Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-08-13

1X
TURNING UPON ME THEY BRANDIsHEp
THEIR KNIVES.
weapons which distinguished his fol-
lowers, but on the contrary he wore a
good broadcloth coat like respectable
father of family, and save his brown
leggings there was nothing to indicate
life among the mountains His sur
roundings, too, corresponded with him
self, and beside his snuff box upon the
table there stood great brown book,
which looked like a commercial ledger,
Many other books were ranged along n
there was a great litter of papers, some
of which had verses scrubbed upon
them. All this l took in while he,
leaning indolently back in his chair,
was listening to the report of his lieu
tenant. Having heard everything he
ordered the cripple to be carried out
again, and | was left with only three
guards waiting to hear my fate. He
took up his pen and, tapping his fore
head with the handle of it, he pursed
mp his lips and looked out CT thu corner
of his eyes at the roof OF the grotto.
81 suppose" said he at last, speaking
very excellent French, shat you are
not able to suggest rhyme for the
word Covilha."
l answered that my acquaintance
with the Spanish language was SO
limited that l was unable to oblige
him.
ut is very rich language" said he,
"but less prolific in rhymes than either
the German or the English. That is
why our best work has been done in
blank verse, form of literature which,
as l need not remind Frenchman, is
capable of reaching great heights But
l fear that such subjects are somewhat
outside the range of hussar"
was about to answer that if they
were good enough for guerrilla they
could not be too much for the light
cavalry, but he was already STOPPING
over his half-fnished verse Presently
he threw down the pen with an ex-
clamation OF satisfaction and detained
few lines which drew cry of ap-
proval from the three ruffians who held
me. His broad face blushed like
young girl who receives her first COM
pliment.
"The critics are in my favor, it ap-
pears" said he. eve amuse ourselves
in our long evenings by singing our
own ballads, you understand; l have
some little facility in that direction
and do not at all despair of seeing
some of my poor efforts in print before
long, and with Madrid upon the title
page too. But we must get back to
business. May ask what your name
is?"
"Etienne Gerard"
"Rank?"
Colonel"
CORPSE"
"The Third hussars."
You are young for a colonel"
my career has been an eventful one"
Tut, that makes it the sadder," said
he, with his bland smile.
l.
to show him by my bearing that 1 was
ready for the very worst which could
befall me.
by the way, rather fancy that we
have had some of your corps here" said
he, turning over the pages of his big,
brown register. ''We endeavor to keep
record of our. operations. Here is
heading under June "a. Have you not
a young officer named Soubiron, tall,
slight youth with light hair2"
Certainly"
81 see that we buried him upon that
date"
Poor ladl" 1 cried. "And how did
he dep"
1--WE buried him."
"But before you buried him?"
"You misunderstood, colonel, he was
not dead before we buried him"
CHAPTER III.
"You buried him alive?" For q mo-
ment was too stunned to act. Then 1
hurled myself upon the man, as he sat,
with that placid smile of his upon his
lips, and would have torn his throat
out had the three wretches not dragged
me away from him. Again and again
/ made for him, painting and cursingS
shaking off this man and that, straln4
ing and wrenching, but never quite
free. At last, with my jacket nearly
torn off my back and the blood dripping |
from my wrists, l was hauled back
wards in the blight of rope and cords
passed around my ankles and my
arms.
"You sleek hound" cried 'If ever
1 have you at my swordspoint will |
teach you to maltreat one of my lads. |
You will find, you bloodthirsty beast,