The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-01-21

house ana QueSUloned MIN III 1IoAoAi'
but Claude made no reply.
"Answer me, rascal" said the officer
after pause, "or your lips will De
opened by a bayonet through your body:
Where is the main guard stationed!
The young soldier was silent
"Here, men, spike this pigheaded fell
low," but an imploring voice exclaimed:
'Stop!" In surprise the captain turned
around, saw the man lying in the corner,
recognized him as one of his own com
pany who had been left for dead, and
learned how compassionate the prisoner
had been to him.
every well, will spare his life" said
the officer, "but we must take him with
us. Muller and Hermann, bind his
hands and lead him between you, and II
he makes the least noise strangle him
with his own voice. Forward! We shall
soon find the French"
Claude Latapie was in despair. lie
had deserted his post, had failed to give
the alarm, and consequently his COM
rades were about to be surprised and
massacred How could he prevent it?
What could he do to save them?
He marched along quietly, rejoiced
for a minute at perceiving that his cap
tors were taking the wrong direction,
but the captain soon discovered his error
and changed the route. This time they
were on the right road; the little band
of Frenchmen would be easily captured
all was lost!
Suddenly the prisoner stumbled and
fell, and as his guardians stopped to
drag him up again his fingers clutched
the trigger guard of Muller's musket.
The man snatched at the weapon, but
Claude hung on, and in spite of his
hands being bound succeeded in his de-
sign. Then he felt for the trigger. Her
mann pierced him with a bayonet, and
Claude, mortally wounded, felt his hold
relax; convulsively he made another eff
fort and the gun went off. A loud re-
port echoed through the darkness, and
with all his remaining strength he
shouted:
ssTo arms"
Then, pierced through the body, he
reeled and stiffened, biting the snow.
But the report and the cry were heard.
The French, aroused, attacked the
enemy; their main guard came up, and
after short engagement the Germans,
finding themselves surrounded, laid
down their arms.
Claude Latapie was lying in an am
bulance when the general of the corps
came up. bringing him the viaticum of
the brave, the cross of the Legion of
Honor. The young man, however, made
wild gesture as he exclaimed:
''No, no; you do not know how it
was!'
''I know you are a brave man." re-
piled the general.
'sAh, my Godr' sighed Claude, "must
I proclaim my own dishonor before /
die: l deserve court martial instead of
the cross" And humbly, in a voice
broken by sobs, he confessed his momen-
tary desertion from his post, adding in
conclusion:
''The whole outpost might have been
destroyed through my fault, yet could
not help plying that miserable Ger
man.
ellis comrades made but poor re-
turn for your compassion" said the Of
ficer.
'sThey warned me. I knew what to
expect" Claude answered simply, ''and
I am happy, for die for France. That
is more than deserve"
"Give me your hand, my brave fell
low" cried the general. "You have
more than atoned. I am proud to COM
mand such man as your and STOPPING
he laid the medal on Claude's breast and
gave him the accolade. The soldiers
face was Illuminated as he grasped the
medal in his hot hands, and gasping for
breath he murmured:
'This is for my mother. Will you
send it to herr"
And on receiving the generals prom
Use the conscript smiled and died. From
the French of Georges de Lys.