Rocky Ford enterprise., 1895-02-21

amazement. 1.-THE chevalier? He is
not dealp"
Woful beyond measure, in its utter
misery and self-reproach, was the
look upon the Germans face as he re-
piled:
"Yes, monsieur. killed him."
Thunder-struck and horror stricken,
the doctor shook off the others touch,
and sprang to his feet.
you killed the chevalier? Do you
mean it? Grand Dieu, it is too hor-
rible! How? how?"
In broken accent the German told
his story-as he had told it overnight
to Blanche, but more clearly and in
fuller detail. He described the in
cident of the surprise, OF the cutting
down of Gavrolles, of the scene
enacted afterward in the moonlight,
when the dying man committed the
medallion to his enemy's care. DR..
Huet who had known the chevalier
well and esteemed him above most
men, listened in simple horror.
ut is we'll for you," he exclaimed,
when the other had finished, "that
did not know this before. reproach
myself now that you were not suffered
to die like dog. 1t is horrible-it is
infamous! Even yet, when the truth
becomes known to the people, will
not answer for your life."
"My life is nothing, monsieur" re-
turned the sick man, with groan. II
set no store by it, God knows, save
for the sake of those whom l have
left at home. 1t would have been
better, perhaps, if l had died last
night"
But DR.. Huet stayed to hear no
more. With cry, almost Of impreca-
ton, he rushed from the room. In
the lobby he came face to face with
the old dame.
"Oh, monsieur, will you come to
my young mistressP have just been
to her room, and I have found her
lying there like one distracted. am
sure she has not slept all night, and
she talks so strangely"
Greatly excited, Huet accompanied
the woman to the chamber, and there,
stretched upon the bed, her face worn
with weeping, her hair disheveled,
he found Blanche lying. Her eyes
were open, but she seemed to see
nothing; only at intervals, with
strange monotony and regularity, she
gave vent to that terrible moan with
which she had heard the Germans
tale overnight. The doctor bent over
her. and spoke to her, but she did not
seem to heed. Then, as he placed his
finger upon her pulse, his face
darkened with ominous concern.
at is cerebral fever" he cried.
"Look. she is quite unconscious. Poor
child, poor child! 1t is fortunate that
1 came here"
Under Huet's instructions, Blanche
was undressed and put into bed by the
old d me, who wept freely at her
task, for Blanche seemed to her
almost like her own child. Returning
to her chamber, the doctor found the
poor girl lying with the same fixed
look and uttering the same weary
means. Clad in her white night
dress, with her silken hair falling
around her face and setting it in a
golden frame. she looked strangely
beautiful.
"Heavenly powers!" he murmured
to himself. What fatality! The
man who killed her father, and
the fathers heart-broken child, both
lying under the same roof-his roof
and under my care. 1t makes my
head swim to think of it. Well, with
Gods help. will save her if can" :"
Fortunately, the good doctor had
both skill and experience; and more
over, the information he had re-
ceived enabled him to determine the
character of the girls ailment. There
could be no doubt that it was, as he
had rapidly diagnosed ut the first, a
kind of brain-fever, brought on by
the excitement and horror of the
previous night. He ordered the room
to be darkened, and dispatched q
message to the village for some neces-
sary remedies.
As to the cause of SO sad business,
he determined to keep his own counsel.
..After ALL" he reflected, ait was
one of the accidents of war. Such
things take place every day, and it is
only the complication which brought
the man here that makes the affair SO
horrible. If old Hubert and the others
knew the truth, they would give the
fellow short shrift, I'm afraid; and
though l could find it in my own
heart to kill him myself, that would
never do"
He walked back to the chamber
where he had left the wounded man,
who, as he entered, looked up wildly,
and exclaimed:
"Monsieur, have you seen herP For
PHYS sake, tell me of her! The
thought OF what she must suffer is
wringing my heart"
.'She is unconscious" replied Huet,
between his set teeth, frowning and
drawing back from the others OUT
stretched hands. "You killed the
father, AMI fear you have destroyed
the child. 1 uoubt If she will ever
recover"
Giving great sob, the German
turned his face away and covered it
with his trembling hands.
CHAPTER XIV.
The Germans.
While these things were taking
place at the chateau, the surrounding
district continued in q panic of ex-