Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1914-02-19

OF loosened masonry, and down came
the great blocks close to his hands
he was slipping! And, above. the wall
swayed. Then, in the instant of time
before the catastrophe. Francois had
sprung like cat into the center of
danger and pushed the other boy. VIC
lently Keeling, across the grass out of
harms way.
Alike screamed once sharply. Fran
COTS lay motionless on his face and the
great stones rained around him. 1t
was all over in moment: in mo-
ment more shout of joy rose from
Pietro. for Francois lifted his head
and began crawling difficulty, with
Pietro's help. out of the debris.
Il have to thank you for my life.
Monsieur the peasant" the stranger
said. and held out his hand. More.
over, it is seldom that prophecy is so
quickly fulfilled. You said few min
utes ago that you should one day do
thing worth while for Bonaparte
You have done it. You have saved my
life"
Francois hand crept to his cap and
he pulled 1t OF and stood bareheaded.
Monsieur, who are you?" he
brought out.
The strange boys vanishing smile
frightened his face second 81 am
Louis Bonaparte.r he said quietly.
The little court of three stood about
the young Prince. silent. And In
moment, in few sentences, he had
told them how, the day before, he had
been seized with a hunger for the air
OF France. which he had not breathed
since. as a boy Of seven. his mother
had escaped with him from Paris dur
ing the Hundred Days. He told them
how the desire to stand on French soil
had possessed him, till at last he had
run away from his tutor and had found
the path from his exiled home, the
castle of Arenenberg, in the canton of
Thurgovie, in Switzerland, over the
mountains into the Jura valley.
1T is imprudent," he finished the
tale calmly. "The government would
turn on all its big engines in an uproar
to catch one schoolboy. IL 1t was
known. But had to do it," He threw
back his head and filled his lungs with
great breath. The air of France"
he whispered in an ecstasy.
For two hours more they told sto-
ries and played games through the
soft old ruins of the Savage old strong
hold. as light-heartedly, as carelessly
as II there were no wars or intrigues
or politics or plots which had been
and were to be close to the lives Of
all of them. Till. as the red round
sun went down behind the mountain
of the Rose. Francois quick eye
caught sight of figure swinging rap
idly down the mountain road where
the Prince had come.
But look. Louis" he called from be.
hind the rock where he was preparing,
as robber baron, to swoop down on
Prince Louis conveying Alike as an
escaped nun to Pietro's monastery In
another corner.
And the boy Prince, suddenly grave,
shaded his eye with his hand and
gazed up the mountain. Then his
hand fell and be sighed. 1.-THE adven-
ture Is over" he said. Il must 20
back to the Prince business. 1t Is
Monsieur Lebas."
Monsieur Lebas, the tutor, arrived
shortly in anything but playful hu-
NOR. The boys mother. Queen Hor-
tense, was in Rome. and he was re-
sponsible; he had been frightened to
the verge OF madness by the princes
escapade. q
The playmates we're separated
swiftly Monsieur Lebas refused with
something like horror the eager sug-
gestion that he and his charge should
spend the night at the chateau. The
Prince must be gotten of French
ground without a moments delay.