Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-08-20

I1lmmel, he muJtereu nercely, THAT i,
Lichtenstein. should have TO fly before
these miserable French hounds Tell
me-" he interrupted, bending forward,
chow matters areh here. My uhlans
"They are overpowered,n y said sadly.
'Reichardt is dead; he fought bravely
till he was shot through the heart.
Many are killed; some have escaped.
Col. lie Brun has the town now"
"We were surprised by lie Brun and his
men, who we're quadruple our strength.
1t would have been useless to oppose
them, and there was no way to retreat;
so we again cut our way through. l
hardly know how we did it. Some of
my fellows were cut down, some escaped,
and are hiding like their y ief, suppose.
| have forded and swan the river, lurked
among the hills and in the woods, and
had hair breadth escapes from LIE Bruins
scouts. managed to elude them, and
could think of no other refuge but your
home, dear child; perhaps l can get
away in disguise"
care you safe here for tonight" |
asked quietly, though my hands were
like ice in his.
Eyes l think so; ifthey had discovered
my track, they must have been up with
me by now. What are you thinking of,
Thekla?"
A sudden thought had flashed into my
mind, at which, in spite of the gravity
of the situation, l could not help smiling.
''Do you know that LIE Brun is coming
to dinner to-day?"
lie Brun!" repeated my uhlan in a
low tone, and his brow grew dark.
eyes, Ernst" land you must wait on
him; you must be Pierre. l know the
scheme is full of danger, Ernst; but it
is the only thing can think of.
"Your father, Thekla, would know
me-" said Ernst, "and Fadette."
"Fadette shall have holiday, Ernst, "
returned promptly, "to celebrate the
recovery of Vervain 1 can manage to
prepare a dinner for old LIE Brun, and
you must be disguised. And, Ernst,
you are deaf and dumb"
"Oh, am IP How shall l understand
you then?"
81 shall take care to let you know, by
speaking to the others, what dish or
thing you are to hand or do, and then
you can seem to obey my signs; and you
will stand behind the colonel's chair,
Ernst, so that he won't get a good look at
you. I shall tell papa you are very shy
and nervous, and can't bear to be stared
at. It's dreadful joke, Ernst; but we
must carry it out. With Fadette out OF
the way, shall have the place clear
and | shall have to be about, you know,
to help the new footman. because, re-
member you understand only by signs. u
| told Fadette that she could have q
holiday to celebrate her countrymen's
occupation. She was overoyed ofcourse
Her lover, Jacques would bring her back
at night, she said. / told papa at lunch
con that | had found a waiter-a hos
pital protege. Hehad been in the French
army, but had been wounded in the head
and had lost both speech and hearing
he could wait very nicely, and he under
stood my signs.
A little while afterwards | swept into
the drawing-room, and gave my hand
and most bewitching smile to Col. Ii
Brun, whom l had met once before. He
bowed gallantly over my hand, and was
! charmed with the smile. He paid me
a dozen compliments, and was quite fas.
cinated by me, as meant he should be
Presently he took me in to dinner, and
kept up lively chatter on our way from
the salon to the dinner-table.
There stood my dear dumb waiter be-
hind the colonel's chair, exerted my
self to occupy the colonel's attention, anG
he bent over me as he handed me with 6
compliment to my seat, and hardly
glanced at the footman. l should never
have guessed from Ernst's absolutely
immovable countenance that he was
quietly laying up all these attentions to
his Thekla as so many accounts to bt
squared afterwards; but he confessed tC
me later that he would have liked tC
shoot the old beau.
''What delicious confection is this tha
Fadette has invented, Theklap" sale
papa, "Taste it, colonel; it must be am
brosia to an epicure like you"
"Ah," l said it would be something
choice, monsieur, if it had one ingredi
ent! Helas, I cannot get it here!"
"What is itP" cried the'enchanted gour
mand.
"Oh, monsieur. am artist enough tt
guard my secrets!" said, coquettishl!
dropping my eyes. But if you will suf
fer me, will send to Laudon, and to
morrow you shall have a confection tha
shall transport you to the seventh
heaven"
81, mademoisellep What have l to d.
with the permissionp All, Ciel, you d.
not do me the honor to seek a favor o
me!n
'I do indeed, monsieur" l replied
"My Pierre shall go this night to Lau
dron, if you will do me The favor t.
grant me a safe-conduct."
} "Mademoiselle," cried the old colonel
, falling headlong into the trap, "you pu
: it in my power to do you q service
Who could refuse such petitionerP