The Yale expositor., 1914-01-29

assurance of an aristocrat. He smiled
his brilliant exquisite smile into the
older boys face.
Me- am peasant" he said cheer
fully. II have no house."
"He is a peasant-yes. But he is
our brother, Pietros and mine, and no
prince is better than Francois-not
one"
"Or half so good" Pietro put in with
his slow tones.
you are likely right" the stranger
agreed laconically.
And then without questions asked,
in rapid eager sentences, the three
had told him how it was; how Fran
co.'s, refusing to leave the cottage, was
yet the son of the castle. With that
they were talking about the village of
Vicques, and its antiquity, and then
of the old chateau; and one told the
legend of the treasure and of the
guardian dog.
Just over the wall there is the
opening where he appeared to old
Pierre Tremblay," Francois pointed
out.
81 think l should like to climb the
WALL" the stranger said.
And he did The others watching
anxiously, he crawled out on the un-
certain pile ten feet in air. A big
stone crashed behind him; he crawled
on. Then there was a hoarse rumble
of loosened masonry, and down came
. h. al 10 ho
he was slipping! And, above, the wall
swayed. Then, in the instant of time
before the catastrophe, Francois had
sprung like a 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
co.'s lay motionless on his face and the
| great stones rained around him. II
was all over in a moment; in a mo
ment more a shout of JOY rose from
! Pietro, for Francois lifted his head
and began crawling difficulty, will
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, II is seldom that a prophecy is 81
quickly fulfilled. You said few min
utes ago that you should one day d.
a thing worth while for a Bonaparte
You have done it. You have saved m!
life"
Francois hand crept to his cap ant
he pulled IT off and stood bareheaded
Monsieur, who are YOU" h
brought out.
The strange boys vanishing smil
frightened his face a second. II an
Louis Bonaparte." he said quietly.
The little court of three stood abou
the young Prince. silent. And in
moment, in a few sentences, he ha
told them how, the day before, he ha
been seized with hunger for the al
of France, which he had not breathe
since, as a boy of seven. his mothe
had escaped with him from Paris dul
ing the Hundred Days. He told ther
how the desire to stand on French sol
had possessed him, till at last he ha
run away from his tutor and had foun
the path from his exiled home, tn
castle of Arenenberg, In the canton G
Thurgovie, in Switzerland, over tn
mountains into the Jura valley.
1T is imprudent." he finished tn
tale calmly. The government woul
turn on all its big engines in an uproa
to catch one schoolboy, if it wa
known. But had to do it," He thre-
| 1. IL, 4 ,. e., q.
great breath. THE air Of France
he whispered in an ecstasy.
For two hours more they told st,
ries and played games through tn
soft old ruins of the savage old stroni
hold, as light-heartedly, as carelessl
as if there were no wars or intrigue
or politics or plots which had bee
and were to be close to the lives
all of them. Till, as the red roun
sun went down behind the mountai
of the Rose, Francois quick ey
caught sight of figure swinging ra
idly down the mountain road whel
the Prince had come.
But look, Louis" he called from b
hind the rock where he was preparin
as robber baron, to swoop down {
Prince Louis conveying Alike as g
escaped nun to Pietro's monastery
another corner.
And the boy Prince, suddenly gray
shaded his eye with his hand al
gazed up the mountain. Then b
8 hand fell and he sighed. THE adve
{ ture is over" he said. Il must
back to the Prince business. 1t
d Monsieur Lebas."
@ Monsieur Lebas, the tutor, arriv,
+: shortly in anything but a playful h
v NOR. The boys mother, Queen He
s tense, was in Rome, and he was
e sponsible; he had been frightened
h the verge of madness by the prime,
escapade.
II The playmates were separat
.. swiftly. Monsieur Lebas refused wi
e something like horror the eager 81
s. gestion that he and his charge shot
k spend the night at the chateau. T
Prince must be gotten off Fren