The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-08-06

N@O@+4 - 4As4 " AAA1t eAtg <t0SQn "a
dered, and a moment later the young
man who was for years the confden-
tial servant Of Hortense, who knew
more of the history Of her middle
years, perhaps, than any ether. stood
before her. Fritz, when does a packet
sail for Corfu?" she demanded.
Fritz Rickenbach considered 1t his
business to know everything. "To-
night" your Majesty" he answered
unhesitatingly.
you will see that the luggage of
Prince Louis is on board. and that a
carriage Is ready to take him there"
she ordered.
But yes, your Majesty" Fritz still
stood regarding her seriously. ct is
q great happiness to me, your Majesty,
that his Highness is well enough to
travel"
rritz knew perfectly that there was
a. complication somewhere, and he
wanted to know what it was. His
curiosity was patent, but his deep in
terest in the affairs of his people
could not be an impertinence, and the
Queen smiled at him.
"You shall know about it, Fritz, .
she said. 1.-THE Austrians are COM
ing. The Prince can not be moved.
II they take him, it means death. They
must believe that he Is gone, and 1t
is for you and me to make them be
lieve it, Fritz. You must get pass
port signed by all Of the authorities
that is easy today; you must engage
his place in the packet for tonight;
you must tell the servants-teu every
one-that the Prince goes to Corfu,
and you must see that the proper lug
gage is on board. It will be known
that l stay, but they will not modest
an i'll woman. Do you understand the
plan, Fritz?"
But yes, your Majesty" Fritz an
swered with his face alight.
And so the packet sailed for Corfu,
and all day before the sailing the
servants Of Hortense moved busily
between the palace and the boat, car
rying luggage and making arrange
ments. And only one or two knew
the secret that Prince Louis Bonaparte
had not sailed in the packet but lay
tossing with fever in little room
beyond his mothers, carried there for
greater privacy by Fritz and the doc
tor.
Two days later, as the Queen sat
quietly by her boys bedside, she heard
that the vanguard of the Austrians
had entered the city, and almost at
once Fritz came to tell her that the
palace in which she was staying had
been chosen for the residence of the
general commanding. The probability
of this had not entered her mind; it
seemed the last straw. The Austrian
officer demanded the Queens own
chamber for his chief, but when the
stewards wife told him the name OF
the lady who was in the rooms which
had not been given up, he bowed deep
~ and said not q word. 1t was another
OF that brotherhood scattered over Eu
rope-the friends of Hortense; it was
an officer who had protected her years
before at Dillon.
So for week they lived side by
| 51uo Will lASI SueuleS anu OuIy
few feet lay between the Prince an6
capture, for his room was next thai
Of the Austrian general, with but 6
double door between. It was a life
Of momentary anxiety, for the Queer
feared each time the invalid spoke
that they might recognize a mans
voice; when he coughed she turned
white. But at the end of the weel
Louis was at last well enough to go
He was to leave Ancona disguised a.
one of his mothers lackeys, the younl
Marquis Zappi was to put on anothe
livery, and over the frontier they wer,
both to change and be the sons o
Hortense travelling on the English
mans passport.