“I knew that you would save me!”

Time and place were extraordinary, and war, the great leveler, was once more at work.

“The chateau was set on fire by shells, Monsieur Scott,” Picard said, “and when the enemy saw the French force appearing across the fields they took to flight.  That dog of a prince, the Auersperg, tried to carry off Mademoiselle Julie in his automobile, but the young prince interfered and while they were quarreling I seized her and took her away.  All the other women have escaped too.”

“Thank God, Picard,” exclaimed John, wringing the huge hand of the peasant, who was at once a peasant and a prince too.

“And look,” said Carstairs, who with Wharton had approached unnoticed.  “An aeroplane comes like the flight of an eagle, and my guess is poor if it is not our friend, the great Lannes.”

Caumartin in truth had found Philip, and he came like the lightning, circling and swooping until he touched the ground almost at Julie’s feet.  Brother and sister were united in a close embrace, and Lannes turned to John.

“I have heard from Caumartin that it was you who brought the word.  We can never repay you.”

“We’ll wait and see,” said John.

Her brother did not see Julie flush rosily, as she turned her face away.

“And now,” said Lannes, “we go to Paris.  My duties allow me enough time for the flight.  No, John, my friend, don’t object.  She’s been up in the Arrow with me before.  Picard, you and Suzanne can come later.”

The thunder of the battle rolling toward the east still reached them, but Lannes quickly threw a coat around Julie, gave her a cap and huge glasses to put on, and exclaimed: 

“Now we go.”

“But I must first thank Mr. Scott himself for saving me,” she said.

She put her hand, small and warm, in his, American fashion, and the two palms met in a strong clasp.

“Good-bye, Mr. Scott,” she said.

“Good-bye, but not forever.  I’m coming back to Paris.”

“And it’s my hope, too, that it’s not forever.”

She and her brother took their seats in the Arrow.  Carstairs, Wharton and the others gave it a push, and it soared up into the fresh blue of the dawn.  An ungloved hand, white and small, reached over the side and waved farewell, a farewell which John felt was for him.

To the east the battle still rolled, but John had forgotten its existence.  Higher and higher rose the Arrow, flying toward Paris, until it diminished to a mere dot in the sky, and then was gone.

THE END

BY JOSEPH A. ALTSHELER

The Civil War Series

In this series of stories Mr. Altsheler covers the principal battles of the Civil War.  In four of the volumes Dick Mason, who fights for the North, is the leading character, and in the others, his cousin, Harry Kenton, who joins the Confederate forces, takes the principal part.