The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-05-02

Jean-Ciaude; for by the fault of another we
have lost the fruit of all our blood and TOLL
"By whose faultf"
!, "Labarbe's, who did not guard the defile Of
Blutfeld. He died afterward doing his duty
like a man; but his death could not repair his
fault; and if Pivrette does not arrive in time
to support Hullin, all is lost. We must then
aban don the road and retreat"
"Wbati Blutfeld in possession of the
enemy~
"Yes, Mother Catherine. But who would
have thought that the Germans would have
entered iti defile almost impracticabIe foi
infantry, surrounded by pointed rocks, where
the herdsmen themselves can scarcely descend
with their fiocks and goatsf Well, they passed
through it, two by two, turned Roche-Creuse,
crushed Labarbe, and then fell upon jerome,
who defended himself like lion until nine at
night, but finally had to take to the woods and
leave the road to the Kaiseriiks. That is the
whole story, and it is fearful enough. Some
one must have been cowardly and treachercus
enough to have guided the enemy to our rear
to have delivered us over bound hand and
foot. o the wretch!" cried the doctor in q
trembling voice; "I am not reTepgeful, but il
ever he falls under my hands, how l will dis
sect him! Ho, Bruno Ho, boy!"
The partisans still maintained their steady
shadowy march, and no word was spoken.
The horse again began a gallop, but soon
slackened his pace and breatbed heavily.
Mother Lefevre was once more buried in
thought.
81 begin to understand" said she ut length;
eve were attacked tonight in front and flank. ,
gust 80, Catherine; and by good fortune
ten minutes before the attack, one of Marc
Dives's men-the smuggler Zimmer, an old
dragoon--arrived at full speed to warn MS. II
he had not come, we were lost. He fell among
our outposts after having passed through o de-
tachment of Cossaoks on the plateau of eros
mann. The poor fellow had received a terrible
sabre-thrust, and the blood was pouring from
his wound"
"And what did he say :" asked the old wo.
man.
HE had only time to cry, To arms! We are
turned jerome sent me-Labarbe is dead
the Germans passed through BlutfeldP"
He was brave manw murmured Cath
crime.
Eyes, y brave man :" replied Frantz, droopins
his head.
the sledge kept on through the narrow, wind
ing valley. From time to time they were
forced to stop, SO deep was the snow, and then
three or four mountaineers took the horse by
| the bride and pulled him on.
"No matter" exclaimed Catherine, emerging
from her reverie, Hullin might have told
me-"
"But if he had told yon of the two attacks, .
interrupted the doctor, you would not have
come away"
"And who dare hinder my doing as wish
If it pleased me to descend from this sled ee
am not free to do 30 T. had forgiven Jean
Claude repent having done SOL"
80 Mother Lefevre!" cried Louise " if h,
should be killed, while you speak thusr
''She is right, poor child" thought Cath
crime, and she continued:
81 said l repent of forgiving him; but he
brave man, to whom 1 wish no i'll.
forgive him with all my heart. In his place
would have done as he has DONE"
Two or three hundred yards further on, the
entered the defile of the Rocks. The snow ha
ceased falling aud the moon shone Brilliant
from between two black and white cloud
The narrow gorge, bordered by Poin ted rock.
seonen W nhFolt us IengtR 10 their view, All
on its sides high frs rose until lost in distance
Nothing broke the deep quiet of the woods
human turmoil seemed indeed far away. s
profound was the silence that they heard ever
step of the horse in the soft snow, and eve
his weary breathing, Frantz Materne halte
from time to time, cast glance over the darl
mountain sides, aud then FASTENED to oyertak
the others.
And valleys succeeded valleys; the sic,
| ascepded, descended, turned to right and f.
left, aud the partisans, with their cold blu
sayonets fixed, followed steadily after.
| CTO be continued.)
| handle.