Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-09-12
LINK BY LINK.
A THRILLING STORY OF THE
FRANC0-PRUssIAN WAR.
BY MAURICE LEGRAND.


His enemy looked on him as he lay
crouched there in the abandonment
and forgetfulness of that moment,
"1 GU believe me now" he said
There was no answer. The man
did not even hear him. He came
nearer, and laid his hand on his shout
der and shook him with savage force.
do you hear?" he asked. If you
believe in her, confess where she is
hidden. Have You held communion
ton with her? Sayp"
Pierre looked up. His face still
radiant with that wonderful knowl-
edge, his eyes glowing with the lnten-
sity OF a love that had never died. and
now seemed but TO have gathered
fresh force from its many sufferings,
It's long denial. Il will say nothing"
he answered, calmly. Her very name
is polluted by its passage through your
lips!'
Won Brandstein threw himself on
the foe who thus dared 10 brave him,
and with his hand at his throat he
shook him to and fro till the breath
came in spasmodic gasps from his
lungs. and his weaken frame lay like
log whore he had thrown it. In the
struggle paper fell from the mans
bosom. The eagle eyes of his adver-
sary caught sight OF it, he sprung for
ward, raised it from the ground, and
began TO peruse its contents.
$50" he shouted, triumphantly. Il
have caught you at last, my fine SOL
der! My sanity martyr! A plot, in
deed-and as l live-heavens, it is her
writing!"
"Hers!'
These words brought back life and
strength 10 the stunned and weakened
frame. With one bound he staggered
to his feet, and hurled himself upon
his powerful foe.
All was forgotten now. The long
endurance, the gentle patience, the in
exorable self-control of the past weeks.
All he remembered were the wrongs
dealt 10 him and to her-the insult
that had struck him down-the reve-
lation OF her efforts to save and rescue
him, while he had been thinking of
her all that was vile, scandalous and
unjust! How plainly he saw it all
swift as lightning flash. This un-
known friend-this patient watcher
over his welfare-who could it have
been but the woman who loved
him so well, and of whom he
had been so quick to believe
i'll! These thoughts nerved him with
the strength OF esperation-almosto of
hatred.
Keeling, swaying, struggling breast
to breast, so they strove, utterly-re-
lentlessly. But the enfcebled frame
OF the French soldier was no match for
the ferocious strength of his antagonist.
A moment. and there was crash--a
heavier fall that echoed afar. and
brought the soldiers from the garrison
and courtyard in a tumultuous mass.
They saw the powerful frame of the |
Prussian officer trembling with tenn
pest OF passion-his foot on the fallen |
body OF the man he had injured and
tortured so long, and on his face the |
lust OF ferocious hatred "a blood |
thirsty-longing, terrible as the shadow
OF premeditated crime.
"Take him awayw he cried to the
men, land put him in irons for the
night. He has concoted plot to es-
cape, and struck a superior officer. lie
will learn his fate soon enough!"
And with heavy hearts and a great
compassion for one who they knew had
at last been tried beyond his strength,
they bore him away to his solitary
cell!