Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-06

had to fly, but Lucicn, who was strong. sc;zed Roger and laid him across his horse. and spurring the poor creature followed his comrades with his burden.
 An hour later Roger regained conscious ness and mounted his own horse, which had followed the rest in their flight. Roger was somber and shamed and his brows drawn as he said:
 aI owe you my life. God is my witness that stand ready to do for you as much and moro"
 Lucien smiled and reached out his hand: sI know you are, Roger. Let us say no more about it. This is common to warfare.n
 Roger spoke no more, but grew more and more somber and melancholy, but his friend ship for Lucien grew deeper and greater. The 1st of September came. The battle of Sedan commenced with dawn Roger and Lucien were in tho heat of it, when an obus burst, crushing both Lacien's legs Witness to this dreadful wound Rogen with his troops were obliged to leave the battlefield with the other refugees, almost wild with grief and horror, and having before his eyes the specter of his dead friend.
 and fell asleep from fatigue and slept until evening fell, when he awoke and thought of Lucic,. ''Poor friend!" said he "He died doing is.duty; I must do mine. will find him and bury him there, where he fell" He went out of the city, though broken with hunger and weariness, and with stick for support took his way back to the battlefield. After a long search he found him lying upon the ground with both legs crushed. But Lucien's heart still beat faintly in spite of his horrible wounds. Then Roger had a hope If it were only possible to save himl He heard voices and called loudly, and in French he received his answer, and soon some of the 'Red Gross" society with a stretcher came. When he showed them Lucien they said:
 .He is dying. It is useless to move him. But he is not dead"
 "We cannot save him. No one could; and there are hundreds of others who are wounded needing us now"
 But Roger supplicated them, and at last they placed Lucien on the stretcher and took l him to the surgeons, who looked at him and said:
 .,Itis useless to spend our time with him, while we might save others. He has but Q 1 few minutes to live"
 Desperate, Roger took his way to surgeon who lived in the city, and by dint of prayers gained permission to bring Lucien to his house, and though he also considered the case l utterly hopeless, promised to do all he could 1 in the forlorn hope of saving the wounded i man. Roger gave the doctor his own and 1 Lucien,s address and what money he had, | and left. The next morning he was a prisoner 1 and was taken to Coblentz, where he was kept for two months, when he escaped. He wrote to the doctor, but got no answer. l and he tried to get into Paris to sec his wife and child, but uselessly, so he joined the army l which was fighting at Loire. Again he was taken prisoner, and again escaped. After | I. . A., his wife and child well, though mourning him for dead. At once he telegraphed to Sedan l to Dr. Champeaux, who answered: "Noir- 1 vile out of danger; amputated both legs; ] shall accompany him to Paris in Q " days" Soon after this he received Q letter from Lucien ssDear friend" it ran, 1T never hopea to seo you again. am at Rue de Rome, but too weaK yet to venture out Coms, | want to zee you more than can say. Your more than brother, LUcIEN." To go to Lucien was to see Julia again, to place himself between her and that poor man, l that man to whom he was bound by the ties of common danger and comraaeship, whom beloved with love passing that of women, and who was now chained down forever to his chair. What should he doa How escapel After . long struggle with himself he de .cided to go. II will zee Julia, i" said he, "and have an explanation. She will understand that there must be nothing moro between us, not even smile, . look, Q clasp of the hand. Wrong as we were before, now it would be a million fold more horrible"
 So he went to see Lucien. Noirville was in his room, and it was Julia who came to meet him. She sprung forward, her hands ex- tended. Almost a year had passed since she had seen him. Her beauty was even greater, l kI,o,, ov,l l imperious. But she loved Roger, and she grew soft and womanly in his presence. Roger bowed in respectful silence, not oven offering his hand.
 Roger! Rogeri" she said. "How much l have thought of you. How much have suffered"
 She hechecked herself suddenly at the expres- sion of unutterable horror depicted on his face. Then he spoke:
 "Julia, we must bury the past, and may God 1 pardon us am tho friend, the brother of Lucien. Do you understandp
 And while she shrunk back suppressing her hearts cry for its breaking agony, he went in l to Lucien. He was lying on n lounge, pale, l thin, unrecoguizabe and almost without l breath. His beard had grown. Two wooden 1 legs had been adapted to his maimed limbs. When he saw Roger his face lighted up. and l his eyes filled with tears, and the men em. braced with full hearts.
 In what state you find me, Roger" said l Lucien, showing his wooden legs. "Dr. Champeaux told me all, and without you should not be here to-day, but after all what poor service it was" He sighed heavily then said: "But am very ungrateful If had died what would have become of Julia and my children3 Alive, even if cannot plead longer, can at least have an office fol consultation, and thus assure them theil
 bread"
 When Roger, seeing how weak he was
 wished to retire, Lucien opposed and bade ( servant call his wife, and she came. aHerc is Roger Lnroque, whom we have me
 as friends before the war. I saved his life
 he saved mine love him like brother
 Our families from henceforth, hope, will bt
 but one" Julia bowed without answering
 When Roger left she accompanied him, ane
 at tho moment he was about to open the outel door she seized his arm with on iron grasp.
 aSo," she said, "you have not one word fol Ime?"
 He pointed silently toward the room wher,
 Lncien lay, then said:
 "In the name of pity, if not love for him
 hush."
 But Julia seemed insane Her anger grew
 beyond bounds.
 aItis finished between us, then; all ended
 forever!"