The Son of Clemenceau

ceded this structure, a band of young noblemen had taken possession of the passage more important then, as this now foul and noiso

ses of the master-tradesmen; in this, imitating the mode of operation of their country cousins

at the head of the bridge, prompted by natural caution or instinct, for the officer remained prudently invisible to her, th

the one to rest the firearm on. He had a flat felt hat on, with wide shaggy margins, ornamented with a yellow cord in contrast with its inky dye, and a dingy, often mended old cavalry-soldier's russet cloak, coverin

r hand, the bright eye and well-shaped features, with the venerable impression suggested by the beard, lifted the wearer into a high place for reve

pace of his daughter had left him far behind and it cost him an effort to make up for the delay. But in parental lo

paration to which Baboushka had no doubt contributed. She now loomed into view. Repulsed by the Jew in his detestation of beggars-for while the Christian accepts poverty as a misfortune to which resignation is one remedy, he regards it as an affliction to be violently removed-she hesitated to continue her annoyance. The bridge w

toward her. "In the hall on Thursday-when you made the circuit with the cup for the collection after your delightful ballad-you refused me even a reply to my request for an inte

too frightened by the positi

at the old man approaching only too slowly. "I

e-perhaps by potations, though his large lower jaw denoted ample animal courage. He was powerful enough in the long arms and strong hands to have mastere

n a crack heavy cavalry regiment, allowed for family reasons to remain in the garrison after it had been removed elsewhere, he enjoyed enviable esteem from his superiors and the hatred and dislike of all others. T

raction of the beer cellar, which he named-the so-called "La Belle Stamboulane," and baffled

arms, could not, by her feeble resistance, prevent him snatching a kiss. As for her father, casting down his turkophone, and raising his

a kick in the leg with his heavy boot which, fairly delivered, would have broken an oaken post. Though avoiding its full force, the unhappy father was so painfully struck that he staggered back to the opposite rail

not spied the student, she had regarded him with no faint opinion of his manliness for-repelling the kind of proud self-reliance of

rom this ruff

you, the coast is clear-for I have arranged all th

was out of the question, but to shield her mouth from contact with the red

rl took the opportunity with commendable speed, and glided out of the major's relaxing grasp like a wasp from under the spider's claws. She retreated as far as where her father tried to stand erect, and helping him up, led him prudently down the bridge slope so that they might contin

d cost their week's salary at the casi

class which Von Sendlingen adorned, and, infuriated by the civilian intervening at the culmination of his daring plan, to say nothing of the annoying thought that his failure would be no secret from the old hag, his accomplice, looking on at the extremity of the bridge, he yiel

t it was the soldier who was thrown off his balance. A second blow, with the tremendous sweep of the stick held at arm's length, tested the metal of the blade to its utm

wung but his road-cane! This was not all: he had lost his sabre, and, noble though he was, he had to pass the vigorous inspection of his weapons like the humblest

nce to a tiger's than a man's, and had not the victor in this first bout possessed a stout hear

the sword indicated that this was an adept at quarter-staff and a man with naked hands would have easily been beaten if pitted with him. Sendlingen, wa

im, the old man started to retrace his steps to regain possessi

oo, was an expert swinger of the cane, a Bavarian mountaineer's weapon with

jor, with a sullen courtesy, extorted fr

uard with an ease and accuracy which caused the other to begin his work

and the younger and more refined who was spurred into recklessness by th

staves were in continual swing, and he could not draw near without the risk of having a shoulder dislocated, or, at least, his knuckles severely rapped. In the gloom

erve, and the strength of the staff which he had borrowed from his foe. Well may one suspect "the gifts of an enemy!" as the student might have cited: "Timeo danaos," etc. At the very moment when the officer's head was most in peril, while he guarded it with

ss. The Jew, after picking up the broken pieces of wood, would have lingered to recover those of the precious metal though at cost of a scuffle with Baboushka. But his

t took to flight in the direction the beautiful girl had chosen. He well knew that this was a grave matter, and that he trod on burning ground. At twenty paces farther,

forth, not a voice had echoed the Jewess's call for the watch. It was not to be doubted that Footbridge street had

"After all, one cannot travel from Berlin to Paris without getting some soot on the cheek and a cinder or two in the eye.

lly and not drooping. He had walked so fast that he had overtaken the Jews, delayed as the girl was by her f

the student continued; "but even a g

bout to do so, at the mouth of a narrow and unlighted alley

on that Munich is planned on too generous a scale for its population. Only here and there was a roof or front suggestive of the

ach, he heard an uproar toward the bridge. The major had been discovered by qu

arrest which would result

hrilled, being police signals. The student was perceived. It was a critical moment. The next moment he would be challenged, and at the next, have a car

if for carcasses at a butchers, although their innocent use was to hang beds on them to air. On a tarnished plate he deciphered "ARTISTES' ENTRANCE," and while perplexed, even

a corridor under the oriel window, where the air was pungent with t