Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-02-07

That will do very sse,l Let guard
90 about with him, sergeant. and let
him feel the end of bayonet if he
plays US any tricks
Capt. Baumgarten was an old cam
paigner. In The eastern provinces and
before that in Bohemia he had learned
the art of quartering himself on the
enemy. While the butler brought his
supper in he occupied himself in maxi
ing his preparations for comfortable
night He lit the caGdelabrum of ten
candles upon the center table. The
fire was already burning up. cracking
merrily and sending spurts of blue
pungent smoke out into the room. The
captain walked to the window and
looked out. The moon had gone in
again, and it was raining heavily. He
could hear the deep sough of the wind
and see the dark gloom of the trees, all
swaying IN one direction. 1t was a
sight which gave zest to his comforta-
bic quarters, and to the cold fowl and
the bottle of wine which the butler
had brought up for him. He vas tired
and hungry after his long tramp as ne
threw his sword, his helmet and his re-
to eagerly upon his supper. Then,
with his glass of wine before him, and
cigar between his lips, he tilted his
chair back and looked about him.
He sat within a small circle of bril-
liant light which CLEANED upon his
silver shoulder straps and threw out
his terra Gotta face, his heavy eyebrows
and his yellow mustache. But outside
that circle things werevague and shad-
owy in the old dining-hall. Two sides
were oak panelled and two were hung
with faded tapestry, across which
huntsmen and dogs and stays were
still dimly streaming. Above the fire.
place rows of heraldic shields,
with the "a. fnings of the family and
its alliances, the fatal satire cross
breaking out on each of them.
Four paintings of old Seigneurs of
Chateau Noi. faced the fireplace, all
men with hawk noses and bold high
features, so like each other that only
the dress could distinguish the crusader
from the cavalier of the Fronde. Capt
Baumgarten, heavy with his repast,
lay back IN his chair looking up at
them through the cloud of his tobacco
smoke, and bordering over the strange
chance which had sent HIM. man from
the Baltic coast, to eat his supper in
the ancestral hall of these proud Nor
man chieftains. But the fire was hot
and the captains eyes were heavy.
His chin sank slowly npon his chest
and the ten candles CLEANED upon the
broad, white scalp.
Suddenly a slight noise brought him
to his feet. For an Instant it seemed
to his dazed senses that one Of the pic
lures opposite had. walked from it's
frame There beside the table. and
almost within arms length Of him,
was Standing a huge man, silent, mo-
tionless, with no sign Of life. save his
fierce. glinting eyes. lie was black
haired, olive-sl1inncd, with pointed
tuft of black beard and a great fierce
nose, toward which all his features
seemed to run. Ills cheeks were
wrinkled like d last years apple. but
his sweep of shoulder, and bony. cord
ed hands told Of a strength which was
unsapped by age. His arms were
folded across his arching chest, and his
mouth was set in fixed smile.
Pray do not trouble yourself TO look
for your weapons" he said, as the
Prussian cast a swift glance at the
empty chair in which they had
been laid lyon have been, if you
will allow me to say SO. a little
indiscrcet to make yourself so much
at home in a house every wall of
which is honeycombed with secret pas
sages. You will be amused to hear
that forty men were watching you at
your supper. All! What thenI''
Capt. Baumgarten had taken a step
forward with clenched fists The
Frenchman held up revolver which
he grasped in his right hand, while
with his left he hurled the German
back into his chair
Pray keep your seat, said he. you
have no cause. to trouble about your
men. They have already been pro-
vided for. 1t is astonishing with these
stone floors how little one can hear
what goes on beneath. You have been
relieved of your command, and have
now only to think of yourself. May
ask what your name tsp
Il am Capt. Baumgarten, of the
Twenty-fourth Posen regiment
Your French is excellent, though
you incline, like most of your country
men, to turn the p into b. have
been amused to hear them cry: 'Avez
bite sur moiH You know, doubtless.
who it is who addresses you?"
The count of Chateau Noir"
Precisely. 1t would have been
misfortune if you had visited my
chateau and had been unable to have
a word with you. have had to do
with many German soldiers, but never
with an officer before. have much to
talk to you about"
Capt. Baumgarten sat still in his
chair. Brave as he was there was
something in this mans manner which
made his skin creep with apprehension.
His eyes glanced to right and to left,
but his weapons were gone, and in
struggle he saw that he was let a
child with this gigantic adversary.