The herald., 1893-11-17

IN disorder, pushed up in the flight and
in sleep, the dust which wholly covered
them from the tufts of their caps to the
points of their yellow shoes, all con-
tributed well to give them that sinister
look of the vanquished in which moral
encouragement is betrayed by physical
detection.
The CabeGilla glanced at them for an
instant with "a little laugh of triumph
He was not sorry to see the soldiers of
the republic humble, wan and ragged
amid we'll fed, well equipped Carlists,
Navarro and Basque mountaineers as
brown and hard as carob beans.
''Viva DiosI my children!" said he to
them with a good dnatured air. "The re
public nourishes her defenders very i'll.
Why, You are all as thin as the wolves
of the Pyrenees, when the mountains are
covered with snow and they come into
the plain to sniff the odor of the table
by the lights which shine under the doors
of the houses. One is treated otherwise
in the service of the good cause. Would
you like to make trial of it, hermanosf
Cast off those infamous caps and put on
the white beret. As truly as. this is the
holy day of Easter, to those who will
shout, Long live the kingv will give
their lives and the same campaign food
give my other soldiers!'
Before the good father had finished all
the caps were in the air, and shouts Of
Long live King Carlosw "Long live
the Cabecillar' resounded on the noun
tain. Poor devils! They had been in
such great fear of death, and so tempt
ing were all those good victuals which
they smelled close to them, about to be
broiled in the shelter of rocks before the
bivouac fires, pink and faint in the bright
sunlight, | believe that never was the
pretender acclaimed with such good will.
"Give them something to eat at once,"
said the cure, laughing. when wolves
yelp with that strength. it's because they
have sharp teeth!"
The carbineers went off. But one
among them, the youngest, remained
standing in front of the chief in proud
and resolved attitude, which contrasted
with his juvenile features and the fine
down, scarcely colored, enveloping his
cheeks with a blond powder. His capote,
which was too large for him, was wrin-
kled at the back and ON the arms, was
turned up at the sleeves over two slight
wrists, and by its fullness made him
look still younger and more slender.
There was excitement in his long, bril-
liant eyes-Arab eyes, intensified by
| Spanish flame. And this fixed fame
annoyed the Cabecilla.
"What do youwant?" he asked of him.
Nothing l am waiting for you to
decide ON my fate"
"Your fate will be that of the others.
I named no one. The pardon was for
Rll."
"The others are traitors and towards!
alone did not shout anythingt'
The Cabecilla gave start and looked
him full in the face
whats your name9"
''Tonio Vidal"
"Whence come you"
"From Puycerda."
"What age?'
Seventeen"
'The republic, then, has no more men,
since she is reduced to enrolling chill
drenr'
Il was not enrolled. padre. am
| volunteer"
'.You know, fellow, that have more
than one means of making you shout
Long live the king!"
The youth assumed superb look.
II defy you to do SOL retorted he.
$50 you would rather die?"
"a hundred timesp
Every well, you shall die!"
Then the cure made sign, and the ex-
ecution platoon came and ranged itself
around the condemned, who did not
vince.
This sublime courage touched the
chief with pity. He demanded:
Have you nothing to ask of me first?
Don't you want something to eat? Don't
you want something to drinkr'
NO" answered the youth; ''but am