Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-30

front, while sat gnawing my fingers and
tearing my hair, and even, as l must con-
TESS. weeping from time to time as
thought Of my hussars and the deplorable
condition in which they must find them
selves when deprived of their colonel. I
was not brigadier yet, you understand,
although I already carried myself like one.
But I was the youngest colonel In the
whole service, and my regiment was wife
and children to me. 1t went to my heart
that they should be bereaved. 1t is true
that Nillaret, the senior major, was an ex-
cellent soldier, but still even among the
best there are degrees of merit.
All. that happy July day Of which
speak when first limped to the door and
stood in the golden Spanish sunshine! 1t
was but the evening before that 1 had
heard from the regiment. They were at
Pastores, On the other side of the noun
tains. face to face with the English-not
to get to them? The same thrust which
had pierced my ankle had slain my charg
err. I took advice from Gomez. the land
lord, and from an old priest who had slept
that night in the inn, but neither of them
could do more than assure me that there
was not so much as colt left upon the
whole country side The landlord would
not hear Of my crossing the mountains
without an escort, for he assured me that
Ell Cuchillo. the Spanish guerrilla chief,was
out that way with his band, and that 1t
meant a death by torture to fall into his
hands. The old priest observed, however,
that he did not think a French hussar
would be deferred by that. and if had had
any doubts they would, of course, have
been decided by his remark.
But a horse, How was I to get one? I
was standing in the doorway plotting and
planning when heard the clink of shoes,
and looking up saw great bearded man
with blue cloak frogged across In mil
itary fashion coming toward me. He was
riding big black horse with one white
stocking on his near foreleg
"'Hullo, comrader' said I, as he came up
to me.
II am Col. Gerard of the hussars," said
I. Il have lain here wounded for month
and am now ready to rejoin my regiment
at PastoreS."
IT am NJ. Vidal of the commissariat," he
answered. land I am myself upon my way
to Pastores. I should be glad to have your
mountains are far from safe"
"Alasv said ], Il have no horse. But If
you will sell me yours will promise that
an escort of hussars shall be sent back for
you"
He would not hear of 1t. and it was in
vain that the landlord told him dreadful
stories Of the doings of Ell Cuchilo and
that pointed out the duty which he owed
the army and to the country. He would
not even argue, but called loudly for cup
of wine / craftily asked him to dismount
and to drink with me, but he must have
seen something in my face, for he shook
his head. and then as I approached him
with some thought of Selling him by the
leg he jerked his heels into his horses
tanks and was off in cloud Of dust.
My faith, it was enough to make a man
mad to see this fellow riding away so gaily
to join his beef barrels and his brandy
casks, and then to think of my five hundred
beautiful hussars without their leader 1
was gazing after him with bitter thoughts
In my mind when who should touch me on
the elbow but the little priest whom have
mentioned.
ut is 1 who can help you," said he. II
am myself travelling SOUTH"
I put my arms about him and as my
ankle gave way at the same moment we
nearly rolled upon the ground together.