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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1885)
174 THE WEST SHORE. marriage would ba to the proud lady whose greatest boast it wna that her pedigree was without a flaw? Should she rob her Iwlnvv1 broHir-frind of hin birthright, for thin she would most surely do were she to second him in what wag most likoly a more boyish folly? "Never! never 1" she cried; and before another half an hour had passed old KAtchen bad delivered a note at the Schloss directed to Count Alexis, containing a few words clearly and boldly written. Next morning the countess fooling strong in her be lief that Fran Ulrich had arrived, and that aftor an inter view with him all would be well was breakfasting in the veranda with her husband, when Alexis came clatter ing along the corridors within, ami emerged, in full uni form, his cheeks flushed, his eyes glittering. lie greeted them with a military salute. "Why what-how Alexis!" A suddon fear chilled hor, alio knew not what. " I'm off, father and mother that is alL I see you have not road your papers." The paera wore lying unowned on the breakfast table. Alexia took one, unfoldod it, aud pointed to an ominoua sentence in huge, black letters" Declaration of War." " I hoard from Von Mansfeldt Here is his letter," and he handed a thin sheet to his pale mother, who re adied at the ominoua sight of his thick, military glove. The letter was from his friend, Captain Mansfeldt, written in groat excitemout " But Von Mausfoldt sjoaks of volunteering, of trans furring into another regiment, does that not moan that youra will not be called out aa yet?" stammered the countess, with a gleam of hope. " I shall see when I reach Breslau." Alexis strode away to expedite the servants, who were hurrying to got their young master's luggage ready. It teemed but a few, short, cruel iustanta before the count aud countess ttood and watched the cloud of dust and the waving hoi met aa Alexia was whirled away to be hidden by the ainoke of the battle-field -porhne forever. The pair could not look at each other. The count ttood grimly washing the clouds of dust clear from the ooruor round which the carriage disappeared. The count silently staggered into the house, pressing her bands to hor weak heart; then Marie, her maid, eame in, pala, with red eye, and in a tuUluod voico announced' "Herr Ulrich." ' "I cannot tee him!" said the unhappy mother, pas sionately. Then, aa Marie bowed hor hoad, and would hare retired, she mid, "Never mind, bring him in." "I regret to hear Uiis unexjiected news, madam," I'lrich taid aa he entered. She bowed coldly to the square, somewhat awkward young man with the serious eyea and the bushy black board. With a woman's twift changefulness she merely taw in Fran her ton's rival She forgot her horror of love betweeu Alexis and Line, and felt angry with Lis that aha could tolerate this oouinou, ordinary person, The countess drew herself up. It seemed a liberty in this "lawyer fellow" to commence an ordinary conver sation as if he were an equal, inBtead of confining him self to his business. "Is Lise with you?" she asked, haughtily. He replied, "No." " I think it would have been the least she could do to come to me at once and offer her sympathy," said the countess. It was a relief to feel angry with some one. Ulrich, still standing hat in hand, explained that the news of the declaration of war had but just arrived at the cottage as he left, and that he had begged Henr Barmann to break it to Lise. The countess looked up sharply. Did she not detect a hidden meaning in his words? She rose and swept before Franz into the count's library, whore the count was sitting before his table, staring mis erably into the corners. " Is this necessary to-day?" he asked, looking at them with dazed eyes. " Is it necessary that I should be tor tured by making provisions that that may never be re quired?" Seating herself, she motioned Ulrich to a chair, and began to talk on the subject of Alexis future as if he were destined to spend his days there, in safety, instead of tempting fate among bullets and cannon balls. In Bn hour or two the count's will was executed, signed and witnessed. Alexis was heir to a fine property, provided he married with the consent of his parents. Otherwise, he could not claim one farthing. Ulrich returned to the cottage deep in thought; in deed, every few minutes he paused and seemed to turn over somothing in his mind. "She is a determined woman," he thought, alluding to the countess. " But, if I am not greatly mistaken, it is more bravado than firm ness. There -is too much show of confidence. She is just the one to break down utterly at a moment's notice. Now for my poor, poor little Lisa" His heart ached so much for the one he loved too dearly for her to anger him, that bib own trouble was almost forgotten. As the days passed and Alexis' regiment was not among those dispatched to the seat of war, the countess breathed more freely. After all, now that she had been privately reassured by friends in high quarters that Alexis' regiment would be one of the last called upon, and that it was quite possible that before this the war would be over, she persuaded herself that all had hap lnad for the best Alexis had been called away in the nick of time, before he had made a fool of himself, and it should not be her fault if Lise did not return to Dresden Ulnch's wife. 'I cannot quite make that countess. " Does he love the girl? He does not look in Ue leant like a happy lover. Is he jealous? He does not treat her as if he were. I never saw greater rever- : """ manner; be might really be of gcol lamily, to ludire bv his . 11 i w ajibo, outs wculhuu uonwir with the marriage, and had succeeded in talking over llorr Barmann to montion the subject to Franz.