The Son of Clemenceau

ewell within the hospitable house where his bill had been obstinately withheld from him, took the reins in the chaise. The grinning ostler held the

astily cried out as the equipa

d by secret guards. The officer at the gate, yawning behind the passport which he did not trouble to read, wished him a good dinner at the rural friend's, where it was hinted he would put up

in the itinerary. But once outside the walls, he was forced to go slowly and foresaw the moment when he must stop. It was hazardous to

g, feminine figure stepped out from the cover of a post painted in stripes to indicate parish, township and other boundary marks. But although the short frock, coarse woolen stockings

cast when the bronze rushes within th

nd the charm of this unexpected apparition. And yet she came forward so brightly, and so frankly, and her first words were s

t me accompany you to set you right, and help me to roll some stones and logs from the mouth. It saves time, and you will baffle your foes. Oh, I know all. The faithful Hedwig, whose clothes I have bor

eet her with pleasure, though it was probably the clothes of He

just touched with a winged foot the iron step, and cleared the seat with a second leap. Crou

n after

t the same moment a shrill whistle

e old town; the military whistle without. They are keeping g

inine laugh at the prospect

going very different to your aim. At the lane I spoke

companion, her presence manifested only by her sweet breath, the slight rustling of the gl

police sub-chief, but, pooh! what were such men but the knob on a post-the post remained and the knob was unscrewed for another to be put on every now and then. They had threatened but she was not a strolling player who feared the lock-up and the House of

parrots? It was true she had made her an offer and she had connived at the police being made to think she

a fear to break the spell kep

she exclaimed, and was out beside him with

vered with rings, tugged at the roughly hewn tree-trunks and misshapen blocks of stone without a scratch and, as her frame offered no suggestion of strength, the swiftness with which they were moved, confirmed the idea of the supernatural. As soon as he recovere

t of the vale of tribulation. Help me in and tan the horse's hide well! We must, without farther dela

mprudent the latter was. On the rutty, ill-kept lane the wheels bounded unevenly and the driver had hard work to keep his seat; but the girl, by a miracle of balancing, held her half-crouching, half-standing position in the calash, and only now and then, flung for

ing-post of the race, loomed up clearly, and, luckily, the road improved a little by becoming harder and descending gradually. On one side rose a will

d Kaiserina smiled as she leaned her hea

e had sa

not

ow, three horsemen came solemnly forth,

ld a pistol in each hand. He had recognized in the most prominent rider Major von Sendlingen, and in an instant h

a betrayer? He di

eachery, Claudius resolved to begin the attack. It mattered little whether Fraulein von Vieradlers was in the conspiracy or not. Once she had saved his life, and he was bound

n bravely and charged down the inclin

g down the pistols with his sword flat, as

in the shadow of the hood, and

etorted Claudius, and he fire

d the horse of the gendarme on his right that it screamed, reared and fell sidewise with a crash into the brook. The

leaped up into the lane. Her grey hair was disheveled and her pelisse was shredded by the brambles. She ran to place he

ge and pain. Their two firearms rang out as one, and the old woman had only time to cover the mark by drawing herself to her full height, with a

frame of the hood to save himself from being cast out. The girl was hurled against him, bu

are going t

dismounted one having picked his up from the briars, and found the cap secure. At t

at such moments hisses: "Kill, kill, kill!" into a man's ear. The angelic demon there had s

e strangled horse; his comrade, pierced so that he bled internally, drew off to the roadside mechanically-the image of

to furnish the comedy of the incident. His horse took the bit in its teeth and ran away with him a

playing no more compassion for the soldiers slain in doing their duty

she say? She spoke in Polish-I understand it-I c

continued the gir

id, 'my

was not all, though-she affectionately

tradicting the speaker on his impression that Baboush

you do not know yourse

udent, remembering what he

her was the fa

spair, having a glimpse of a tumultuous rabble shouting: "At last he is here!" before the ruddy guillotine on a raw morning, a pale, prim man between

e place or time to pluck leaves, and compare them, from our genealogical tree. The major has succeeded in reining in his horse, but, who cares? the old farmhouse stood a siege in the

n he left behind: the peaceful student to whom the pencil and the eraser were alone familiar had handled firearms like "the professor" in a shooting gallery. And then the assertion-or revelation-that he was of kin not only to the old witch, who had perished in s

overseer, and showed a respectful bearing to the third. This was a man of about thirty years, but looking younger, tall, slender, elegant and proud. Not yet calm, Clemenceau vaguely recalled the refined, winning, though dissipated visage; this was the

-ride? The horses are

gh his intention to include him in the pre-arranged flight was manifest. But he was the victim of circumstances and for the present he had to yiel

inion of the sex that makes the world move round; he was

lemenceau mechanically mounted the bay, and the gentleman assisted the lady upon the black. Both animals were impatient to be gone, and when given the head, started of

st be put across the

that the name had a charm unknown heretofore. Yes, he ought to make a pilgrim

ia. Our next stage will be the little railway station to which you may see th