Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-03-24

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Eight or ten bot
ties were empty; the drinkers were
rapidly becoming intoxicated A
silent, solemn intoxication, no turbu-
ience Of gesture, no pell NELL of words,
only dull torpor that ruminated and
benumbed.
Suddenly one OF the drinkers, who
was running a wandering eye over a
morning journal spread ont before
him, uttered a great shout of laughter.
His companions turned their heads
slowly, with gesture OF automatons
moved By a single spring.
See! see!" cried the Laughter, point
ing with his finger to the top Of \
column. And bending forward they
read the following sufficiently singu-
lar advertisement, as you may see for
yourselves:
The Prussian or Bavarian soldier
who has reason to believe himself the
father Of a child born Wednesday,
August 3, IS, at the chateau of NJ
r Il (France), is requested to return
TO this chateau without delay.
Such 4 shaking Of stomaehs and
such a gust of tempestuous hilarity as
went up then from those maudlin
tipplers. But the youngest OF the
officers, fresh and rosy under his pale
blonde curls, and though well into his
thirties seeming scarcely five and
twenty. had uttered a err and no
longer laughed with TIE others He
seized the paper and read the adver-
tisement again. read it eagerly, with
something like fright in his eyes; then
he hastily sprung up and was gone
without word or even a nod.
One month later, the comte de
Montrozay, his elbows on his chair
arms. his head on his hands, regarded
dancing and leaping in the wide
chimney the pickering fame of the
vine twigs The autumn was cold and
fire was already needed But the
clear sunlight, through the wide
opened windows projected itself into
the austere hall. frightened the som
Der tapestries and furniture. and
illuminated the panoplies of arms
upon the walls like great steel roses,
whilst the winds brought in from the
grounds without the moist perfume of
the last flowers and the soft gurgle of
the neigh boring river.
Presently there was a rap on the
door and a servant entered to an
nOunee that a stranger with a German
accent demanded to be received.
The comte sprung up hastily. He
was very pale in the full light, and
sort Of restrained shudder seemed to
culver through the muscles of his face
and his close-shut lips He did not
speak, either-fearing, perhaps, to be-
tra7 his emotion by the trembling Of
his voice. He merely nodded his head,
but the servant understood-h was to
admit the visitor.
When he entered. his manner IN
easy, his step uncertain, his whole APP
pearance that of man who knows
that he is taking terrible risk, the
comte, smiling benevolently, ad-
vanced to meet him.
Monsieur" said he courteously.
ito what do l owe the honor OF your
visit?''
IL read in q paper, monsieur" be.
gan the stranger stammeringly.
The comte still smiled.
''Ah, see, know" said he. And
you think that it IS you whom the adj
vertisement con Germs? You have, then.
] presume, some reason for believing
SOP
Before answering monsieur, may /
ask TO whom 1 speak?" returned the
other.
The Comte Castor de Montroza7.
the master of this house, and the only
relative and brother OF the young
girl
The stranger extended his hands to
the conte. as if beseeching him to
spare him.
II am a wretch, monsieur" he cried,
"a scoundrel, and if you kill me you
would be right But believe me, / be-
seeeh you, believe me, / have had in
my heart for ten long months re.
morse that has torn and rent me like
a wild beast. OF that night, that ex-
ecrable, accurscd night, monsieur, /
shall drag the memory to the tomb
But you must know, monsieur, you
must know everything, and to avow
such crime, 20 recount it. is of itself
a sufficient punishment We had been
fighting all day long in bands, from
wood to wood and village, TO
village, firing into thickets and
open doors at random, with
out seeing or knowing whom we
had killed till we heard the groans or
saw the blood running at our feet.
zone long continual battle, in a
thick night of binding smoke, the
stencil of powder and fresh blood and
q raging, consuming thirst that would
make one drink blood itself il naught
else were at hand. Bv evening | was
drunk, drunk with carnage and also
with wine, caked with red mud on
face, hands and uniform, and rabid
and brutal as maddened beast.
1T was then that came upon your
house. recognized it instantly, this
hall which / traveTsed then in a
moonlighted shadow, and hear still in
4. RI 4.