The free South. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1863-1864, 1864-03-26

to you, Surgeon, alone confeSS IL tilisV al
night only, in the dark, 1 am afraid.
But year, two years, rolled away, an |
the remembrance of George, deeply grav.
en- on my heart, yielded, without being
effaced; to the preoccupation of the WIZ,
to my anxiety for the future. Ny puerile
fears fled of themselves, I was myself
once more, my mind free, my brain sound,
when the event I an about to tell you
happened I was first lieutenant. After
rough and glorious campaigns | came to
Algiers with my regiment. Young and
impetuous, rich with gold from onr firsS
captures, I threw myself headlong in-o
the pleasures OF garrison life day aud
NIGHT were for nc bnt one interminaDlr
rcnnd of pleasure. I Igambled with a per
feet frenzy, as one always for The first
time. I gained always and then fortune
became contrary. One night in Il cafe.
in the street Bah Byonn, / lost fourteen
Thousand francs, ali that WAS LETT Of my
money and my share of the booty. The
loss was great, and they talked OF nothing
else in Algiers Towards ten o'clock The
next day, Il message reached me from the
Colonel l repaired to his headquarters,
;.aIe and uneasy, without knowing why.
/ found my worthy Colonel, as pale AID
sd as myself.
Lieutenant he said, "my military
chest has been broken open this morning
and fourteen thousand francs are gone
fourteen thousand francs do you hear,
sir ~
T recoiled with cry OF Indignation
Here is q handkerchief lest by the
thief, and found under the chair of tue
payinaster Look, sir, it belongs t" you:
there are your intials-E. y"
[ to k the handkerchief mechanically.
Il was lnine-ny limbs trem5lel unirr
NE, could not speak.
"And now, sir, resumed the Colonel,
= go and blow your brains out.
went out without word cr;lshed
and branded like ~ thief-a> rohbpr. l
did not attempt to justify myself 10, |
went TO my room, and taking a horse pis-
tol loaded it at that moment / paused,
and in one glance | recalled my happy
childhood, my first feat Of arms, my moth
er, George!
To die! / groaned; to die dshonore.lf
"Thou shalt not die!' SAID II voica
clear and ringing, bat which did not
sound human The pistol fell from my
hand,-George stood before me, his eyes
shining with an unearthly light which il
Illuminated his whole face, white rs alabas-
tar.
. Explain this, Surgeon. While I an
telling YOU this, I feel my E;.ir rise, my
teeth chatter, and my voice tremhle. IN
the presence of George, I experienced
only serene Joy and unmixed happiness.
NV youth, my radiant dreams of glory
rose before me. Weighed down an IN
st:nt before under the burden OF the
most incomceivable fatality, | felt myself
now undtr powerful protection, almost
divine. The apparition of George did
not astonish M. L accepted it us Il fnct,
Simple and natural. We talk"d TO each
othnr. ike brothers like friends that had
been separated fora long time.
.'Etienue," he said gently, "what are
sou going to do ?" :.
"I came. to save you. Your servant Is
tI,4. thief he stole the fourteen thousand
francs as he utole the handkerchief found
by the Colonel. You had confidence in
this man, and he was worthy of it until
now. bnt he has mistress, a morisca.
ard it is for her he has stolen. They Will
find two thousand francs in his mattress.
and twelve thousand at the dwelling OF
the girl Go quickly aud tell the Colonel.
i have said all have to say. Adlru. y Il
George vanished, and l found myself
alone
The result verified all that the spectre
hal revealed to me. The thief confessel
his crime aud the money was found. My
brave Colonel, in his regret for his unjust !
suspicion, was ready to kill himself in my
place. All the officers came and called on
me in body, as a mark of their regret at
what had happened. A few days after.
was appointed, at the solicitati n OF tho |
Colonel, a Chevaiier of the Legion of |
Honor. The reparation was complete
The surgeon seemed lost in thought.