Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-02-02
ASTORY BLOOD.
x.-CoNTINUEp.
BY M. L. DRADDoN.

ieen are to me as my own daughters. Did
mot see them when they Arst entered Paris,
footsore and dusty, but so gentle and so
pretty in their WEAKNESS? Was not tho
first 10 welcome them to this great city,
which is now the city Of death? Heaven
help usl Lie still, and keep your mind
TRANQUIL, my friend, and soon as have
given baby his bath-how he loves the wa
ter the dear innocent!-I will come and put
O fresh dressing Oh that poor arm"
Madame Schubert was surgeon, nurse, in
termediary between tho sick-room and the
outer world-everythlng to the Durand
household In their affection.
From his bed in the kitchen Philip heard
Kathleen's return-her feeble voice present.
ly talking in low murmurs with Madame
Schubert. She was safe; she had returned.
Through fire and smoke and carnage she
had passed unframed. Here, at least, was
q blessed relief-one burden lifted from
their weary hearts. But he, the husbandp
What of him?
Kathleen told Madame Schubert the story
of her pilgrimage; told how she had knelt
upon the bloodstained ground where her
husbands corpse had lain. But the good
Schubert refused to be convinced, wouldnot
see any sufficient evidence OF Gaston's
death. What did 1t come to after all, this
story which Kathleen had heard in the
Avenue dItalie? A young man, nameless,
with dark hair and eyes, had been killed
with the good fathers. But why should that
young man be CASTOR Mortemar?
There are enough young men in France,
my faith, with dark hair and eyesl Ca no
Hldnqlle pas" said Madame Sci Joert.
HAS my husband come homer asked
Kathleen.
The good Schubert shrugged her shout
ders and shook her head despondingly.
"Alas, no."
''Then he Is dead-no matter how or
where. He is dead! DO you think that if
he was living he would forsake mew asked
Kathleen.
HE may be prisoner"
Would to God II were so! But know;
there is something here" touching her
breast, something stronger than myself,
that tells me he fell yesterday-on that
spot"
Kathleen" called voice from behind
the closed door, "Kathleenv'
Rose had heard those murmurs in the next
room, and had recognised Karhleen's voice.
Madame Schubert grasped Kathleen's arm
as she was going 10 answer that call.
Don't go TO her yet" she said. "You
will frighten her with your CHASTITY face and
your dust-stained gown. She was very i'll
yesterday, weak and feverish. She is weak
to-day, but the fever is better. She must
not be agitated in any way. Go to your
room, and wash and change your clothes,
and come down presently looking bright
and happy"
ut will be easy," said Kathleen, with a
CHASTITY smile. Eyes, understand"
And not word about Castor or your
wanderings. We told her nothing but lies
yesterday-told her that you were in your
own bed, i'll with cold. Don't undeceive
her. She Is so happy, poor soul, nursing
her first baby. Yet, even III the midst Of
her new happiness she was full OF anxiety
about YOU"
"I will be careful" said Kathleen. II
think am getting used to sorrow. ought
to be able TO hide 1t"
She obeyed Madame Schubert in every
particular, and came back in less than an
hour, fresh and bright in her clean cotton
gown and black silk apron, her lovely hair
brushed TO silky seftnsss and coied In a
smooth chisnon at tho back Of her head
She smiled as she kissed Rose. She sat be-
side the bed and rocked the baby on her
knees, and talked TO him, and cooed at him,
trying to awaken some faint ray Of intelli-
gence In the little pink face, which seemed
to the mother to be full Of ssul.
"De you think he has grown?' asked Rose
fondly.
II think he Is wonderfully improved since
the day before yesterday" answered Kath-
leen.
"Improvodw Rose felt inclined to resent
NE word. Could there be room for improve
ment in being 80 perfect as that child had
been from the very first hour Of his life?
But Kathleen had vague memories of an
unlovely rcdAess and spettiness in the in
fant's earliest Idea of complexion, and the
soft rosy tints Of to-day seemed to her a
marked advance In baby's development.
Rose lay with her face turned towards her
sister, her hand In Kathleen's hand, perfect
ly happy. Happy In the fulness Of her love,
albeit fort still answered fort with sullen
thunder, and cannon and mitrailleuss
chassepst and revolver, still made deadly
music in the streets. There was peace here
for REESE Durand In the narrsw circle Of
heme. She had suffered oil anxleties about
the outside wsrld TO be luiled 10 rest hy
Madame SchHkert's cheerful assurances
And then, since the birth OF the Commune.
Paris had grown aecustom ed to the sound
of bembardmest, 10 the smoke Of cannon.
PolichinelIe had made his Jokes. the merry
go-rounds had reviewed the barrel-ofgans
flies and drums had sounded cheerily in the
Champs Elysees albeit Versailles was benz
harding Paris. The roar of guns, the nsise
and havoc Of war, had become the everyday
sounds of the city. Rose, lying in her cur
tanned bed, windows closed and mufiled,
hardly knew that the guns to-day sounded
louder and nearer.
Philip will 60 no more to the barTIcades,"
she told Kathleen. "He was wounSed in
the shoulder yesterday-av very slight wound,
praise 10 Heaven but enough to prevent
his fighting any more"
Kathleen heard with a shudder, remen-
boring that file of prisoners, with fettered
limbs and downcast eyes, pale, despairfnE,
submissive. She had heard people say that
al who had carried arms against the Re-
public wsuld be served thus. Passes pas
les agUlcsP The phrase was familiar
enough now. A short shift, and your back
against a wall, citizen, your waisteoat open,
so and eight muzzles pointed at yeur heart.
where Is Gastsn?' said Rose presently.
sMaman Schubert said he was at the ef1ce
all yesterday. His newspaper Is to be re-
~,fyo1 t,ouy thot Darfo e Y,.rt.a fropprfl Ia