The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-08-25

OF the luNaulHS army. nc "Ouiu
quickly satisfy their questions and
then proceed at top speed to warn
Marshal LIE Fevre.
But suddenly his brow clouded. In
the uniform of a colonel of German
hussars he recognized his old-time
enemy-Heirrich Berghoff. And at
the same time Berghoff recognized Re
nault. Berghoff would vouch for the
truth of his story, would identify him,
and he would shortly be upon his way
again. However, something in Berg
hoff's smile chilled him, and he trem-
bled
at is Renault, the notable tenorl"
exclaimed one officer. "Coward-he
is fleeing!"
Capital" thought Renault. at
will be too easy"
But Berghoff was beside the car
now. He grinned. and the blue mole
upon his nose offended Renault as it
had never done before.
"Fleeing?" queried Berghoff. MAY
be. But let us see. Search hinl!"
the German soldier-director COM
manded.
A trooper babe Renault descend,
and he did so with sinking heart.
Quickly his hands passed through Re
nault's pockets and now in triumph
he held up to light the envelope the
general had given the tenor.
Berghoff took it with savage glee,
tore it open, and scanned the writing.
Then he said: Arrest that man and
take him to the reari"
1t was over. Renault felt ill-he
was almost afraid. He, the great Jean
Renault, was a prisoner of war.
In his own machine, under guard,
he was hurried back across the from
tier into Germany. The night was
growing old and the first faint streaks
of dawn began to appear in the sky.
The machine drew up before a road
side inn, and Renault was ushered
into its public room.
There, gathered about a table, sat
a group of officers covered with med
ais and gold lace. They were the
brains of the war. Among them was
the commander in chief of the forces
OF Germany, the royalblooded, fierce
Mustached goldman, before whom
Renault had sung several times in the
Imperial opera house in Berlin.
The great one looked up. The Of
fcer who had Renault in charge re-
cited the circumstances and laid upon
the table the letter Renault had car
ried.
Renault made no-defense-couldn not
even find words. But the man of the
bristling mustache found them. They
were short, sharp, menacing.
And a moment later Jean Renault
was led away. He was not made to
walk far. They stood him up against
a tree, and now a man would have
blindfolded him. But Renault struck
down his hand. In that moment he rec
ognized the officer who had brought
him there. 1t was Berghoff, and the
blue mole mas more disgusting to Re-
nault than ever before. All this time
he had been Berghoff's prisoner, and
had not noticed the fact.
BAH" exclaimed Renault. ct scorn
you'll I bite youi''
Bite the dust, fool" sneered Berg
hoff. You are no more a soldier than
you are a singer. Do you recall the
Mario's death-song when 1 conducted
La Tosca? Do you remember how
I drowned your impossible voice with
my beautiful orchestra? Do you re-
member-animal?"
"Pig!" shouted Renault "Who are
you-a conductor who must put down
the baton to take up the murderer's
knife. 1t looks we'll in your hand.
1t is just the hand to hold such an
implement"
Eve are waiting" Berghoff remind
ed him. you delay US. Time is pre-
cious. We must on to Paris, where
I shall conduct a gala performance
of the opera for his imperial majesty"
Renault looked him squarely in the
eye.
"Berghoff," he said, you will never
conduct a gala performance in Paris.
Your emperor will never command
such a performance. ], Jean Renault,
prophesy that. But, now, while your
troopers stand waiting, shall permit
you and them to hear Jean Renault,
the greatest of all tenors, sing the last
song of Mario as 1t was never sung be-
fore. Attend"
The sun came up. Facing the firing
squad, and while Berghoff looked on
half awed. half smiling, Jean Renault
stepped forward and began to sing.
The stern faces of his executioners
softened. They listened intently,
wonderingly. Never before had they
heard such singing. And the man who
could do this was the man they were
about to kill. Just outside the inn,
some distance away, little group of
officers stood spellbound. One with
a bristling mustache seemed about to
lift his hand to stay the proceeding.
But then. as Renault uttered the
last note. Berghoff raised his saber. A
muttered command came from his
lips. The soldiers. ready to break into
applause, sighted their rifles.
A shot rang out
Jean Renault had sung the role of
Mario before the firing squad for the
last time.
Co-.k.v,. 49, C M III