The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-09-30
VOL. XxVIII.-NO. 48.

"nO, hoU 10 hdhuSohS dS Iuis, W pC sure,
but then he is younger than you.
The child sighed.
"Well, do you want this watch, little
cousiD?"
Fortunate, glaneing at the watch from
the corner of his eye, said with a bitter
smile, ''Why do you joke with me?"
"By Heaven l am not joking, only
tell me where Giannetto is, and the watch
is yours"
Fortunate smiled incredulously, and,
fixing his black eyes on those of the adju-
tant, he tried to read there how much to
believe of what he said
"May 1 lose my epaulets p cried the
adjutant, eff l do not give you this watch,
provided you do as 1 ask. My men are
witnesses, and cannot retract my promise
As he spoke he held the watch nearer
so that it almost touched the child's face.
Fortunate showed plainly in his face the
struggle in his soul between covetousness
and the respect due to hospitality. His
naked breast heaved violently, and he
seemed halfsuffocated However, the
watch continued to turn and twist about,
and sometimes struck the end of his nose.
Finally, little by little, his right hand rose
slowly toward the watch, the ends of his
fingers touched it, and he fell its weight
before the adjutant dropped the end of the
chain. The dial-plate was sky-blue the
case newly polished, and, in the sun, it
shone like fire. The temptation was too
strong!
Fortunate raised his left hand slowly,
and pointed with his thumb, over his left
shoulder, at the heap Of straw. The ad-
jutant instantly understood his gesture.
He let go the end of the chain, and Fortu-
nato felt himself sole possessor of the watch.
He arose with the agility of a deer, and
ran few steps from the heap of hay,
which the soldiers Immediately began to
overturn. 1t was not long before a man,
covered with blood, poiniard in hand,
crawled out; but, as he tried to rise to his
feet, his wounded thigh did not allow him
to stand erect. He fell, and the adiutant
threw himself upon him and seized his
stiletto, and he was soon securely tied, de-
spite his struggles. Lying on the ground,
and bound up like fagot, Giannetto turned
his head toward Fortunate, and hissed,
"Son of dog !" The child tossed back
the five-franc piece Giannetto had given
him, feeling that he had ceased to deserve
it, but the outlaw paid no attention to this
movement. He said coolly to the adju-
tant:
MY dear GAMBIA, l cannot walk! you
will be forced to carry me to the town"
"You ran quicker than squirrel while
ago, replied the cruel conqueror; "but be
easy; I am so glad to have caught you that
I could carry you for league on my back
without fatigue. As for the rest, COM
rade, we will make you a litter out of some
branches and your cloak, and at Grespole's
farm we shall find horses"
CAN right" said the prisoner, ''put also
a little straw on the litter, that l may lie
easier"
While the soldiers were employed, some
in making kind of litter out of branches,
and the others in dressing Giannetto's
wound, Mateo Falcone and his wife sud
denly appeared at the turn of a path which
led to the maquis. The woman walked
slowly, bending painfully under the weight
of an enormous sack of chestnuts, while
her husband strolled by her side, carrying
only his Two guns, one in his hand, the
otl .er in his shoulder-belt, for it is unwor-
thy of a Corsican to carry any burden but
his arms.
As he caught sight-of the soldiers, his
first idea was that they had come to arrest
him. But why? Had Mateo any trouble
with the law? No; he enjoyed a good
but he was also Corsican and
a mountaineer, and there are few such who,
in searching their memory, cannet recall
some peccadilloes, such as gun-shots, dag
ger-thrusts, and other like trifes. Mateo,
more than most men, had clear conscience
in this respect; for more than ten years he
mad aimed his gun at no man. But he
was prudent, and he took position to make
/ brave defence, if necessary.
"Wife," said he to Guiseppa, "put down
vour sack and be ready"
She obeyed Immediately. He gave her
he gun from his shoulder-belt, which
might cramp his movements. He then
oaded the one he held, and advanced
lowly toward his house, skirting the trees,
which bordered the road, ready, at the
east hostile demonstration of the soldiers,
o throw himself behind the largest trunk,
whence he could fire under shelter, His |
wife followed 10 his tracks, holding the
pare gun aud its cartridge-box. The
business of good housewife is to load her
gun in case of combat.
On the other side of the field, the adj
utant was much troubled at seeing Mateo
dvance in this manner; with measured |
teps, gun in hand, and his finger on the
rigger. eff, perchance," thought he,
Mateo should be relative of Gianetto,
r his friend, and he wished to defend him,
he contents Of his two guns could reach
s, one after the other, as sure as letter
y the post, if he aimed at me, notwith-
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