The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-07-23

saw the painful flush which crept up
on the princes face.
Your highness. / am sorry" he
stammered. ut is grief to me-" Aad
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 II your highness knew that,
mere secretary as am, am yet more.
am noble, II isnot simple Francois
Beaupre whom you honor. but man
emperor"
The duh eyes of the prince shot a
glance between dropping lids. rWhat is
II you mean, monsieur he demanded.
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
filled with tears.
Louis. Louis!" she cried, and laid
her hand on his arm. "He looks like
him; he looks like Napoleonp
And the brother. considering. saw
there was a certain likeness, In the
alert figure and the dark pale face.
From that on Hortanse wished Fran
eois with her as much as possible, and
as he was supposed to be her son it
was a rushing anxious day or two, a
frontier passed in, the middle Of the
night where trouble with a sleepy COM
missioner almost brought disaster upon
them; there was q city to be gone
through I'm broad daylight, which was
filled with travelling English, any one
OF whom might know the queen; there
was foolish. enthusiastic, young Of
nicer who noisily greeted the prince at
another post; there were hairbreadth
escapes everywhere. At length, one
night, In the valley of Chiana. they
came to quiet little village where, so
near were they to safety, it seemed
prudent to take nights rest. After
this new luxury the party. refreshed
ana encouraged, breakfasted together
the next morning. ~
A deferential knock sounded at the
door Of the breakfast room. Francois
sprang to It, and the landlord stood In
the opening, bowling elaborately--a SOL
dierly old man with thick, grizzled hair.
"A thousand pardons for disturbing
miladI and the rnessieurs," and miladi
smiled forgiveness. Might an old sol
der OF the emperor dare to say that one
could not help knowing the emperor's
kinsmenW He bowed again to both
boys alike. and again Hortense smiled
az MIN. 1t was comforting to know
tnat the two seemed brothers to the
world in general. and she was so used
TO recognition and loyalty now that
they appeared to belong together
Might an old soldier of the emperor
care 20 show miladi-her majesty
and the highnesses. the sword which
the emperor himself had touched. tha
sword which he. Jean Gredin. an old
culrassier or the guard, mad carried In
Tour battles? There was a little story
OF the sword. story also Of the won
derful good OF the emperor, which mi.
iadi--her Observation-Disclosures he would
IKE 70 ten to her' as also to the high
And. her majesty permitting, ana the
boys pleased and interested. the ola
caValryman brought the sword and
drew II from its sheath and gave ~
70 each or them to handle. and calIad
on them to remark how II was as kasn
and bright as 1t had ever been al INN
or Austerlitz. He cleared his throat
strongly, for the tale.
Miladi-her majesty - permitting
the OLD soldier began. 'ft was on a
Austerlitz The country. a. her ma "a
1esty and the highnesses will rener,, :
Der, was in a most dangerous condItinr
desperate bands" Why was N the
landlord stopped? - :. -
The party, caught by the fervor of
MS manner, stared at him, annoyed as
the tale OF the emperor, promising so
We'll matted at its beginning. The man
stood as IL drawn to his tiptoes. every
muscle tense, his head turned toward
the doorway, listening. -
And suddenly they were aware ~ n
stir, growing noise; there were gall
Looping horses; there was a Jingle of
harness, and voices coming nearer.
With q step backward the landlord
rlashed a glance from under busfiy
brows down the corridor, through the
open door at the end, which gave on
the court OF the Inn.
Mon Dieu!" He faced the three,
standing startled. He spoke fast and
low. Madame, IL Is squad OF Aus
TRAN soldiers; they are upon us. What
can we do?" He hesitated only a sec
ond. 'sBleu- bleu--my horse--saddled
under the tree yonder--if one of the
princess-if the prince" He glanced
uncertainty from one lad to the other
But the game was out OF his hands.
Quicker hands than his had caught the
play. Francois Beaupre, the saber of
the old cavalryman cleaning in his
grasp, sprang to the doorway. He
swung about, his great eyes ra6iating
earnestness. U
1T Is monsieur there who is the
prince he explained rapidly to the
II Will draw them away. When they
are gone, see that the prince and the
queen escape. That is for you; you
are responsible"
There was the rush OF flying figure
down the hallway, and out Francois
flashed across a broken line OF a dozen
disrnounted riders, straight toward the
landlords horse held by groom under
the trees. There was a shock Of
startled silence as the impetuous ap-
partition saber cleaning at wrist, shot
across the court. Then there was a
hubbub OF voices, and mass of uni
formed figures fell toward him as he
threw himself on the horse A soldier
caught a. the bride, The naked sword
twinkled and the man was under Bleu-
bleu's feet. For second there was
a vortex OF men and frantic horse,
and riding the storm q buoyant figure
OF fury, flashing a blade, with INFINITE
swiftness, this way and that Then
horse and lad shot out from the living
canvac, streaked the background of
trees second and were gone, and the
Austrian troopers scrambled into their
saddles to follow.
Through un-spotted, breeze-tossed
woods tore the chase; across O road
and over low fence, and still Fran