Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-15

intelligence I might set the matter
straight His answer always was that it
was his mission of which ne was always
thinking. which surprised me, because, al
though / had never thought much of his
intelligence, still 1t seemed to me to be
impossible that any one could be puzzled
by so simple and soldierly a task.
Well we came at last to Bazoches, where
he was to take the southern road and
the northern. He half turned in his saddle
before he left me and he looked at me
with a singular expression CT inquiry on
his face.
What do you make of it, brigadier?" he
asked.
"Of what?'
"Of our mission"
'Surely, it is plain enough"
"You think so? Why should the emperor
tell us his plans?"
because he recognized our intelligence"
My companion laughed in a manner
which 1 found annoying. May ask what
you intend to do II you find these villages
full of Prussians?" he asked.
II shall obey my ORDERS
But you will be killed.
Every possibly"
He laughed again and so extensively that
I clapped my hand to my sword. But be-
fore 1 could tell him what thought of his
stupidity and rudeness he had wheeled his
horse and was numbering away down the
other road. 1 saw his big fur cap vanish
over the brow of hill and then 1 rode
upon my way, wondering at his conduct.
L
breast of my tunic and felt the paper
crackle beneath my fingers All, my pre-
cious paper, which should be turned Into
the little silver medal for which L had
yearned so long. All the way from Braine
to Sermoise / was thinking of what my
mother would say when she saw It,
l stopped to give NIOlette a meal at a
wayside auberge on the side of a hill not
far from Soissons-a place surrounded by
old oaks, and with SO many crows. that one
could scarcely hear ones own voice. 1t was
from the innkeeper that 1 learned that
Marmont had fallen back two days before
and that the Prussians were over the
Aisne. An hour later in the fading light
/ saw two of their vedettes upon hill to
the right, and then, as darkness gathered,
the heavens to the north were all gltmmer-
ing from the lights of a bivouac.
When L heard that Butcher had been
there for two days / was much surprised
that the emperor should not have known
that the country through which he mad
ordered me to carry my precious letter
was already occupied by the enemy. Still,
1 thought of the tone OF his voice when ne
said to Charpentier that a soldier must
not choose, but must obey. 1 should follow
the route he had laid down to me as long
as Violette could move hoof or 1 finger
upon her bride. All the way from Ser
noise to scissors, where the road dips up
and down, curving among fir woods, i kept
my pistol ready and my sword belt braced,
pushing on swiftly where the path was
straight and then coming slowly around
Spain.
When I came to the farm house which
lies to the right of the road just after you
cross the wooden bridge over the Crise
near where the great statue of the Virgin
stands, a woman cried to me from the field
saying the Prussians were in scissors. A
small party of their lancers, she said, had
come on that very afternoon and a whole
division was expected before midnight. 1
did not wait to hear the end of her tale,
but clapped spurs into Violette, and five
minutes later was galloping her into the
town.
Three Uhlans were at the mouth Of the
main street, their horses tethered, and
they gossiping together, each with pipe
as long as my saber. l saw them well at
the light of an open door. but of me they
gray side and the black flutter of my cloak
A moment later few through a stream of
them rushing from an open gateway.
Violette's shoulder sent one Of them Keeling
and stabbed at another, but missed him.
Pang, pang went two carbines, but had
flown round the curve of the street and
never so much as heard the hiss of the
balls. All, we were great both Violette and
l. She lay down to 1t, like a coursed hare
the fire flying from her hoofs. l stood in
my stirrups and brandished my sword
Some one sprang for my bride. / sliced
him through the arm, and l heard him
upon ME. L cut one dc wn and outpaccd
the other. A minute lator 1 was clear of
the town, Hying dowa broad, white road
with the black poplars On either side. For
time / heard the rattle of hoofs behind
me, but they died and died Until l could not
tell them from the throbbing of my own
heart. Soon L pulled up and listened, but
all was silent. They had given up the
chase.
Well, the first thing that did was to dis
mount and to lead my mare into small
wool through which q stream ran. There
l watered her and rubbed her down, giving
her two pieces of sugar soaked in cognac
from my flask. She was spent from the
sharp chase, but it was wonderful to see
how she came round with a half-hour's
rest. When my thighs closed upon her
again l could tell by the spring and swing
of her that 1t would not be her fault if
did not win my way safe to Paris.
must have been well within the enemy's
Ii. IS now for / heard a number of them
shouting one of their rough drinking songs
out of a house by the roadside, and / went
round by the fields to avoid 1t. At another
time two men came out into the moonli ght
Cfor by this time Ii was cloudlesS night
and shouted something In German hut