St. Paul daily globe., 1888-08-20

OF the guard. man OF his own squad
ron, made the tour of the barracks
without dismounting, threw glance
into the stables, directed the officer of
the day to remit some punishmentS that
he had inflicted the evening before,
passed to the gate, leaped it and turned
and swept the building with a gaze of
adieu.
Only then did his heart sink, and,
fearing the trouble that invaded him. he
put his mare to the trot. seeking to fly
his weakness. He had resumed the
way to the forest: before long he was in
the woods. Rays of sunlight filtered
throughout the leaves, designing the
shadows of the trees and branches upon
the brownish earth. Drops of the
nights rain still pearled upon the
grasses.
Capt. Random brought his horse to
walk. '.There is plenty of time,' he
thought, and allowed himself to go
dreaming idly, soothed by the freshness
OF the morning breeze.
In the meantime he had passed into
wide sandy alley-''the training alley"
as he remembered. of the barracks
he had travelled two kilometers at
jump. He dropped the reins
upon Nihiche'S neck. and. the head
and shoulders of the mare balanced to
the right and balanced to the left with
the regularity of pendulum. Ran
don was absolutely cOntent-content
with the pride of a resolution well and
firmly taken. He was happy even to
find himself calm and
PROUD OF HIS BRAVERY.
At the end Of the alley he traversed
ide clearing, and a hundred metres
further stopped. Behind tall hedge
near by, a stones throw from the high
way, not more, the line of the railway
ran; the descent that led il was perpen-
dicular. and covered with pebbles and
jagged points of stone. Pale as corpse.
Random observed it, strange emotion
holding him. his legs weakening be-
meath him. He made a half turn-threw
his animal upon her launches and adj
vanced agaln-but at walk. There was
plenty of time.
Niniche was afraid of a tree that had
fallen across her route. and plunged
violently. A little more and Random
had been dismounted. 1t was painful
surprise to him.
''Chut.'' he cried. s'What is the mat
ter with me? Can | ride no more?"
And, afraid of being afraid, he stiffened
| himself anew and began to pet
and soothe her-less to calm his animal,
perhaps, than to reassure himself.
Gently, ma ME, gently; no precipi-
tation. Easy, my girl, easy. Thou
shalt have thy gallop by-and-by."
Again he stopped and made a half
turn; again hesitated; for the desire to
wheel. the desire to fly and turn no
more, had come upon him strongly; but
only for all instant. Then quickly-un-
willing to allow himselfa a moment to re-
fleet nome mt to regret-he rose in his
StirrupS, bent his body forward, and
the race began!
The wind cut his face. tears wet his
eyelaSheS; but still he went with dizzy
ing rapidity: the trunks of the trees
passing him like specters. Nothing was
clear or distinct-nothing but a vague,
confused impression that it was his life
thus flying from him in fragments.
But still he went, and now it was the
noise of a horse that he believed he
heard pursuing him. He turned in the
saddle-nothing-the noise was nothing
but the noise of the pebbles that
Niniche's flying feet cast behind her
But this idea that a horse pursued him
pleased his fancy, set it going. and i'm
mediately he imagined himself upon.
the track" and making the last grand
round He hurried the pace of his mount,
The circuit of the clearing had twice
been passed; the gait was frightful, but
HtuSo WAS DCiOle HlHl-DenlllQ I'll e
hedge-he OWNED it without seeing it
sides! Then he felt himself at the end
of his breath-the air he swallowed
came from his painting lungs in shrill
/ Whistlings!
In the tWinkling of an eye he had a
vision, dim realization of that which
was to be his death-a fall into space =
a complete failure of respiration.
A CRUSHING BLOW UPON THE HEAD!
| The idea Of stopping his mare crossed
his mindi he bore the relns-too late!
| Already he was upon the edgel He
| closed his eyeS-he abandoned himself,
but, instinctively loOsening the reins
and locking his legs. according to his
habit when leaping obstacles.
He had half-consciOusness of the
moment when Niniche rose in the air
| he experienced sense Of relief-it was
fnishedl
He forced himself neither to hear. to
| see nor to breathe, but he bent his spine
as one who awaits a volley of blows
from a cudgel! He fell, he bounded, he
rolled! How long it was, that bounding
and rolling; and theu-that dull noise
of shock upon hard ground that he
heard distinctly!
81 am swooning." he thought. 81
am" cruel pain in his head recalled
him. Had he broken it? Had he
but Immediately there was a second
shock that shook him from head to foot
"a sensation of rending and tearing
throughout his body. He remembered
that he had fallen upon the railroad
undoubtedly train had passed
| A TRAIN THAT HAD CUT HIM IN TWO !
All his ideas were clOuded-a mist be-
fore his eyeS-but he was peaceful and
comfortable. very comfortable - he
wished to remain thus always-always
he knew no more!
Meanwhile he had come to himself
again. About him was a whispering of
voices, as about coffin.
sit is the interment-I am dead
nOw!' he thought. and the conclusion
gave him pleasure.
Suddenly he felt himself lifted-a
frightful pulling rent his vitals-atro-
cious agonies harassed him, tore and
racked him.
He strove to cry out-"My-," the
words strangled in his throat.
For the second time he knew no more
he was dead!!