The Irish standard., 1895-10-12

their lancers, she said, had come on
that very afternoon and whole di-.
vision was expected before midnight I
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
apipe as long as my saber. | saw them
well at the light OF En- open door, but
Of me they could have seen only the
flash Of Violette's gray side. and the
black futter of my cloak. A moment
later flew through a stream of them
rushing from an open gateway. VIC
lette's shoulder sent one of them reel
ing and sta bbed 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 Violetta and J.. She lay down to
it, like ooursed hare, the fire flying
from her roofs. stood in my stirrups
and brandished my sword. Some one
sprang for my bride. / sliced him
through the arm and heard him
bowling behind me. Two horsenen
closed upon me. i cut one down and
outpaced the other. A minute later I
was clear of the town and flying down
a broad white road with the black
poplars on either side. For a time
heard the rattle Of hoofs behind me,
but they died and died until ! could
not tell them from the throbbing of
my own heart. Soon I pulled up and
listened, but all was silent. They had
given up the chase.
Well, the first thing that did was
to disu cunt and to lead my mare into
q small wood through which
stream ran. There 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 hours rest
When my thighs closed upon her again
/ could tell by the spring and swing Of
her that it would not be her fault if
did not win my way safe to Paris.
must have been we'll within the.
enemy's lines now, for heard a num-
Der OF them shouting one of their rough
drinking songs out Of a house by the
roadside, and I went round by the
fields to avoid it. At another time two
men came out into the moonlight [for
by this time it was a cloudless night
and shouted something in German, but
I galloped on without needing them
and they were afraid TO fire, for their
own hussars are dressed exactly as
was. 1t is best to- take no notice at
these times and then they put you
down as q deaf man. -
It was lovely moon and every tree
threw black bar across the road. I
could see the country side just as if it
were daytime, and very peaceful it
looked, save that there was a: great fire
raging somewhere in the north. In
the silence of the night time and with
the knowledge that danger was in
front and behind me, the sight of that
great distant fire was very striking and
awesome. ;:-
But was not easily clouded, for I
have seen too many singular things; so
I hum1ned tune between my teeth
and thought of little Lisette whom
might see in Paris. My mind was full
upon her when, trotting round
corner, 1 came straight upon half a
dozen German dragons. who were sit
ting round a .brushwood fire by the
roadside. -
I am an excellent soldier. I do not
say this because am prejudiced in my
own favor, but because really am so.
/ can weigh every chance in q moment
and decide with as much certainty as
though I had :brooded for a week.
Now Issaw like flash that come what
might / should be chased, and on
horse which had already done a long
twelve leagues. But it was better to
be chased UPWARDS than chased back.
On this moonlit night, with fresh
horses behind me, must take my risk
8 in either case, but if were to shake
them off, I preferred that it should be
near Sen1is than near Scissors. All
this flashed on me, as if by instinct,
YOU understand. Ny eyes had hardly
rested upon the bearded faces under
the brass helmets before my rowels
were up to the bosses in Violettes side
and she was off with a rattle like
pas-decharge. OH, the shouting and
rushing and stamping from behind us!
Three of them fred and three swung
themselves onto their horses. A bullet
raped on the. crupper of the saddle
with a noise like 8, stick on g: door.
Violette sprang madly forward and !
/. thought she had been wounded, but It
II was only a Craze above the near fore
fetlock. All, the dear little mare, how
loved her when felt her settle down
into that long easy gallop Of hers, her
hoofs going like a Spanish girls
castanets. I could not hold myself.
turned on my saddle and shouted and
raved. .Vive E 'EmpereurT' Iscreamed,
and laughed at the gust Of oatl1s that
came back to me. Is
But it was not oversyet. # she had
been fresh she might have gained
a mile in five. Now she could only
hold her,own with q very little over.
There was one Of them, a young boyso
3 an officer; who was better mounted
than the others. He drew ahead with
every stride. Two hundred yards be-
hind him were two troopers, bat Isaw
j. every time that I glanced round that
the distance between them was. increas-
ing. The other three who had waited
to shoot were long way. ia the rear
The officers mount was q bay line.
B horse. not to be spoken. Of with ~
VioleIte Yet it wassa powerful brute.
and it seemed to me that ID p few miles
its freshness might tell. waited until