The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-01

! that inn room where we had messed, with
| folded arms and nervous fingers lSneading
at his muscles. BY singular irony we
were lodged in comfort there--we, who
| had got to go out and die on the morrow
and he must needs taunt us with it, as
/ though 1t were shame for such as we to
have so tolerable billet.
| Myself, l was stretched out on a sofa
away by the far wall and Law there
mutely, having but little taste for the
wordy savageries which were being so
| freely dealt about. And the night grew
! older without my being disturbed. But
the angry man at the end of the table
| Styled me out at last, perhaps because
! the outward calm and hstlessness
| Jared upon him.
Tired, Eugene2" he asked.
"a little, sir"
"Ah, can understand it. noted your
| activity to-day. You have mistaken
| your vocation, mon cher You should
not have come into the army You
should have been professional runner"
An answer burned my tongue. But |
| kept ii there, gave a shrug and said moth
ing. What use could further wrangling
, be2 But the silence was an ill move 1t
only angered him further and he threw
at me an insult which was more than hui
man man could endure.
do you think you will again feel in
clIned to use those powers of yours to-
morrow, Eugene2 Or had l better have
| you hand-cuffed to some steady old
soldierl"
A dozen of the other officers sprang to
their feet at this CHASTITY tauut, for when
such thing as this was said to one of
their number it touched all The old
major was their spokesman.
Colonel, we make all allowances. but
Fnra
! The colonel scowled round tight-lipped
/ for minute, and then:
! Il am quite capable of commanding
| this regiment of lost sheep, without IN
! asked-for advice from subordinates, ma
! lor. Lieut.. Ramard you heard my ques-
/ ton, presumed Please have the civility
! TO answer
During the minutes ~-eoite had been
! thinking and acting is, writing
/ got up and handed thu 0nel a slip of
! paper. On it were the words:
Il acknowledge that /, e. Ramard
lieutenant of the Twenty --, am
coward. EUGENE RAMARD"
He read it.
There, sir" I said, kindly add the
! date. as / have forgotten what il is. and
! please leave that behind with the baggage
when we march tomorrow. If | do not
do better work for France than any man
in the regiment, it is my wish that this
paper be published" The colonel nodded
grimly, and then frowned.
Have your permission now, sir, to
withdraw from this room}"
a refusal was framing ITSELF could
see it; but the lowering faces around
made him curb his passion, and he nodded
again, but reluctantly.
IL
In the dark, wet air outside, and not
before, did ! realize fully what ] had
done The screed on the slip of
4 paper had been the spasm of the instant.
/ II seemed 10 me now the outcome of a
moments insanity. / had had no plan,
/ no trace Of scheme in my head whilst |
was scribbling The words and the
/ pledge We're an empty boast, made in the
I wild hope that I could hold them good
/ But how could such a thing be dOnel The
most furious. desperate courage by itself
would avail nothing There would be a
I thousand men around, each % the full as
I brave as foe no one can march farther
/ than deatu-aud 10 DO better work for
i Franco" than any Of them. All, 20, the