The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-02-11
CHAPTER II.
WHAT DETAINED JEAN RsyAu

The skirmish Of the morning had been
fought between detachment of French.
who were hastily constructing redoubts
near the village Of Anton, and party of
Dutch sent to dislodge them. The French
had held their ground until strongly REIN
forced, when the enemy retired. II hap.
pened that the regiment to which Jean
Renaud belonged was the one detailed TO
cover the men at work on the redoubts,
and it suffered severely during the short
but impetuous onslaught. Jean saw his
comrades fall around him in numbers,
and. the firing over, he led the way to
their succor. 1t was sad and weary Ia.
Dor, for the ground was very uneven, and
several companies had been stationed in a
deep ravine, where the search was ueces.
sarily slow and difficult. Anxious, and
dissatisfied with the search, he started
alone on final survey Of the ravine, in
that portion where the reiuforcements
had met the enemy's fire. Jean was noted
for just such rapidly conceived ideas, and,
like other progressive people, was geuer.
ally left to carry them out alone. OF
course, he never shared any blame that
might accrue, but, at tue same time, he
often won all the credit Of noble deed.
Now, as he sprang from stone to stone
in the rocky descent, his quick gray eyes
daiting rapid glances beneath the clumps
of under brush, he was thinking OF the
nearness of his own home, and the
possibility Of hazarding visit to his wife
and child. 1t would be dangerous ex.
pertinent to leave his regiment in the face
Of the enemy, even for the few hours that
the quick walk would require. Men had
been shot as deserters for less offence.
then, again, Madeleine did not dream OF
bis presence at Anton, and would not
miss his society. Why take the riski
Still, everything pointed to terrible con
hct on the morrow, If he did not see
Madeleine before dawn, it was possible
that he would never see her again. Death,
that had so often spared him, might claim
him now. At nght-fall he could easily
leave camp, and ly cutting across tue
well known fields, where all his boysh
days had been spent, he could reach his
cottage in an hour. The more he dwelt
on the subject the more he hungered for
sight of his wife and child, He pictured
their establishment at his appearance,
tLqir Joy at his presence with them, their
anxiety for his safety on the morrow.
That reflection almost put an end to his
intention of going home. For some time
he balanced his longing to see his wife
with the needless agony she must suffer,
fearing for his safety in the coming fight.
Yet. if he did not see her tonight, how
could he meet the morrow's chances with
a brave hearti Her love and prayers
would inspire and shield him, as he faith
fully believed they had in previous bat.
ties. See her he must and would!
How often in the fearful future did he
recall this mental argument, going over
and over the moral conflict which II in
volved! Had he but chung to his duty as
a soldier. trusting the hopes OF again see
ing his wife and little one to the God OF
Battles, how different would have been
his futurel Years OF misery in exchange
for one short hour OF bliss!
Jean Renaud was turning back In the
direction Of the redoubt, when fatal
moan reached his quick ear. Proceeding
in the direction whence IL came, he soon
perceived man lying, face downwards,
on the bare rocks. He wore the dress OF
an officer in the Swiss Guards. Jean was
quickly at his side, and having raised
him in his strong arms, he placed him in
more comfortable position, unbuttoned
his coat, and tried to staunch the blood
which flowed from wound in his side.
The stranger was man Of thirty or thir-
ty-hve years, tall, slight, and richly
dressed. His hair, where the powder was
brushed of, was black, as were his eye
brows and the long lashes lying on his
pallid cheeks,
ut is useless, my friend" he gasped,
after some seconds, during which jean
saw that the hurt was a mortal one. "You
bad better seek safety. am past being
hurt"
~ am In no danger" said Jean, kindlyI
"perhaps can serve you in some way; to
move you again wonld only DO 70 hasten
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