The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-01-28


out Of the reverberatiHg thunder of the
guns. and Henri felt himself so dazzled
and blinded by It's sudden blaze that for
few moments he lost the record of
events.
He felt as if some shot had swept HIM
bodily into space, and Henri knew that
he was falling.
Such a tall-so very long and far.
Could i. be?
Yes, there was no shock.
The terrible descent had been broken
by something soft, and Henri heard voices
around him.
eyes, Major Becker, your friend IL all
right. 1t was terrible cut, that, but he
will come to himself soon, now that the
fever IS going down. He must have good
care to pay him for sending you out to
us. How is your shoulder2"
"Oh, Carl, he will get well2'
ayes, Katrina dear; and he may be
thankful to have escaped from Paris even
by 80 har1 way as this.''
"Carl, Katrina" family exclaimed
Henri. care you here? Where am r."
Neither Carl nor Katrina could have
exactly related what was said or done in
the next few moments. Henri least of
all, but as his brain grew clearer the
young Frenchman learned that for ten
days he had been living in German field
hospital, delirious from q sabre cut in
the head, and that, by fair fortune, both
he and Carl, who had been wounded in
the same great sortie struggle, had been
nursed by Katrina herself, for she had
gwen her services to the wounded almost
since the beginning of the war.
CHOW I have my reward" she said.
"Bless you, KatrlLa" said Henri.
And then he added,
"Poor Louis! have cut nv way
through, but he is still in Paris, and the
American Minister cannot send him out.
Poor Louis he does not command a hus-
sar company"
Evidently Henri's brain still suffered
from the sabre cut, but he was right about
poor Louis.
That morning he and DR.. Spielburg met
again in the Place Vendome.
Ode Rosat, my dear fellow" said the
surgeon, ''you use too much stimulant
you are ghost already"
"But you don't know, Spiclburg; we
are working underground like moles in
the dark and cold, and l do not know at
what moment we may break in on their
counter-mines, or be blown higher than
this column here"
"Miningg All! Well, you must be
careful; you cannot dig your way out,
you know"
"Perhaps I shall" said Louis, with a
weary, melancholy half smile; and the
stern doctor shook his head douhtfully
az the officer of engineers turned on his
heel and strobe away toward those out
ward lines, over which the shadow from
the city had already crept and settled.
Mine and countermine.
Each side felt sure that the other was
working at that; but the French did
more than the Germans, in very fear of
what might be, and Louis DeRosat had
become very enthusiast in his subter-
ranean duties.
1t was night when Louis DeRcset re-
turned to the NINE but, as he stood On
the rampant OF the fort for q moment. it
seemed to him that he could see in spite
OF the darkness, away over into that out
er world beyond the German lines and
the sutfocating siege.
"Henri, he muttered; "nobody knows
what became Of him. wonder if he got
through with his hussars. They sent
out three balloons yesterday.
"1f they can fly over, why should not
we dig under2 l must go down now.
''Spielburg is a fool; man must take
little brandy and absinthe before 90
ing down to dig IN hole like that.
The men are tired toni ht, and the
rations were short to-da y. 7 will>take q
spade myself"
In few moments Louis found him.
self in long, narrow passage that Was
being bored through the earth in the d.
rectlon ct the nearest German works
Not human being did he see, though
the scanty lights were burning blue and
dim in the foul air. r. ...H.
There lay the tools, however, tor he
had made his way to the further termi.
nus.
II at least will work." SAID he to him.
self; am ahead Of time, and they will
soon be here
AS he tore down the soft earth and
loose gravel with pick or spade, he cast
it hurriedly behind him, for the men to
take it away in their barrows; but 1t was
long before they arrived, and he had go
piled it UP as almost to wall himself in
Then he heard voices, and knew by the
ring Of the tools that the men were there,
and had begun their work, but he never
paused.
eff we could only make such Roadway
as this all the time, we would dig to the
Rhine in a week." he said aloud.
And he piled his spade with more fran
tic energy than ever.
The men, too, as If animated by the
example of their officer, toiled as Louis
had never known them to toll before.
But for all that they were compelled
to send for another and another squad of
helpers, to keep pace with the avalanche
OF matter that kept pouring back into
the mine by the wonderful work of their
leader.
.. p