Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-29
CHAPTER II.

hhufe bouianger had graduated from the
military academy in the same class with Guillot
and been assigned to the same regiment, and
no hand grasped Armand's with more cordi-
AMY than did his upon the return of his class
mate from the old town Of Yvetot.
Boulanger was u genuine Partisan as ready
ior a duei as drinking bOut-a handsome fell
low, with large dark eyes. curly brown hair and
small. regular teeth as white az a dogs. It was
not TO De wondered at that women turned soft
giances upon this handsome face; but Boulan-
gers admiration YVES for the sex in general.
Life Is too short to devote ones self TO one
woman, was one of his favorite shibboIeths
As every fiber of his frame was attuned TO br:.-
very, the news that his regimen. had been or
dered to Tonquin wes extremely pleasing tn
him, and almost the first word he uttered after
enclrelinS GuillOt in vigorous embrace was:
"Ah, but Armand, my boy, isn't this superb?
To think that in less than sixty DAYS we are to
smell gunpowder on Il real battle field. Ha, ha,
ma, 1t almost too good to be true. But hearken,
eomrade, do yoa know what I'm going to do?
Every celestial 1 kill I'm going to cut off his
cue and take home the collection for braids for
my sweethearts in Paris. Ha, ha, har'
Gulllot made a wry face.
why. mon Dieu, Guillot. what's the matter?''
inquired Andre. You look so changed: you're
not the same jolly fellow you used to be- Look
you. L ii wager 10 francs to a wisp of straw that
youv fallen in love with some country beauty"
There can be no wager on a certainty" re-
pied Gullot, quietly. You've struck it. An
DIRE. L have fallen in love; nav more I'm en-
gagged to be married to one Of the sweetest wo-
men that ever drew breath--an angel, q perfect
angel"
.'Oh, BAH" cried Lieutenant Boulanser.
that's enough for me! When a man is so
solemn earnest he has my sympathy"
Armand laughed heartily at his friends rail-
lery.
'.Ah. but wait till you see my Madeleine" he
exclaimed.
but has she money!" asked Boulanger, with
an air Of impotence.
"Yes, her father is said to be wealthy " re
piled Armand.
Good; that reconciles me to your blunder.
for, my dear boy" cried the other, marriage
Is blunder unless woman has money, and
even then it Is only excusable on the pround of
dire necessity but trust YOU gave her your
photograph, for ten chances to one she II never
see you again, as am told these celestials are
good marksmen even if their eyes are set
crooked in their heads"
Many were the long hours which Guillot
whlied by tales Of Madeleine's goodness and
loneliness. Boulan9er ended by becoming 40
much interested in this Norman maiden that
ne found himself encouraging his comrade to
discourse upon her many virtues
Lons before they had reached Tonauin Andre
Boulanger came to know the road from Yyetot
to Bosc-Mesnil almost as we'll as If he had trosi.
den 1t as often as Armand had The uncom-
promising Partisan was quite persuaded at last
that there might be other parts of the world
besides the French capital to which one might
under certain peculiar circumstances become
really attached, and he secretly resolved that II
| the celestials failed to make q cold corpse of
him he would upon his return to France try the
| effect OF those charms which Armand insisted
were inherent in Towering hedges. dark green
meadow Land, fields Of golden grain and long
| stretches OF pasturage. with groups of soft.
eyed cattle browsing on the tender herbaoe or
| Illuminating under the clumps of trees which
dotted these fields, all Of which were go yiyi,IIv
| described by Armand as making ND the deli.
cious landscape lying between Yvetot and Bose
| Mesnil.
Above all had the frivolous Parisian been
| touched by his comrades description Of GER
/ tain pond near the spacious farm buildinos
which the moon silvered like huge shield OF
Achilles the night he parted with the fai,
/ maiden of Bose Mesnil and how beneath tbat
glorious armament the lovers had stood, with
| wide borders Of flowers between them and the
| water. and exchanged VOWS that only death
| could possibly release them from
There was one thing which Guillot, unlike
bouianger; had firmly resolved to do upon
reaching Tonquin, and that was TO do his duty
and no more. No fighting for the mere fun @,
! II, no taking of risks, no rushing upon the
| enemy with reckless impetuosity with an ides
OF winning decoration or Of dying in the at
tempt.
MY life belongs to my darling Madeleine. 1" h
would murmur to himself, land intend b
| take good care of it for her.
/ Not so the hot-headed and reckless Boulanger
Nothing seemed to afford him more pleasure
| than to be reused at midnight to take com.
mand Of skirmishes or lead detachment "a
repulse an attack on the outposts. No sooner
had the dashing Partisan come OF unhurt from
one affair than he was ready for another
Warnings, even reprimands. had no effect upon
him. In one Of these engagements the cry
| went up that Lieut.. Bonlanger had been can.
tured. This meant death by horrible torture.
At sight OF his comrade in the hands Of the
enemy and dragged senseless and bleeding over
rocks and across arroyos, even thoughts OF
Madeleine were not powerful enough TO 70
strain Guillot from making desperate attemp,
| to save his friend.
| Calling upon those Of his men Who were win.
ing to make up a foriorn hope to follow him
Guiiiot dashed of in pursuit Of the band. Hi
| vehemence infected his men and they fell upou
the celestials with fury that astounded them
After hard fight, but not until Guillot had
D been severely wounded. vas the rescue accom-