The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-29
The BLADE of PICARDY

| upon Colonel Lopez" said Neville.
"a most able soldier" vowed Les
TRANCE; 'and the emperor makes no
mistake In the faith he puts In him
A brilliant. far-sighted man."
arose and extended a hand TO
| I.estrange. II will relieve you mon
| sieur. of the unpleasant and possibly
dangerous task of presenting that
summons to the fair Anita. II offers
me entree. II gives me every oppor-
tunity | require 10 cross swords with
Monsieur Bayard"
Lestrange, grinning, drew the heavy
| folded paper from a pocket and
handed II TO me. Il owe you drink.
Monsieur lie Connie, for relieving me
of thankless Grand After you have
delivered TO the lovely La Anita the
summons for her appearance before
the emperor, you are free to pursue
any mad venture that your quixotie
temperament may lead you into,
Monsieur he Capitaine. but until that
summons is delivered you are on his
majesty's mission"
Trust me-" said l.; tomorrow you
will see"
"She comes !" breathed Cupido. He
got TO his feet In unseemly haste.
stepped quickly to the curb, and
waited cap In hand
| She sat, with an elderly lady. In a
| graceful open barouche drawn by two
magnificent hays. and driven by a
broadshOuidered mozo whose dark
face held the stony impassivity of the
Sphinx.
The Gascon, al the curb turned and
winked an eye at me-
-Your chaLce," said Lestrange go
ahead"
| ! looked at Neville. who shook his
head. when Monsieur Bayard has
| finished with you" he said with q
smile, Il will take him on"
'Then your chance will never
come" said |, stepping from the curb
and approaching the carriage. which
swayed-dory-like-w every move
of the occupants
"And your shoulder, lieutenant"
she said Her rich musical voice car
ried a note of genuine anxiety; "It
| is-?"
Cupido gulped Truly the Gascon
| carries his heart upon his sleeve
think ! have never seen face so
| e~quisiteIy lovely, nor a form more
graciOusly fashioned. The clear olive
! CT her skin seemed almost transpar-
ent. Her Iashes were long and black,
and her full red lips belied the thin
high arch of eyebrows. Hers was a
face of contrasts. for the Gascon had
rightly termed her chilled steel and
fire." Some of his mad worship fred
my brain. Name of Cd" he had
! said, "what a wOman!" Well! Beau
tifuI? OF truth she was beautiful.
| And believe me. have seen beauty
in women, for the courts of Vienna
and of Paris know me well
Cupido's voice came TO me from a
! vague and misty distance; | heard
only portion of what he was say
| ing: e. to present my best
friend. lie Comte de Vigny. Captain"
| caughr the slim fingers. raised
them awkwardly TO eager lips. and l
found myself Iistening-as in dream
Ito the music of her voice. The very
air seemed suddenly charged with a
new and spiritual glory: life, all at
F! once. became very much worth while
"Lorelei," | whispered. unconscious of
the fact that / was speaking, "a
| dark"
| Red lips parted in a smile, and a
light danced in the deep amber eyes.
But the Lorelei were fairs IT
not so, senor?"
Cupido looked at me in blank
amazement. He touched my elbow
"The Senorita Arrellanos. mon capt.
taine." he repeated, for, deaf and
dumb and blind TO all the world save
La Anita, had not heard him at first.
bowed-and only a Frenchman
| knows how to bow. THE Lorelei to
the German. senorita." said |. at last
| in control of myself, lis blonde be-
cause the Germans ideal is blonde:
| but the locks of the Lorelei of Picardy
would he dark. and wavy-a deep
brown with the faintest hint of twi-
light blue, like desert smoke"
AT last" she cried brightly, "the
sleeper wakesi" She turned to Cupi-
do. "Senor Gascon. is this the man
| you told me about-is this the man
whose wit is as keen and as agile as
| the sword he is reputed TO be able TO
ply with such consummate skill; is
this the darling of the courts of
Vienna and of Parish
'.Ah. senorita." ! deprecated. @yon
are unkind: you blind me with the
brilliance of divinity, then. while I
am thus helpless. you give me NOR
| tai thrust. Still. you do but make
artfuI use of the weapons that God
has given you-and. verify. He has
| favored you in rich abundance"
Now the amber eyes sought mine
] again, held for half a minute. and
! dropped to her lap, where slim white
/ hands lay passive. Tia mia" she
said gently, to the duenna who sat
beside her. this is Senior yigny, cap
tain in the army of Macmillan"
The duenna looked down at me-
looked down upon me from vast. iliim-
liable heights. l bowed-and she
! looked away again.
/ La Anita smiled little. tia mia. .
said she in my own tongue. has not
/ the resilieney Of YOUTH
at is a golden thing" | answered.
land thrice blessed when beauty pla.s
accompaniment"
She sobered suddenly. The court
| of France. senior. has doubtless taught
thee many things. Thy tongue"
! @.Ah, do not misjudge me. senorifa /;
for each word of praise or compIi-