Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-08-08
LINK BY LINK.
a THRILLING STORY OF THE
FRANO0-PRUSSIAN WAR.
CHAPTER XI.
BY MAURICE LEGEAND.


He triumphs in the midst of all his suffer
ings ADDISON.
1870 remain with the garrison, a
w strange fancy, truly. And you
such tire-eater, Colonel Won
Brandstein.
"You are doubtless surprised, Herr
General, but my health is not sufficient
ly restored to join the forces"
"Well, doubtless you know your
own affairs best, you must please
yourself.
"And you will urge my request in
the proper quarter!
''Assuredly. All the same, how
ever, think the best of the fighting is
over, and"
''And you have no desire to sit
quietly at the gates OF Paris until the
silly fools think fit to come out OF their
trap"
EXACTLY. His Majesty will be
back soon, now; that, in itself, proves
the campaign is over"
Your reasons for staying are ad-
mirable, Colonel. j have nothing
more 20 say
The above conversation was taking
place at Colonel Brandstein's military
quarters, the day succeeding his inter
view with Ninette.
The naughty Prussian officer had
been thoroughly fascinated by the
girls beauty and more by the piqu-
ancy OF her manner, and the scorn
with which she treated his advances
To will and to have had so long meant
one and the same thing for him, that
her GOODNESS and Indifference reused
in him an interest far deeper. deter
minaJion more fierce than any woman
yet had been capable OF inspiring. To
this interest was now added jealousy.
He WAS sure she loved this man-this
French prisoner whom the fortunes OF
war had delivered into his hands-so
sure OF 1t that he had been content to
remain idle in the city while tho fate
of his country still hung undecided in
the balance of events. So
sure of it, indeed, that his
eyes flashed, and his heart
grew furious at the thought. He
had fancied this girl would be an easy
conquest, and now an array OF difficult
ties faced him, all the more tantalizing
because of their strangeness and un-
familiarity.
@She shall be mine yet" he said to
himself, with stern and savage earnest
ness. And Leopold Won Brands Elm
had never thus resolved without &C
complishing his purpose.
To hi,,, IL a1 h,,t n MANA c,,,aa
ton of time. Sooner or later the
bough must bend or break-the fruit
be plucked or fall, according to its
own tendency, aces riding 10 its own
limits of patience.
She had allured, angered, incensed
him all in one, but he resolved none
the less to bear the sharpness of her
scopn, the good of her irony, the spur
of her GOODNESS, for tho sake OF that
allurement which was in itself so
sweet and by difficulties grew more
tempting. His eyes mad road the
hearts and natures of many women
they had never read one like this. To
be pure in an atmosphere of vice, con-
slant in the fire OF emptation-:hese
were indeed virtues he had never ex-
perienced, and which, though they
won his reluctant admiration, never
altered the determination of his heart.
And with thoughts like these burnin g
In his breast he went 10 the presenc Q
OF his rival.
$50! and that Is the fellow--a hand
some brute! BONNER, bring that SOL
der, Pierre Leroux, to me in the
guardroom." The soldier gave the
salute and departed or his errand,
while the colonel-his inspection OF
the prisoners over-sauntered away
from the barricI-yard, his face dark,
his eyes wrathful.
Ere long his commands were obeyed.
The man he had desired 10 see
stood before him calm, grave,
patient. On his face no sur
prise. in his eyes no question, though
the summons was unexpected. The
colonel glancsd at the list OF names
ia his hand, then at the figure before
him.
"Pierre LereSlxp" he questioned.
"1be same, monsieur" was the an
swer given in French.
al want a few words with you, said
the colonel, in the same language.
.sBohmer. you may 60" The man
obeyed and left them together.
Leopold Won Brandstein darted a
quick look at the face before him.
"You are not a trained soldierP" he
asked.
mo, monsieur"
"a recruit, supposed"
III joined of my own free will"
"What were your reasonsp"