Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1914-03-07

And then, eager with the headlong
zest of a 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. it is happiness 1 had
not dared to hope for yet"
"Yet?" the prince demanded 1aconic-
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. 1 have known al
ways that should have a part in your
highness' fate
In the gray dawn of the next morn
ing there was a 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
mad 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 a young man in the liv
cry Of a groom whom no one of the
half-awake soldiers knew for Prince
Louis Napoleon; in the middle of
the second carriage sat another youth
of 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 ofathe 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
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 Hveries 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 F'orli
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, 1 am sorry" he
stammered. 1T is grief to me-" And
then he threw himself impulsively on
hin knees by the side of Louis chair.
MY prince, 1 wear them with rever-
ence," he said, and then, hesitating, he
added: Perhaps l would seem less
unworthy if your highness knew that,
mere secretary as l am, am yet more.
1 am noble. 1t is not simple Francois
Beaupre whom you honor, but man
created chevalier by the sword of the
emperor"
The dull eyes of the prince shot
glance between dropping lids. What
is it you mean, monsieur" he de-
manded. But at the moment the queen
entered the room, 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 filed with tears.
Louis, Louis,' she cried, and laid
her hand on his arm. He looks like
him; he looks like Napoleon!"
deferential knock sounded at the
door Francois sprang to it, and the
landlord stood in the opening, bowling
elaborately-a soldiery old man with
thick grizzled hair.
"A thousand pardons for disturbing
miladi and the messieurs.'' and miIadi
smiled forgiveness. might an old
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 and
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 had
touched, the sword which he, Jean
Gredin, an old cuirassier of the guard,
had carried in four battles? There
was little story of the sword, a story
also of the wonderful goodness of the
emperor, which miladi-her majesty
permitting, he would like to tell to her.
as also to the highnesses."
And. her majesty permitting. and
the boys pleased and interested, the
old cavalryman brought the sword and
drew it from its sheath and gave it to
each of them to handle, and called on
them to remark how it was as keen
and bright as it had ever been at Ulm
or Austerlitz He cleared his throat,
strongly, for the tale,
'-Miladi-her majesty-permitting
he began, lit was on day two days
after the great. battle of Austerlitz
The country. as her majesty and the
highnesses will remember, was in a
most dangerous condition Desperate
bands Why was it the landlord