The Red Cloud chief., 1881-05-12

as It were abandoned, I felt Q
great despair. / made an effort. 1
rose and began 70 walk again. That
little halt had done me good. walked,
walked and walked until l had caught
up TO Puvioux and passed him.
."At night, too, | was well ahead, but
/ was worn out. slept all night In
the morning l woke up. l saw that the
day was getting on; l was furious and
called some m
".You have not seen a soldier pass
on foot?'
Eyes, Monsieur k militaire, very
late last night. He asked for a glass Of
water
"Ah! I was outstripped in nv turn! l
started hurriediy. At three O'Clock in
the afternoon | had not caught up to
Puvioux. nor at six o'clock either. At
night l took my rest while l ate, and
started to walk again. l walked a
good part OF the night. but my strength
had limits Once more | stopped. l
knocked at an inn. The door opened,
and there sitting in a chair I saw Pu-
vioux, pale as death. He made a move
ment Of displeasure when he saw me
that was natural. We did not talk
much. What could We say? We were
both tired! The great thing was to
know who should get up first the next
morning. 1t wasI.
The next morning was this morn
ing. Since this morning / have been
walking, taking a rest now and then,
hrt only a vary short npa IL. r.t
ting close. Re:hel is the last stage be-
tween Anglers and Mezieres. 1 know
my map Of France now. The last stage.
Good heavens if arrived too late"
And Pierre Puvioux," asked my
father, "has he caught you up?n
NO." replied Chevaucheux, IL am
ahead! If | could start now | should be
saved"
start? In this state! Impossibler'
81 know-my feet are swollen and
cut-and provided nat to morrow ~
Tomorrow you will be rested. You
will he able TO walkr'
..Do YOU think so?' said the soldier,
with a look ardent as lightning.
81 promise you"
Ny father then advised the soldier to
90 TO bed. Chevaucheux, did not re-
fuse. The bed was ready. He shook
hands with us and went up to his room.
II was ten o'clock.
IL will wake you at five O'clock" said
my father.
1t was not yet daylight on the follow
ing morning when my father, already
up. looked out of the window TO see
Inp, fhn .ra.sIn- ur., NAL. L. 49,,
at the window he heard some heavy
footsteps on the roai below. and in
the obscure twilight that precedes day
break he perceived a soldier who was
walking in the direction of Mezieres.
"Up already?" said my father.
The soldier stopped.
'Well?" continued my father" are
you Off"
1.-The soldier looked up and tried to
make Out who was speaking to him.
You are Jean Chevauchcux are you
not?" asked my father.
NO" said the soldier, II am Pierre
Puviouxi"
And as il that name of Chevaucheux
had been the prick of a spur, he re-
sumed his walk more rapidly and was
soon lost in the ~obscurity. When my
father could no longer see him he could
hear the noise of his shoes on the road
leadihg to Mezieres.
..Ahr" said my father to himself,
.'Chevaucheux must be sharp if he
means to catch up to that man. And
he went straight to the room where
Jean had slept. He was already up
and looking at his feet by the light of a
candle.
"Vistory!' hecricd. when he saw my
father; Il feel fresh and strong, and l
suffer no more. En- ~route!'
"And quickly! replied my father.
"Puvioux has just passed through
Rethel."
Pierre Puvioux9"
81 have Just spoken to him. He
passed under our window. going along
as it the evil one were after him."
"Ah, mon Dieur' exclaimed Che
vaucheux as if he had been struck
down. He repeated ones more: "Ah!
mon Dieur" Then be buckled on his
knapsack and cried: After all, what
you have told me gives me courage.
Let me OFF,
In theroom below, nv mother. already
up, was filling n wallet with provisions
for Chevaucheuy. But he refused. He
was not hungry. Nevertheless he let
her fill him a Task of brandy, and put
ting on a pair of my fathers shoes he
started, blessing my mother and lean
ing on my fathers arm to take the first
step.
Three or four years after this we
used often to talk of that evening when
the soldier had come into our house
bleeding and weary. What had be-
come of him. What had been the end
of that romance of love so strangely
begun?
One day my father had to 90 to
Mezieres on business. He took me
with him. At Mezieres he wished to
enter the first barber shop that he saw
to get shaved. On the doorstep a little
child was sitting with its legs apart and
smiling at the sun.
"Will you allow me to pass?' asked
my father. laughing.
"No!I WON'T" replied the child with
. little lisp
At that moment the door opened and
a man in his shirt-sleeves appeared-the
father-and took the child up in his
arms, saying:
pierre! Pierre! do you want to
drive away the customers?'
i recognized the voice and so did nv
father. We looked at the barber. The
barber looked at us. 1t was Jean
Chevaucheux!
He laid the child down at once and
held out his hand. His face was all red
and beaming with pleasure.
"What, is it your All! and
to think that l have never written to
you! Ali You don't know.
1t is l who married her-I
arrived first"
And rushing into the back shop:
"Marguerite! Marguerite!' he cried,
come. GOMEZ"
He was wild with joy. A young
woman appeared, blonde, pretty. blue
eyed. with a pensiye and gentle air, a
little sad.
"You do not know?' said Chevau-
cheux to her. 1T was this gentleman
who took rare of me so well at Rethel
the night before l arrived at Your IA