Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-04-08
VOL. LIV. NEW SERIES, VOL. NNVI

upnt me beotl. Naihch, ""in'''
walked, until had caught mp with fu
vioux and passed him.
AT night, too, l was well ahead. but
was worn ont. entered an inn to sieel
a little. slept all night. In the morn
ing | woke up. l saw that the day wa:
getting on [ was furious and called
some one.
.You have not seen soldier pass ol
foot?'
Yes. Monsiaur lie Mllitaire, very late
last night. He asked for glass ot Wa
ter
-.Ah | was outstriped IN my turn
started very huriedly. At 3 3o'clock in the
afternoon had not caught up to Puvioux
nor at G o'clock either. At night took
nv rest while ate, and started to wall
again. | walked 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
chair saw Pu,ious, pale rs death. lie
made a movement of displeasure when he
saw me. that was natural. We did moi
talk much. What could We say? W.
were both tired The great thing was te
know who should get M first in the morn
ing 1t was |.
The next morning was this morning.
Since this morning | have been walking,
taking a rest now and then, but only a
yery short one. We are very close.
Rethel is the last stage between Anglers
and Mezieres. know my map of France
now The last stage Coed heavens, il
have arrived too later'
"Aud Pierre PuviOux," asked my faith
er, ''has he caught you up?'
No." replied Chevaucheux, 81 am
ahead Ii / could start now | should be
saved.
Start? In this state Impossible I
Il know-my feet are swollen and cui
i and provided that to morrow
Tomorrow you will he rested. You
will be able to walk !"
"Do Won think So" with n look as ar.
dent MS lightning.
Il promise you? ?"
NV father then advised the soldier tc
60 to bed Chevaucheux did not refuse.
Tho bed was ready lie shock hnndf
with lis and went up 10 his room. II
WAS 10 O'Clock.
Il will wake you at 5 O'Clock, said my
father.
1t was not yet daylight Oh the follow
ing morning when my father, up already,
looked ont of the window Ia see how the
weather was. While he was at the win
dow he heard some heavy footsteps III the
yard below. and in the obscure twilight
that precedes daybrenk he perceived I
soldier walking i'll the direction of Mez-
eres.
"Up already 2" said my father.
The soldier stopped.
"Well," continued my father, ''are You
OFF,"
The soldier looked up and tried to make
out, who was speaking to him.
"You are Jean Chevaucheux, are You
not p asked my father.
"No," said tho soldier" | am Pierre
Puviouxr'
And ms if that name of Chcvaucheux
had been the prick of Il spur, hc resumed
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 leading to Me-
icres.
"Ah I" said my father to himself, ''Che-
vaucheux must ba sharp if he means to
catch up to tho MAN." And he went
straight to the room where jean had
slept. lie was already up and looking nj
his feet by the light of II candle.
'Victory r. he cried, when he saw my
father 81 feel fresh and strong, and |
suffer no more En- route =
"And quickly y replied my father.
'Puyioux has Just passed through i'c-
thel"
Pierre Puyioux?
81 have Just spoken 10 him. He passed
under our window, going along as if the
evil one were after him.
"Ah, mon Dieu y exclaimed Chevauch-
eux rs if he had been struck down. lie
repealed once more "Ah, mon Diem =
Then he buckled OH his knapsack and
cried After all, what you have told
me gives Inc courage. Let me be off,
In the room below, my mother, already
up, WAS filling wallet with provisions
for Chevaucheux. But he refused. He
was not hungry. Nevertheless he let her
fill him flask Of brandy, and putting on
pair of my fathers shoes he started,
blessing my mother and leaning OH my
fathers arm to take the first step.
| Three or four years after tins we heard
no news Of Chevaucheux. We used often
to talk of that evening when the soldier
had come into our house bleeding and
weary. What had become of him. What
had been the end of that romance Of love
so strangely begun?
One day my father had to 60 to Me-
ieres on business. He took me with him.
At Meziere he wished to enter the first
barber shop that he saw to get shaved.
On the doorstep little child WAS sitting
with its legs apart and smiling at the
sun.
.Will You allow me to pass" asked
my father, laughingly.
mo ] won't - replied the child with a
little lisp.
AT that moment the door opened and a
man in his shirt-sleeves appeared
father and took the child upin his arms,
saying:
pierre Pierre do You want to drive
away the customers :"
! recognized the voice and SO did my
father. We looked ut tho barber. The
barber looked at us. 1t WAS jean Che
vaucheuX
lie laid the child down at once and held
ont his hand. His face was all red and
beaming with pleasure
What. is it YOU? All = and
TO think that have never written you.
Ali ! you don't know.
II il who married her-l arrived first. y
And rushing into the back shop, Mar
guerltcl Marguerite !" ''Come come :!
lie WAS wild with Joy. A young ..wo-
man appeared. blonde, pretty, blue-eyed,
with n pensivc and gentle air, IL little sad.
"You do not know 2" said ChevauchenS
10 her at WAS this gentleman who tool
care of me ~ well at Hcthel the night
before | arrived at your fathers house.
| have ofton and often talkeo
Ia you about HIM. THIS ~ tho
gentleman.
Marguerite fixed her large calm eyes
upun us, sulutcd IA, and thanked us soft
"; then, as her husband continued t.
evoke the past, sho locked ut linn tender
ly with kok that supplicatcd and wai
not without ropruach. But jean cav
nothing.
"Ah ii is TO you That | owe my hap
pincss, monsieur my child, my little
boy, look ut him, my little Pirro i
wns my wife who wished that he slIoul,
have that nnmel Isn't he fine boy
and strongly built and my shop is goinf
"n iiret rate My wifel iadorol a,d nj
this owe to You -"
"Aud the othrr2" nskcd |, imprudcnt
ly.
"Thc other T. SAID dChevauchcux.
He curlcd his lower lip. did not so'
that Marguerite turned her head avn,
and answered.:
pierre Puvioux? Poor fellow IL
arrived second. and that very evening i
made me cry, | can't tell you that yer!
evening lac threw himself into the rlv
81"
Mrs Ilomospun threw down the pape
and pulled oil her spectnrlcs with avlciou
Jerk. "It's perfectly scand lous nh
exclaimed. For my part. ] cant \"
how any respectable woman could eve
wear such thing as that. When | VIA
"A gal We used 10 wear low neck AMI slor
sleeves but mercy and here 4 ic cas-
withering glance at the paper III her lnl
before ilinging it upon the floor. why
) what is the matter, aunt - asked Cicely
picking up the paper Matter matte