The Hickman courier., 1881-04-08

was worn out 1 entered an inn to
sleep little. / slept all night. In the
morning l woke up. / saw that the day
was getting on; was furious and called
some one.
0'You have not seen q soldier pass on
foot?"
yes, monsieur le nlilitaire, very
late last night. He asked for glass OF
water.
"Ahi I was outstripped in my turnl 1
started hurriedly. At three o'clock in
the afternoon 1 had not caught mp Pu-
vioux, nor at six o'clock either. At
night 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 l stopped. 1 knocked
at an inn. The door opened, and there
sitting in a chair saw Puvioux, pale as
death He make a movement of dis
pleasure when he saw me that was nat
ural We did not talk much What
could we say We were both tired.
The great thing was to know who should
get up first for the next morning. 1t
was l.
"The next morning was this morning.
Since this morning l have been walking,
taking rest now and then, but only a
very short one. We are getting close.
Rethel is the last stage between Anglers
and Mezieres. 1 know my map of
France now. The last stage! Great
heavens, if arrived too late"
"And Pierre Puvioux," asked nv
father. has he caught you up?"
"No, replied Chevaucheux, g I am
ahead. If 1 could start now, L should
be saved"
"Start ? In this state Impossible ="
q know-my feet are swollen and
cut-and provided that tomorrow"
"To-morrow YOU will he rested-you
will be able TO walk
- DO you think SO ?" said the soldier,
with look ardent as lightning.
"I promise YOU"
NV father then advised tho soldier to
60 to bed. Chevaucheux did not refuse.
The bed was ready. He shook hands
with us and went up to his room. 1t was
ten o'clock.
will wake you at five o'clock. said
my father
1t was not vet daylight on the follow
ing morning when my father, already
up. looked out of the window TO see how
the weather was While he was at the
window he heard some heavy footsteps
on the road below, and in the obscure
twilight that precedes dayhreak he per
ceived soldier who was walking in the
direction of Mczieres.
Up already?" said my father.
The soldier stopped.
"Well." continued my father, "are
you ofT?"
The soldier looked mp and tried to
Il. 20 L.
g You are Jean ChevaucheuX, are you
not? ?" asked my father
" No, said the soldier l am Pierre
Puviouxs"
And as if that name Of ChevaucheuS
had been the prick of spur, he 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
Mezieres.
"Ah !" said my father to himself.
" Chevaucheux must be sharp if he
means to catch up that man" And he
went straight to the room where Jean
had slept He was already mp and look
ing at his feet by the light of a candle.
Victory l" he cried, when he saw
my father q feel fresh and strong, and
I suffer no more. En- route ! ,"
And quickly" replied my father.
"Puviou1 has just passed through
Rethel"
Pierre Puvioux?"
Il have Just spoken to him. He
passed under our window going along
as if the devil were after him.
"Ah, mon Dieu - exclaimed Chevau-
cheux. as If he had been struck down.
He repeated once more: "Ahi mon
Dieu?" Then he buckled on his KNAPP
sack, and cried: "After all, what You
have told me gives me courage. Let me
be Off T."
In the room below, my mother, already
up, was filling a wallet with provisions
for ChevaucheuX. But he refused. He
was not hungry. Nevertheless he let
her fill him flask of brandy, and put
ting on pair of my fathers shoes he
started, blessing my mother and leaning
on my fathers arm to take the first
step.
Three or four years after this we had
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?
ers on business. He took me with him.
At Mezieres he wished to enter the first
BARRIERS shop that he saw to get shaved.
On the doorstep n little child was sit
ting with its legs apart, and smiling at
the sun.
'Will you allow me to pass?" asked
my father, laughing.
mo. 1 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:
''Pierrel Pierre! do you want to drive
away the customers?"
l recognized the voice, and so did my
father. We looked at the barber. The
barber looked at US. 1t was Jean Chew
aucheux!
He laid the child down at once and
held out his hand. His face was all
red and beaming with pleasure.
'What, is it you? All! and to think
that have never written to You. All
you don't know. 1t is I who married
her; arrived first. "
And rushing into the back shop: ''Mar-
guerite! Marqueritei he cried, Come,
come! /"
He was wild with Joy. A young wo-
man appeared, blonde, pretty, blue-eyed,
with pensive and gentle air, little
sad.
''You do not know" said Chevau-
cheux to her. '1t was this gentleman
who took care of me so well at Rethel
the night before arrived at yourfather's
house. I have often and often
talked to you about him. This
is the gentleman"
Marguerite fixed her large, calm eyes
upon, saluted us and thanked MS softly;
then, as her husband continued to evoke
the past, she looked at him tenderly
with look that supplcated and was
not without reproach. But Jean saw
nothing.
''Ahl it is to you that I owe all my
hnppiness mOnsieurl Nv child. my