The Baton

Rene de Therray-Eguia, a young nobleman from an obscure Basque village in the Pyrenees Mountains, comes to the town of Strasbourg, Alsace, France, to seek his fortune in his family's regiment, the Chasseurs de Therray. To claim his inheritance he must combat an ancient vendetta with a rival family, the de Boscobels, and cope with the disgrace of his grandmother's Gypsy blood and his father's scandalous death after an affair.

Along the way, Rene wins the love of a woman, Nathalie du Marnet and the respect of his commanding officers. He sees service in North America under Rochambeau and eventually becomes colonel of the Chasseurs, leading them in the opening battles fought by the Revolutionary Army of France against the Emigres. Through the scheming of his enemies he is sent to prison, his family is seperated and Nathalie is guillotined. After his release, Rene must rebuild his fortune, his career and his life.

The baton in the story's title refers to the wand of command given to marshals of France, but to Rene it is his lifelong dream, for which he will give anything and endure anything. Only later in life, after having lost so much and threatened with blindness, does he realize that, with all its rewards, the baton has exacted a costly price.