The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-05-15

And then, eager with the headlong
zest Of hunter for the game, she
caught the thread which wove into the
pattern Of her scheming. You would
risk something to save him, would
you not? You will take the place of
The marquis and travel with US, tomor-
row, and help me carry away the
prince to safety?"
The dark young face was pale.
Your majesty, 1t Is a happiness had
not dared to hope for yet"
YETI" the prince demanded laconic-
ally. He saved words always, this lad,
but he always said his thought,
The other boys face turned to him,
and he answered very simply, "But
yes, your highness. / have known al
ways that should have part in your
highness' fate"
In the gray dawn of the next morn
ing there was slight stir through the
palace, and out between the lines OF
drowsy Austrian sentinels passed a
procession of whose true character
they were far from aware, else history
had changed. The guard watched the
| departure; the sick lady-Hortense-
late queen of Holland, as they all
knew more or less clearly, drove away
slowly In her travelling caleche, and on
the box was young man in the liv-
cry OF groom whom no one of the
half-awake soldiers knew for Prince
Louis Napoleon; in the middle of
the second carriage sat another youth
or two or three years younger who
was. the queens servants had been
told, the Marquis zappi. Their pass
ports were examined and they went
through the gates of the city without
awakening the least suspicion.
Not once in all their dramatic series
of escapes and DISCUSSES were Hor-
tense and her sons betrayed, but they
had to fear the indiscretion of their
friends more than the malignity of
their enemies, and this part of Italy
was full of friends high and low.
| At length it was time for Prince
Louis and the sham marquis to drop
their liyeries and travel as the sons
of'the English woman for whom their
! passport was made out The clothes
which Beaupre was to wear had be-
longed to the young man dead at Forli
Louis Bonaparte's brother-and as
he presented himself dressed in them,
he saw the painful flush which crept
upon the princes face.
Your highness, | am sorry" he
stammered. ut is grief to me-" And
then he threw himself impulsively on
his knees by the side of Louis chair.
MY prince, | wear them with rever-
ence," he said, and then, hesitating, he
added: Perhaps would seem less
unworthy If your highness knew that,
mere secretary as am, am yet more.
| am noble. 1t is not simple Francois
Beaupre whom you honor, but a man
created chevalier by the sword of the
emperor"
The dull eyes of the prince shot a
glance between dropping lids. What
is 1t you mean, monsieur" he de-
manded But at the moment the queen
entered the roogn, and the lads sprang
to their feet. Her eyes caught the
picture of the young Frenchman in his
new dress at once; they opened wide
and then filled with tears.
Louis, Louis!" she cried, and laid
her hand on / is arm. He looks like
him; he looks IKE Napoleon!'
A deferential knock sounded at the
door. Francois sprang to 1t, and the
landlord stood in the opening, bowine
elaborately-a soldiery old man with
thick grizzled hair.
o..
miladi and the messieurs," and miladi
smiled forgiveness. Might an old
soldier of the emperor dare to say that
one could not help knowing the EN-
peror's kinsmen?" He bowed low
again to both boys alike, and again
Hortense smiled at him. 1t was com
forting to know that the two seemed
brothers to the world in general, anc
she was so used to recognition and
loyalty now that they appeared to be
long together. Might an old soldier
Of the emperor dare to show miladi-
her majesty-and the highnesses, the
sword which the emperor himself haC
touched, the sword which he, Jear
Gredin, an old cuirassier of the guard
had carried in four battles? There
was little story of the sword. stor,
also Of the wonderful goodness of tn,
, emperor. which miladi-her majesty
permitting, he would like to tell to her
! as also to the highnesses."
And. her majesty permitting. an,
the boys pleased and interested, tn,
} old cavalryman brought the sword an,
: drew it from its sheath and gave it /,
each of them to handle. and called OF
: them TO remark how 1t was as keel
Z and bright as it had ever been at Uln
) or Austerlitz. He cleared his throat
!. strongly. for the tale.
"Miladi--her majesty--permitting.
Y he began, ''it was on day two day
n after the great battle of Austerliti
: The country, as her majesty and tn
g Ihighnesses will remember, was in
g most dangerous condition Desperat
l. bands" Why was 1t the landlor
I" stopped?
o The party. caught by the fervor I
a hts manner stared at him ANNOYED a