The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-05-29
FABLE THE FIFTH.-cosrrsur


He had long felt as II walking. not
merely in his sleep, but in one of those
familiar Nightmares wherein the legs
feel ike dragging lead and vet have to
90 on and on and on. against time and
need, with the minutes flying away fast
before and vague pursuit behind. But
the lights put new life into him. They
meant at the very worst, a heel of hard
goats cheese and litter of straw. A
little ravine broke the plain and led
towards the twinkle. He did not re-
member the path. but his mind was in
= daze. No doubt he would know it
well enough by day. At last
"Q,si ia ld?''
He started. and rubbed his eyes. That
was not quite the way they challenged
In Portuguese.
Friend, said he. s.Lusitanian Le-
gion. Bringing in wounded
as Halte-lIr'
But by the light of lantern he soon
=eaw what the language would have told
less sleepy ears. The ears woke up
now. and the ewes. too. He looked
round him-still bewildered. though az
wide awake as a weary man could be
'HEscalona?" he asked.
HE thinks he is in Escalonar' said
the man with the lantern, holding il
into his eyes. Then, from the hut that
served for a guard room. came out an
officer, with Frenchman written all over
him. who looked at the swaying soldier
on the horse and then from him to the
Portuguese soldier on foot. as If he were
put out by such combination of things.
Dick ssluted, hand to cap. I'M
afraid I've made slight mistake" said
he, in his native tongue I've brought
this comrade of mine, dead or alive, out
of the fight; I'm of the Lusitanian
Legion at Escalona. and thought this
was Escalona: but I'm hanged if think
so now, unless you French have cared
TO carry that beggarly hole. / suppose
I'm prisoner? All right. But sup
pose you've got a surgeon for my COM
rade here?n
They only stared. Then the officer
gave an order, in which Dick could
make out a word that seemed to mean
Interpreter" And he must have been
right; for after some quarter of an
hour, with the English soldiers head
reclining on his shoulder. 4 woman.
dressed Spanish fashion, appeared, and
talked with the officer some five min
utes more. Then the lantern was again
thrust into his ewes, so that he could
hardly see for blinking.
Sir said she. in English that star
lied him, the Lieutenant here desires
me to interpret your story for him.
What shall | say"
Madam kraSinskai Madam kras-
inska, by all that's"
..Husll We have no names here, if
You please. Remember two things,
and we shall get on very we'll One
none here knows English; not one
word. Two. say what you like TO me.
and / shall turn it into any sort of
French / please. Only, do not lie to
me. 1t Is who shall find the lies"
The Ees-I should think you will!''
She spoke to the Lieutenant, as if in
terpreting; and afterwards, whenever
the prisoner spoke-no doubt quite IS
faithfully a. sh, pleased.
"You were more gallant on Wednes-
day" said she but it is all equal,
/ quite comprehend you will never be-
ziCfC III a ACAt
time
Him! Is this Escalona?'
.Escalonai No; this is Santa OlaQa,
do you not know? Have you not then
taken nv counsel and come"
'.As a spy? So that's what you
think. Good God. to be taken all in
-one night by Spanish she-wolf for \
-corpse-robber and by spy for a spy!'
Then" asked she, sharply. what
brings you here?"
My legs; / know not what else, !"
said he.
But you must have crossed the
river. How could you think Escalona
to be on this side?"
i crossed no river"
81 said-no lies to me-"
s.Lies?''
pardon. sir, know you tell no lies.
IF you did / should know. Besides l
see You must have crossed the river
Tby the pontoon: taking it in the dark
for the track. That was not clever. sir.
But what is to be done?"
"Get 3 surgeon for this man. He was
=alive-some hours ago"
".Ah-your comrade- And he was a
handsome comrade, too" said she.
taking the lantern and holding it up to
the dead or diving man. ..An English
sergeant All, well. He will fight no
more"
He is dead, them"
..Alas, yes. You need hold him up
no longer: Lift him down"
Dick could not help sigh True.
the dead man was no more to him than
the hundreds upon hundreds of brave
fellows, English and French, who had
died thai day. But he had made him
his own, in a fashion, and he would
have given his whole wealth, which was
;sixpence. to have brought him ia alive.
The English sergeant was lifted down,
roughly-for what was oSe man more
but not irreverently. and laid aside, as
dead and done for.
Now for the living" said madame.
"Mr. Backbone, YOU are great,
big, big fool, but 1 like you; it is nice
TO meet with great big fool. | fear l
have done you harm; but, in fine, war
Is war. Now you shall 60 free if you
viii tell ne which side has gained this
day; and, mind, what you say shall
believe
Il don't know. And if l did, should
no. tell" But those eyes and that
voice. with she smile in both. were
making more play with him than he
cared 10 own. '-CountesS-l mean
madam, YOU have done me more wrong
-thap-than a man who is not quite a
coward ought to bear. l ought to be