Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-08-13

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, as her
persecutor again approached, when, as if by
magic, some one darted in between them
and feled the rufiian to the earth.
The others, bold with drink, murmured
angrily, but cleaning pistol soon silenced
them, even as they recognized their young
colonel, and respectfully moved away.
Calling guard, he put the man he held
under his heel in arrest, then turned and Of
fered his arm to the trembling girl.
She saw, then, for the first time, that il
was Hugh Won Trenck who had saved her
Haughtily refusing his arm, hating herself,
hating him more, she walked on in silence by
his side. At her door she forced herself to
speak "Sir, l owe you my thanks" she
said.
"Mademoiselle, the day will como when
you will pay me your debt in full, " he replied,
and left her.
What did he moan 2 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 reproach, or of the truth
that she had brought il all ON herself. If he
had not been n Prussian she might almost
have liked him. As il was-but she got no
further than this She broke down in a
storm of tears.
A week later the troops, all but q small re-
serve, were ordered out for IA sortie. Paris
had long been in siege and must soon capitu-
late.
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
off, and among them was the man she had
treated with snch disdainful contempt.
Could it be that she thought of him at such
n timer
The third day the fighting ceased-the
Prussians were again victorious but all
night long they were bringing back dead and
wounded 10 the little town.
1t was Just daybreak when squad of sol
diurs halted at her door. She had not
dreamed of undressing during the long night.
nameless dread had tortured her. She
knew in this moment what it was, as herself
she went down and threw open the door to
receive the pale, scnseess form they bore.
This way !" said she, with quiet dignity,
and led the way to her own room and her
own bed.
He had told her she should repay her debt
Could he have foreseen this day? 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 eyes to con-
seriousness, and they rested on her solitary
figure at his side. Her aunt weary, had
gone to rest. A smile broke over the white,
thin face
'You here, mademoselle Z" he said.
Yes" she answered, Il am here.
He held out his wasted hand, and she si-
lently Dlaced hers within IT, Then still
with a smile upon his lips, he fell asleep, but
from that moment the tide had turned, and
life had gained the victory.
He was almost well again, when one day
came the tidings of the fall of Paris, and ON
the same day, by the fatality of fate, came to
him the news of his promotion to a generals
rank.
"Ah, mademoisele," he said Il cannot
rejoice while You weep. l once said you
should pay your debt little imagined how
you would pay it, l meant then the day
should come when you should love and mar
ry me. 1 had loved you from the first mo-
ment my eyes rested on you, in spite of your
scorn and contempt. But now you have paid
your debt in your own way. You have Civ
en- me back my life. l will no longer tor
ture you by my presence. l will 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 kneel-
ing down, nestled her head on his arm.
If say stay, Hugh, then will you go"
My loye-my darling do you mock me !?
Oh, this is cruel :"
Nay, Hugh, am like my own poor Par
is, she replied "The siege has been a long
one, but she and l, fear, have alike been
Taken by Storm"