The Bossier banner., 1892-07-21

his companion only, but which reached
me distinctly, SO near were we to each
other.
The other answered, but his words
escaped me. They spoke together in
lowered tones as they stood there, and
from what l overheard, they seemed to
think that |, not being in uniform, was
n spy trying to creep through the French
lines.
A sudden great cracking of the twigs
made me retreat to the stream, and
covered the sound of my progress.
''Ah," l muttered to myself, ''there
come the two grape-pickers." l thought |
that the two Frenchmen were approach
ing to investigate my position, but here, |
instead, the noise was caused by the |
heavy sabotS of the two peasant |
| women, who advanced, peering through |
the trees, as if they were also seeking
the whereabouts of the fugitive Prus-
| sian.
There was something odd in their ap-
| pearance, and, though could gain but
passing glimpse of them, made dis
| covery.
| The two women were carrying musk
cts in their hands.
| Those, indeed, were masculine forms
and faces. And their voices! Fool
that was, not to have recognized them
before.
l retteated softly and quickly, half
along the sandy bed of the stream, half
along the white stones that lay in the
shallow water. Thus 1 threaded the
| l>oL 81 t,kStooe -
pursuers grew fainter. | had proceeded
some distance. and now, through the
thinning trees, saw that had come
within shooting distance of the red
trowsered sentinel lying upon the wall
summing himself.
There were. in fact, two sentries
there; one lolling upon the wall and the
other leaning against it with but his
head and shoulders visible. 1 observed
them very distinctly; l heard their
voices now and then, and the lazy
yawning of the one that lay in the sun
! light.
, | saw their chassepots cleaning In
the sun, and in such close proximity
they wore an ugly look.
was safe, however, as long as their
, attention was not attracted toward me.
and so turned my thoughts to my two
pursuers again. had heard them hunt
, ing and eursing for awhile far in my
i, rear, but now all noise of them had
e died away
s Happening to turn my glance up to
f the stone coping, to which longed to
s return, saw, to my surprise, that the
d two grape-pickers had given up my pur'
c suit and were engaged in their former
occupation again. But now they were
4 much nearer to the coping than they
a had been before, and under the cover o.
n their pretended employment they were
still slowly but surely advancing.
4 well perceived their object.
! Here was predicament truly. The
% sentinel, not possessed of an abundance
of wit, would let the two approach nm
G challenged, until they were near enough
q to turn suddenly and shoot him will
- their hidden weapons; and yet were
20 to attempt to warn him, swift and sur
re retribution would be upon my owl
head. both from before and behind me
"A But this was not all. At the plac
f. where stood in hiding the foliage tha
,e sheltered the stream grew scarce an
ut ended. Before me was wide plot
" unprotected turf
m On the other side of this open spac
ly the thicket there began to stealthily b
to stirred I saw the tops of the bushe
ed nod. What other foe lay crouchln
there? Was there one who could sc
ms me and was aiming at me even no.
us perhaps? Was tie thicket full of so
an diers who would rush forth when til
death-shot of the sentry above shoul
N. ring out?
ne This train of nervous fancies, hov
wv ever. was now interrupted. Risin
l carefully from the midst of the bushes
on saw well-known pointed helmet.
nd head rose, too, and a hand that waved
sst greeting.
Ter 1t was Moritz, who, grown uneasy
'ut nv non-appearance, had stolen down
ferret out the cause.
Tor Immense as was the figure of Il
lid Pomeranian, yet he concealed hlmse
ed yerv ably. l noticed from his actio1
op- that he guarded himself only from Il
view of the two sentries by the wa
,b- seeming to think that screened fro
nd them he would be safe.
AS he crawled carefully out into {
ws open. therefore, 1 attracted his atte
me ton to the two masculine females w
5he had gradually stolen close to the &C
am ing.
lgh The Pomeranian knelt ID the gra
and looked up. AS he noted the t'
the figures and the intentions which The
7ed movements betrayed, his face becaI
vas transfxed with rage. So terrible w
ted the wrath depicted upon it that l W
an plaL to see it turned towards othe
than myself.
Illi- One of those figures up there, IN
We gaudy costume, had already reached
hit coping and. with his chassepot to
shoulder ready for firing, peer
r a stealtkily over the stone wall to loo;
n a the sentry.
h I At this act and those costumes
eye duplicity, the large Pomeranian,
zee, gardless of all consequences, lear
All from the earth and fairly beloved w