The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-11-18

after bullet into of hearts nailed to door.
He received US in his usual way, and said not
word about the transaction OF the nlght Deiore
Three davs passed. and the Lieutenant still lived
No message had come We began to ask one
another in amaZement, as ii possible that Silvio
won't fight ?" Silvio did not fight He was sat
isfed with a very lame explanation, and all was
over This magnanimity did him a lot of harm
among us young fellows Want of hardihOOd is
the fault that youth pardons the least Courage
is the greatest of all merits, the excuse for every
blemish.
Nevertheless little by little all was forgotten
and SilviO resumed his former influence in our
circle. / alone found il hard to reconcile myself
to him. Thanks to a romantic Imagination, had
grown more attached than any of my comrades to
the man whose life was such an enigma. / had
made of him the hero of a mysterious drama He
had a preference for meat least, / was the only
one with whom he abandoned his harshness of
tone and cvnicism of language, and conversed on
different subjects with ease, and sometimes with
"a very happy grace. Since that unfortunate even
ing, the thought that his honor was soilcd-that
there was a blot on his c>CutcheOn, and that, of
his own free will he had declined 20 wipe il out
tormented me without ceaSing and drove away
my self-pOsSession when / was i'm his society. /
was no longer the same terms with him. /
made il a matter of conscience 10 watch his every
movement. He had too much penetration not TO
perceive what | was doing, and 10 guCSs the mo-
tive of my conduct. He appeared more hurt than
veXed at il. Twice thought could detect de
sire on his part to come TO an explanation with
me; but ! avoided him, and ne did not press the
matter From that time / only him i'm COM
pany with my comrades. Our intimate chats We're
dropped.
The lucky dweller~ in the cities, tossed about by
distmcting pleasures, are ignorant Of many Sens;-
tons familiar 10 those who live i'm remote villages
or small towns; for example, waiting for mail
day. On Tuesdays and Fridays the post office of
our regiment was full OF officers. One expected
money, another letters, a third newspapers. Ordi-
narlly the packets were unsealed upon the spot !;
news was passed from mouth 20 mouth and the
scene in the office was of the most animated de-
scription. Silvio's letters addressed To him
az our quarters, and he came 10 look for them with
the rest of Us. One day when hc was handed a
he ran over itS contents his eyes positively burned
with a strange fire. our officers, occupied over
their own correspondence, took no notice Of him.
"Gentlemen,' exclaimed Silvio, urgent affairs
compel me % leave Immediately. As ! shall be
on the road tonight, / hope YOU won't refuse 10
dine with me for the last time. count upon
you' he added turning 20 me. IL wish you par
ticularly To come"
lhereupon he retired hastily, and after we had
all agreed 10 make rendezvous at his place, We
separated, each going his own way.
/ got to Slvio'S at the appointed hour, and
found there every officer of duty. His luggage
was already packed up Nothing was TO be seen
on the naked walls but the network of bullet
holes. We sat down. Our host was i'm the best
Of humOr~, and his high spirits soon spread TO the
company. Corks popped brisk as skirmishng
fire. The bcady frOth mounted i'm the glasses
which were filled and emptied without interruu-
tion. We grew er-hearted-maudin, if YOU
like-and wished God speed safe journey, joy, and
all kinds of prosperity 10 our departing host.
II was late when quilted the festive board
When We We're looking for our caps, Silvio bade
each of us adieu; bat hc caught me by thc'hand
and held me as was on the point of going out.
stay he said, in undertone. 81 want to
have "a few words with YOU
StOppcd behind