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.