Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-09-04
Confined from first Page. ,

they should pursue her. Perhaps by hid |
ing her tremor and walking boldly on they |
might make room for her to pass. Herr |
Won Trenck's hated advice rang in her
ears. She should hate him trebly If it |
proved unnecessary. But now all the
soldiers eyes were turned upon her. a.
they stood. an impossible phalanx, bar
ring her way
'Pay us toll, my pretty little Fran
caise," said one. fastening his coarse gaze
upon her.
Eyes; pay Us toll" the others echoed.
"A kiss apiece"'
Concealing the awful sinking at her
heart, she strove to pass them by step
ping down from the curb; but the outside
man and first speaker threw out his arm
to prevent her escape
mo, no - he said in freezing tones
You are our prisoner, and we l6t you off
easy. Pay Us willingly, and we will
prove as good as our word Drive Us to
force and we'll help ourselves
To scteam would be but to gather round
her fresh tormentors. so she struggled to
appear calm.
Let me pass" she said. in low. indig-
nant tones, when, without deigning fur
Their pariey, the first speakerthrew his arm
about her waist.
She felt his tainted breath upon her
cheek. Oh, God. must her lips be pol
luted BY his touch
With sudden strength she wrenched her
self from his grasp, the brutal laugh OF
the others jeering on her ears.
A scream. loud and long. burst from
her lips. followed by another and another.
har In a aa n, onprca..bnl t.yIap
as II by magic. some one darfed in be-
tween them and felled the ruiiian to the
earth.
angrily. but cleaning pistol soon
silenccd them. even as they recognized
their young colonel. and respectfully
moved away.
Calling II guard. he put the man h.
held under his heel in arrest, then turned
and offered his arm Ia the trembling girl
She saw. then. for the first time. that il
was Hugh Won Trenck who had saved her
Haughtilv refusing his arm. hating herself
hating him more. she walked on in silence
by his side. At her door, she forced her
self to speak:
''Sir. owe you my thanks" she said,
"Madamoiselle, the day will come when
you will pay me the debt in full" he re-
piled, and left her
What did he meanp His words, the
man himself haunted her How brave
and full of courage he had been, How
nobly he had come to her relief, How
generously he had uttered no word of re-
proach. or of the truth that she had
brought it all on herself If he had not
been Prussian, she might almost have
liked him. As it was-but she got no
further than this. She broke down in a
storm OF tears.
A week later the troops. all but small
reserve. were ordered out tor a sortie.
Paris had long been in siege and must
soon capitulate.
With all her heart Marie prayed night
and day for success to the flag already
doomed
That her cause could be lost seemed to
her impossible.
Now and then the winds bore to her the
boom of cannon. They were fighting not
far of. and among them was the man she
had treated with such disdainful con-
tempt.
Could it be that she thought of him at
such time
The third day the fighting ceased-the
Prussians were again victorious bnt all
night long they were bringing back the
dead and wounded to the little town.
II was Just daybreak when squad of
soldiers halted Mt the door She had not
dreamed OF undressing during the
night.
A nameless dread had tortured her. She
knew in this moment what it was. as her
self she went down and threw open the
door to receive the pale. serseless form
they bore.
This way" said she. with quiet dig
nifty. and led the way TO her own room
and her own bed.
He had ted her she should repay her
debt
Could he have foreseen this dav ,
Would he ever know what she had done
for him
For weeks his life hung in the balance.
But one night he opened his gray ewes to
consciousness. and they rested on the sol
itary figure at his side.
Her aunt, weary. had gone to rest. A
smile broke over the white. thin face.
"You here. Madamoiselle -
Eyes" she answered. Il am here"
He held out his wasted hand. and she
silently placed hers within it.
Then. still with smil upon his lips.
he fell asleep. but from that moment the
tide had turned. and lite had gained the
victory.
He was almost we'll a.ain, when one
day came the tidings Of the tall OF Paris.
and on the same day. by the fatality If
fate, came to him the news of his promo.
ton to a generals rank
"Ah. Madamoiselle. he said. Il can
not rejoice while YOU weep. once said
you should pay your debt. little imagN
incd how YOU would pay it.
meant then the day should come when
you should love and marry me. had
loved you from the first momeut nv ewes
rested on you. in spite of your scoru and
contempt.
But now YOU have paid your debt in
your own way. You have given me back
my life. will no longer torture you by
my presence. Twill go away and leave
YOU"
And he turned his head that she might
not see the moisture in his eyes.
But softly she stole to his side. and
kneeling down. nestled her head on his
arm.
IF | say stay. Hugh. then will you
go Pr
my love-my darling, Do YOU mock
mo Oh this is ertlel =,