The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-02-28

Roger If you do not sarc me / an, lost
"What has happened"
She told him that which we know, and
tyhen she had finished he said
$50 you are i'm debt 100000 francs Very
WELL will give them to you, only the sum is
SO largo for me to spare that it will take me
fifteen days at the least to get it together.
Will your creditors wait until then!"
~ think so, when tell them they can have
it then. But at least tell me, will it injure
the prosperity of your business to spare this
sum! l will not accept it if it does"
"Be tranquil on that score"
"Besides, Roger, only accept it as loan
to repay. will be wiser hereafter. Since
have your love what else do 1 wants Is that
not enough to ill my life!"
She left the store first for fear of observa-
ton in so crowded place. Yet. with all her
precaution, man followed her home, and
when she had gone up stairs to her apart
ments he asked the porter who it was, and he
answered readily and unsuspiciously, "Mme.
de Noirvillc, the lawyers wife"
Fifteen days later Roger gave her the
money and she was saved.
Grave events took place in France at this
time War with Prussia was declared, and
one day Roger Laroque and Lucien, to their
great surprise, found themselves engaged il,
tho same regiment, the Sixth cavalry. When
Roger met Lucien his first movement was to
draw back, but Lucen held out his hand joy
fully as if glad to see him there.
The life in common, the dangers and diff
culties 3urmounted together, tho thousand
painful incidents of the campaign, valiantly
borne, brought them together in spite of
Roger, who felt his conscience prick him at
every kind word and every grasp of the hand
Lucien gave him.
Roger felt every day growing deeper in his
heart singular sense of need of repairing by
some heroic action tho wrong he had done
Lucicn, as far as it lay in human power, even
with his own blood. But Fate was infiexible
and favored Lucien alone, for one day IN a
reconnaissance Roger received spent ball on
tho head, which rendered him insensible.
Balls whistled around them, and as he fell
those who saw him thought him dead The
Dragons were approaching and the French
had to fly, but Lucien, who was strong
seized Roger and laid him across his horse
and squirting the poor creature followed hi:
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 wa:
somber and shamed and his brows drawn as
he said:
81 owe you my life. God is my witness
that stand ready to 90 for you as much and
more"
Lucen smiled and reached out his hand
81 know you are, Roger. Let us say no more
about it. This is common TO warfare"
Roger spoke no more, but grew more and
more somber end melancholy, but his friend
ship for Lucien grew deeper and greater
Tho LIST of September came. The battle oil
Sedan commenced VITA dawn. Roger and
Lucien were in the Leaf of it, when an obu:
burst, crushing both LIcien's legs Witness
to this dreadful wound Roger with his troops
were obliged to leave tho battlefield with the
other refugees, almost wild with grief and
horror and having before his eyes the spectel
of his dead friend.
Roger hid under tho ramparts of Sedan
and fell asleep from fatigue and slept unit
evening fell, when he awokc and thought OF
Lucien. 'Poor friend!" said he. ''He died
doing his duty; must do mine. will fine
him and bury him there, where he fell"
He went out Of the city, though broken will
hunger and WEAKNESS, and with stick fol-
support tool, his way back to the battlefield
After q long search he found him lying upor
the ground with both legs crushed. Blu,
Lucien's heart still beat family in spite of hi.
horrible wounds. Then Roger had a hope
II il were only possible to save himl HI
heard voices and called loudly, and il
French he received his answer, and soon som,
of the "Red Cross" society with a stretchel
came. When he showed them Lucien they
said
"He Is dying. 1t is useless to move him
"But he is not dead"
ave cannot save him. No one could
and there arc hundreds of others who al,
wounded needing us now"
But Roger duplicated them, and at las
they placed Lucien on the stretcher and tool
him to the surgeons, who looked at him and
said:
at Is useless to spend our time with him
while we might save others. He has but {
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 hi
house, and though he also considered the cas-
utterly hopeless, promised to do all he coult
In the forlorn hope of saving the wounded
man. Roger gave the doctor his own ant
Lucien's address and what money he had
and left. The next morning he was prisone
and was taken to Coblentz, where he wa
|. kept for two months, when he escaped.
| He wrote to the doctor, but got no answer
and he tried TO get into Paris to see his wifi
and child, but uselessly, so he Joined the arm,
which was fighting at Loire. Again he wa
taken prisoner, and again escaped. Afte
the commune he returned to Paris, and fonn'
| his wife and child well, though mourning hin
for dead At once he telegraphcd to Sedal
| to DIR. Champeaux, who answered: NOR
| Vile out of danger; amputated both legs
shall accompany him to Parisin a few days.
Soon after this he received letter iron
Lucien. "Dear friend" 1t ran, II neve
hopei to see you again. / am at Ruo d