The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-07-28
their own anairs

their own affairs
81 am Alike" she began = and
stopped short, seized with shyness.
Was it courtesy to explain to the
young monsieur about her distin-
guished father? She found herself
suddenly In an agony of confusion
Then the stranger made low bow
and spoke In the gentlest friendly
tones
at is enough. 1t is a charming
name, Mademoiselle Alike. believe
shall now think it tho most charm
ing name in France"
"Sho has more of q name than that,
however, Monsieur and Francois
stepped across the grass and stood by
the little girl, her knight, unconscious
of the art he played. 'It is very
grand name, the other one. For our
seigneur, the father of Alike, is Mon
sieur the Baron Gaspard : ourgaud,
general of Napoleon himself; was in
deed with the Emperor at St Helena"
Francois had no false modesty, no
circumstances; he felt that te had
placed Alixe's standing now il the
best light possible Tie strange boy
felt it, too, it seemed, for ho started
as Francois spoke Of Napoleon; his
reserved face Frightened and his cap
was of al sweeping low as he bowed
again to Alike more deeply. Francois
was delighted. It was in him to en-
Joy dramatic effect, as it Is in most
E1enchmen. He faced about to Pietro.
This one, Monsieur" he went on.
much taken with himself as master OF
ceremonies, sis Monsieur the Marquis
Zappi of Italy His father also fought
for the great captain"
The quiet strange boy interrupted
swiftly Il know" he said. "Of the
Italian corps under Prince Eugene;
also on the staff of Lannes. l know
the name WELL" and he had Pietro's
hand IN a firm grasp and was looking
into the lads embarrassed face with
his dreamy keen eyes.
The children, surprised. were yet
too young to wonder that boy scarce
ly older than themselves should have
the army of Napoleon at his fingers
ends; he gave them no time TO think
about it.
zone sees, without names, that you
are of the noblesse," he said simply,
embracing the three in his sleepy
glance He turned to Francois "And
you, Monsieur the spokesman? You
are also of great Bonapartist house?'
Francois stood straight and slim;
his well-knit young body in his mill
oil he
assurance of an aristocrat. He smiled
his brilliant exquisite smile into the
older boys face.
Me- am peasant" he said cheer
fully. 81 have no house."
"He is a peasant-yes. But he II
our brother, Pietro's and mine, and M
prince is better than Francois-no
one"
"Or half so good" Pietro put in will
his slow tones.
you are likely right" the strange
agreed laconically.
And then without questions asked
In rapid eager sentences, the thre'
, had told him how it was; how Fran
: co.'s, refusing to leave the cottage, wa
yet the son Of the castle. With tina
Z they were talking about the village o
vicques, and its antiquity, and thel
of the old chateau; and one told tn
legend Of the treasure and Of tn
guardian dog
Gust over the wall there fs tn
/ opening where he appeared to oil
Pierre Tremblay," Francois pointe
out.
ct think I should like to climb tn
WALL" the stranger said.
And he did: The others watchin
anxiously, he crawled out on the III
certain pile ten feet in air. A bi
stone crashed behind him; he crawle
on. Then there was a hoarse rumbl
Of loosened masonry, and down cam
the great blocks close to his hands
he was slipping! And. above, the wa
swayed. Then. in the instant of tim
before the catastrophe, Francois ha
sprung like a cat into the center {
danger and pushed the other boy, VII
lently Keeling, across the grass out {
harms way
Alike screamed once sharply. Fral
co.'s lay motionless on his face and tn
>, great stones rained around him.
was all over in moment; in a mi
g ment more a shout of JOY rose frol
t. Pietro, for Francois lifted his hea
and began crawling difficulty, wit
l. Pietro's help, out of the debris.
it 81 have to thank you for my lif
d Monsieur the peasant" the strange
y said, and held out his hand Nor
ID over, it is seldom that prophecy is 6
quickly fulfilled. You said a few mil
v. utes ago that you should one day d
e :. thing worth while for a Bonapart
8. You have done it. You have saved N
% life"
Ie Francois hand crept to his cap an
n. he pulled it off and stood bareheade
'e Monsieur, who are your" h
" brought out.
II The strange boys vanishing smi
frightened his face a second. 81 a.
!" Louis Bonaparte," he said quietly.
d. The little court of three stood abo,
IT the young Prince, silent. And in
= moment, in few sentences, he hs
is told them how, the day before, he ha
been seized with hunger for the a
At of France, which he had not breathe
Of since, as a boy of seven, his moth'
8. had escaped with him from Paris du
ing the Hundred Days. He told the
or how the desire to stand on French sc
e. had possessed him, till at last he hs
20 run away from his tutor and had four
,g the path from his .exiled home, IL
m castle of Arenenberg, in the canton
re Thurgovie, in Switzerland, over Il
lc mountains into the Jura valley