Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-06-09

1uen tney AoarQ the voices ant
steps receding. and Casse Tete whis
pered:
"What did they say, my officer q
Gabriel told him in French, anC
the cuirdssier observed, dryly:
THAT remains to be seen. Wait
till night, and We'll show them
what two French cuirassiers can dc
in ticklish position.
They remained where they were
for some hours, watching the plain
below, and at last saw column oil
Infantry moving out from among
the fires, taking the road to the
south that ran through the camp.
The sun shone ON them as il went,
and they perceived that it was
made up of cuirassiers.
"That means a forward move
ment," thought Gabriel. "Cuiras-
siers are not sent out on picket duty
That army is about to move in full
I force"
lie watched the cleaning column
as it wound off to the south like a
serpent with shining scales, and
CaSse Tete uttered sigh.
whats the matter, Case Tete ?"
asked Lenoir.
"Ah, my officer" said the cuiras-
sier ssS'it is seeing those fellows be-
low. 1t remiuds me of the old
Deaths Heads. Shall we ever ride
in their squadrons again? All,
what fun 1t would be if we had
them here now, TO pitch into those
fellows down there. How we could
crack them over the head :"
Patience, Casse Tete," said our
hero, unable to prevent smiling,
"We shall have all the fighting we
want before we have done, or l
am much mistaken. Look, yOnder
goes a battery with the column. Do
you see the yellow guns ?"
Certainly, my officer. But what
are those wagons doing yonder ?"
"What wagons ?'
Casse Tete pointed to where they
could just see, over the tops OF the
bushes at the edge OF the mountain,
the white tilts of long line of wag-
ons crawling out.
They watched them in silence till
they had been defiling for half an
hour, and then Gabriel came to the
conclusion that the whole Russia
train must be in motion toward Oh
mutt.
He had no map with him but
he had studied the country before
hand, and he knew that the road
he saw must be the one toward
Olmutz.
"And beyond that" he thought,
sis Austerlitz. where she has gone.
| wonder il she is safe within the
convent walls, or if he has caught
her again. | shall have to kill that
man some day"
They remained hidden behind
and the chill November fog began
to creep up the side of the mountain,
and under its cover they stole down
into the plain below, without meet
ing soul.
They could see through the fog
the red glare of the biVOuac fires,
and made straight for the high
road.
Their long watch on the noun
tain side had shown them that the
camp was full of stragglers, wander
ing to and fro, and they both agreed
that boldness offered them the best
chance.
They were inside the pickets of a
great army, and as long as night hid
them, they could wander where
they would.
They had left their cuirasses be-
hind in the farm-wagon as too cum
brous; but their helmets We're still
As conspicuous as ever, so they kept
away from the fires and confined
themselves to following the high
way, where they met no one,
though train of wagons was passing
over it.
But the wagoners were sleepy and
sullen, and no one noticed the two
men in the mud, till Casse Tete sud
denly pulled his officers sleeve and
whispered f:
"Listen. Cavalry coming"
They passed to the roadside where
a clump OF trees loomed up and hid
at the foot of two of the |
trees, when the heavy, clanking
trot of cavalry was heard, and pres |
emily dense column of men went |
by at a jog, passing the train.
They could see the outlines OF
helmets against the fog, but the /
riders were shrOuded in long brown
cloaks, and only the peculiar clank |
of armor told that cuirassiers were |
passing again.
They waited under the trees for a |
good half-hour, and still the horse |
men kept on at u fast walk or a |
slow trot, till Gabriel estimated |
some three thousand men had PASS |
ed, when the rumble of artillery be- |
came audible, and the column was
closed, as had been that OF the after |
noon, by a battery of guns.
AS the last figure disappeared in
the fog, Gabriel said to Casse Tele:
snow, my comrade, is the time
for work. We must follow that
column, kill two men and take their
horses then make use of the night
to ride on. Dare you fOllOw?"
Casse Tete saluted.
"Where my officer goes l am al
ways ready to follow; but il my
officer will take advice, he will
stay under this tree for few min
utes more"
"Why?"
"Simply because there are strag-
glers in the rear still. These Rus
slams, | hear, are devils to drink
and-hark ~
"Click! clack! click clack
click clack !"
A horsemau was coming up
through the fog from the rear, after
the column, at a rapid trOt, and
presently he loomed up In sight, a
tall cuirassier on big horse, that
was snorting as if it had been going
rapidly.
He pulled up by the tree, catch
ing sight of the helmets, and called
)ut something in Russian that nei-
.her understood.
He spoke in jesting tone, and
walked his horse toward them,
holding out something in his hand.
AS neither answered, he came up
lose and they saw that he was
them bottle, while he
,eeled to and fro in his saddle, and
vas evidently drunk.
Mumbling something, Gabriel
leld out his hand for the bottle, and
It the same time got close to the
stirrup.
Suspecting nothing, the drunken
who was the soul of good
nature in his cups, took drink
,ut of his bottle and handed it to
iabriel.
In the same moment the French
nan seized his wrist and pulled
lim, while Cassee Tete, on the other
II. l. l. hn |