issed a woman's hand and had looked
into her sad brown eyes. "Why you do this I do not know, nor shall I
ask. Monsieur, my prayers go with you." Was not that an amulet? His
diplomatic career! He fell to whistling.

"Ah! que j'aime les militaires!"

More than once the prince felt the sting of envy in his heart at the
sight of this embodiment of supreme nonchalance. It spoke of a healthy
salt in the veins, a salt such as kings themselves can not always boast
of. A foreigner, a republican? No matter; a gallant man.

"Monsieur," he said impulsively, "you shall always possess my
friendship, once we are well out of this."

"Thanks, your Highness," replied Maurice, and laughing; "the
after-thought is timely!"

The sun lay close to the western rim of hills; an opal sky encompassed
the earth; the air was balmy.

"The French call this St. Martin's summer," said Maurice. "In my country
we call it Indian summer--ah!" lifting in his stirrups.

The army was approaching a hill, when suddenly a whirlwind of dust
rolled over the summit, and immediately a reconnoitering patrol came
dashing into view, waving their sabers aloft.... The enemy was less than
a mile away, and advancing rapidly.

To anticipate. Madame the duchess had indeed contemplated striking the
blow at night. That morning, like the brave Amazon she was, she had
pitched her tent in the midst of her army, to marshal and direct its
forces. It was her intention to be among the first to enter Bleiberg;
for she was a soldier's daughter, and could master the inherent fears of
her sex.

That same morning a woman entered the lines and demanded an audience.
What passed between her and Madame the duchess others never knew. She
had also been apprised of the prisoners' escape, but, confident that
they would not be able to make a crossing, she disdained pursuit. The
prince had missed his wedding day; he was no longer of use to her. As to
the American, he would become lost, and that would be the end of him.

But the Englishman.... He was conscience eternally barking at her heels.
The memory of that kiss still rankled in her mind, and not an hour went
by in which she did not chide herself for the folly. How to get rid of
him perplexed her. Here he was, in the uniform of a Lieutenant-Colonel,
ready to go to any lengths at a sign from her. There was something in
her heart which she had not yet analyzed. First of all, her crown; as to
her heart, there was plenty of time in which