The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-08-17

Il
You have one Of our officers lying here
/ wounded said the German in French. Il
wish to see him"
Certainly, monsieur" answered HUI
! belt. viii you be good enough to enter?
And viii you please 20 step softly, as my
! poor young mistress is very lll?"
He is alive, of course?" muttered the
officer, hating on the threshold.
Yes, monsieur.
On receiving this reply the officer beck
oned and another German, also in uniform,
leaped from the saddle and ran up to his
side.
Yes, he is here Come with me, Borg
feldt; you may be wanted. ;"
With obseGuious timidity Hubert led
the way up-st airs into the sick mans room.
He was lying in bed, propped up with pill
lows, and readings book. One glance at
the book showed its religious character.
1t was the Douay edition of the New
Testament.
Hartmann, old fellowl" cried the Off
| Ger, with outstretched hands, this is,
indeed, fortunate. We had given you up
for dead.
Hartmann smiled sadly, returning the
kindly pressure.
"Godha been good to me, as you see,
he replied. Il survive, while better men
that your"
What was it," asked Borgfeldt, who
was tall, clean-shaven man in specta
cles. a bullet wound?"
Hartmann pointed to his heart, and the
German doctor, STOPPING down, made
| hastv examination.
1T was an ugly wound" he muttured;
"the ball lodged close to the pleura, only
just missing the left lung. Who ex-
tracted it?"
a clever French doctor All no is
here. Let me introduce him-Dr. Huet.
Huet, who had entered the room, bowed
stiffly.
How is mademoiselle, your patient?"
asked Hartmann, eagerly. Better, | pray
| God?"
"Better-and worse" replied Huet,
coldly. The fever is leaving her, but
| from time to time are signs that she is be-
| ginning to remember. l dread the COM
plete return of her faculties, for then"
Yes, yes; l understand" cried Hart
manu-. Would to Heaven that L could
comfort her! but, alas! it is too late for
that May God forgive mel"
The other two Germans Stoned IN no
| little surprise to this conversation, which,
of course, they were at n loss to under
stand. Then the officer broke in
you? You seem in snug quarters here, so
| that it is unnecessary to think of removing
you. | SUPPOSE
Pardon me, interrupted Huet, the
sooner he is removed from this house the
better"
Quite right, said Hartmann, sadly. Il
have no right here, where my very pres
ence is an outrage Take me away as soon
| as possible
Without asking any further questions
the officer promised to send an ambulance
cart that very afternoon, and in the mean
time to tell off a couple of soldiers to keep
! guard over the patient and attend to his
! wants.
In the afternoon the ambulance arrived
and Hartmann was assisted down. 1t was
an open vehicle with n canvas awning,
III lely eNtemporiZed for the purpose and
| strawn thickly with straw, ON which the
! invalid was able to lie almost at full
| length. Lying thus, with his head propped
/ up by pillows, he could see the wintry
! scene around-the trees laden with snow
/ the drift upon the ground, the gray, still
| heaven above the woods.
! Huet stood on the steps of the chateau
| watching his departure. Hartmann beck
/ oned to him.
Monsieur, he said, Il am going away
/ with heavy heart. All my thought and
/ care row is for Mile. de Gavroles
/ Should she ever speak of me-should she
| ever bear to think of one so uuworthy-
| tell her that | shall never forget her. never
| cease to pray for her and to bless her.
! May God comfort her, MONSIEUR, and
watch over her, now and revert"
| Huet made no reply. The cart moved
! slowly away, driven by a soldier in I'M
/ dress, and with mounted soldier in mi
I at Ha
! bleak avenue, through the wintry woods,
went the little procession. Here and
! there the snow was so deep that progress
/ was difficult, and 1t was necessary for the
] soldiers to alight and free the wheels
! Hartmann lay looking on the desolate
| scene, his heart full of a kindred desola-
ton. His thoughts were wandering back
ward to the sick-room where the mar
] tyred girl was lying.
They had travelled some distance
I through the woods, and could see the
open country close at hand, when the
/ driver came to a full stop. Blocking the
narrow road was a travelling carriage. one
/ of the wheels of which had loosened and
was lying deeply imbedded in the snow.
4 The driver was on foot, now examining
The carriage, now gesticulating wildly to
! the soldiers rs they approached
Seated III the carriage, with his face
turned away from Hartmann. was n tall
gentlemen in military undress, CARRYING
his arm IN n sling.
With angry ordinations in their native
tongue, the German soldiers rode up to
the driver and seemed commanding him
to clear the way. He answered them with
| a vollev IN French, not word of which
they understood and pointed to the wheel.
What Is the matter" asked Hartmann
! addressing the driver of his own vehicle
An accident, Herr Captain" replied
! the man, saluting The carriage has
broken down.
At this moment the strange gentleman,
| leaning on a stick or crutch, alighted from
the carriage. The light fell upon his pale
| face and e-cropped hair.
Hartmann started and raised himself
upon his pillow. Something in the face
seemed familiar. He looked and looked
| again. Saints of heaven, could it be pos
| slble: Trembling violently, he called to
/ the driver of the ambulance:
Quick! so to that gentleman! Demand
! his name and whittier he is going!"
The man leaped down, and. joining the
! group at the side of the carriage, addressed
/ the stranger. Then he came back to.
| Hartmann, and said, saluting:
His name, Herr Captain, is the Chev-
4 aller de Gavrolles, and he is returning in
I Nailded 10 MS nome yonder at the cha
/ teau"
/ Had an angel from heaven alighted
| upon his path, bringing some happy mes
/ sage from another world. Hartmann could
/ not have felt a wilder rapture or a more
/ wondering awe. A cry broke from his
/ lips; his eyes swan with sudden Tears
! Oh, the goodness of God, the great mercy
/ and marvel of His ways, The world
I frightened as if with morning sunshine.
+ Eat and heaven seemed rad ant with
! some holy light.
Ask him to come this way Entreat
[ him. must speak to him. Quick, for
/ Heavens sake.
u he man obeyed ard again walked over
\ to the carriage, where the coachman. as
! sisted by the soldiers. was busy attempt
/ ing 10 mend the wheel. Then. after a
minute, the gentleman, leaning on his
I cruteh and partly supported by the soldier
4 In dress. made his way laborioasIy to
3 the side OF the ambulance
Hartmann leaned over with treu1 bIipu