The Argosy, January 1906 — page 71: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE RAVENS OF THE pardon. But I have walked since noon, the night is stormy, and—I am a gentle- man, monsieur le marquis,” said he des- perately. The owner of the chateau made a little gesture. | “So I have observed, else And might I inquire who monsieur may be? ” “T am an American—John Bos- worth—and——_” The marquis’ interruption was in the nature of a surprise. “ Might I inquire the name of mon- sieur’s father?” asked he sharply. “T was named for him, but—— began Bosworth. The marquis was peering into his face. “Tt is indeed like the picture which hangs in my son’s room.” ‘The old Frenchman seemed to be talking to him- self. Then, suddenly: “The father of monsieur was the general—the General Bosworth—who commanded the third division in—in what is styled the Wilderness. Am I mistaken, monsieur?” “My father did command the third division under Grant.” The astonish- ment he felt was written plainly on the American’s face. “ Mille diables! And you have been permitted to stand upon the threshold of my house these many minutes—you, the son of my son’s old commander. Mon Dieu, can {1 forgive myself this thing, monsieur? ” “he coldness had vanished from the face of the Marquis de Luynes. Bos- worth, too astonished to speak, felt him- self almost dragged into the spacious hall of the chateau. “Tt was given to my son the honor, with others of his countrymen, to serve as aide-de-camp under your renowned father, monsieur; it was indeed a great kindness he did him when he received in the shoulder the fragment of a shell. Surely it is the hand of God which has directed you here, child of my child’s old commander.” The face of the marquis was flushed with excitement. Bosworth remembered that several young Frenchmen had served under his father during the war between the 27 States; now he thanked his lucky stars 253 RHINE. that one was a De Luynes. His reeep- tion at the chateau was like to be other- wise than he had expected. CHAPTER JI. FIRING AT CLOSE RANGE. THE marquis drew his guest along the hall into a well-lighted room, which was evidently the library of the ancient structure. The old Frenchman pointed to a vacant space above the fireplace. “It was there hung the sword my son wore in America; it 1s now with him in the army of the Seine. And the gen- eral, your father—he is well, mon- sieur? ” 7 “{ left him so eighteen months ago,” Bosworth replied. “Then you have been absent from America for so long a time, and—and, monsieur, why is it that you are walking through France to-night? Surely it is an accident, something———” “Only that your government decided to seize the train on which I was jour- neying to Paris, as it has seized all the horses in the province. Being dumped down in that fashion, nothing remained but to walk,” answered Bosworth dryly. The marquis almost pushed him into a great easy-chair. : * And I have kept you standing ; what would Jean say should he know?” “Your son is in the army of the Seine?” asked Bosworth. “ Of the Fortieth Chasseurs; he went a captain at the first call to arms.” Then, after a brief pause: : ** You have seen the armies of France, monsiecur ? ” “Only a few divisions; I crossed the - border but yesterday,’ answered Bos- worth. “From Germany? ” The young man nodded. “TI have been in Germany for a year. At the university, where I was completing a course in surgery.” The marquis had opened a cupboard in one corner of the room; he put the bottle of wine and a plate of cakes gently upon the table at Bosworth’s elbow. Filling a glass to the brim he passed it to his guest. Bosworth sipped the wine slowly;