country. as ban .ie OF
lesty and h highnesses win ren,am-
ger, was IN a most dangerous cond;t;na
desperate bands. Why n,os ~ t ~.
landlord stopped? - 'ie
Inc party, caught by the feryor OF
ms - ihaliiler' stared at him, annoyea as
well, halted at its beginning. Tha ma su
stood as If drawn to his tiptoes. every
muscle tense, his head turned tou,sr5
the doorway, listening.
And suddenly they were aware ~ .
SUR, q growing noise; there were gal
looping horses; there was q iine,e ~
harness and voices coming nearer
WIN q step backward the landlord
flashed a glance from under bushv
brows down the corridor, through the
open door at h end, which gave On
the court of the inn.
Mon Dteu!" He faced the three
standing startled. He spoke fast and
low. Madame, it is a squad Of Ans
trian soldiers; they are upon us. What
can we TO-" He hesitated only a sec
ond. "Bleu-bleu-my horse.saddled
under the tree yonder-if one of the
pr1ncess-if the prince" He glanced
uncertainty from nj lad to the other.
BUT the game was out of his hands.
Quicker hands than his had caught the
play. Francois Beaupre, the saber Of
the Old cavalryman cleaning in his
srasp. sprang to the doorway. He
swung about, his great eyes radiatinp
searnestness, ~
So ENHtaa.L 2H1
1T is monsieur there who is the
PRINCE he explained rapidly to the
landlord. Hide him, take rare OF him
will draw them away. When they
are gone. see that the prince and the
queen escape. That is for you: you
are responsible"
There was h rush Of a flying figure
down the hallway, and out francois
flashed across q broken line OF a dozen,
dlsrnounted riders, straight toward the
landlords horse held by a groom under
the trees. There was q shock Of
startled silence as the impetuous APP
partition. saber cleaning at wrist, shot
across the court. Then there was q
nubbub OF voices, and q mass OF uni
formed figures fell toward him as he
threw himself On the horse. IA soldier
caught a. the bride. The naked sword
twinkled and the man was under Bleu-
bteu's feet. For a second there was
q vortex OF men and a frantic horse.
and riding the storm g buoyant figure
OF fury, flashing a blade, with Infinite
swiftness. this way and that. Then
horse and lad shot out from the living
canvas, streaked the background Of
reessa second and were gone, and the
Austrian troopers scrambled into their
saddles to follow.
Through sun-spotted, breexe-tossed
wood tore the on.I on~1.n - 1888