The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-09-14
MARIE
AND THE AMERICAN.

49, AKA CPPCGGC4 q b46 S4E&6 VI
Louisburg, June 1745, stepped ashore
the from shattered wreck, he was so tall
and straight it was no wonder he won
Marie's heart. Two days tossing on
the rough Atlantic had braced his
nerves and bronzed his cheeks; the ex
citemsnt of his strange landing had
made his blue eyes CLEAN; and, besides,
there was the uniforml
From this Marie could scarcely with
draw her gaza. The blue coat was in
deed faded, its lace furnished beyond
repair, the very hat bedraggled from
the sea; yet all thrilled the little Acadz
lenne with q nameleas spell. In q
pleasurable trance she watched him
move along, noting the roughly men
ded sword cuts in the dull blue cloth
and the bullet holes in his wonderful
three cornered hat. One of these lat
ter perplexed her greatly. It was ex-
actly above the forehead, and so low
that the shot must have penetrated the
brain-whicn was manifeetly inpossi
BILE.
Adams, meanwhile, was advancing
up the path from the beach in a tur-
MOL of thought that made him oblivi.
Gus to everything save his disaster.
At each step the despatch belt chatting
his waist reminded him Of his mission.
Ere now he should have been half
way to Boston with his tidings of the
fall o. Louisburg, instead Of which he
found himself h~elplessly stranded on
the iron coast of Nova Scotia. It was
at this juncture he collided with
Marie.
81 beg you to forgive me. monsieur"
said a woman's voice in tones Of dis
tress.
Adams drew back with a laugh She
was so youthful and petite, with aver
hair and wistful black eyes, that her
discontinue amused him.
1T was my fault" he answered in
French, dof1ng his hat. ST should
have been looking"
The girl waved her hand in token of
dss3nt-a rough but tiny hand, as he
idly noticed-ard cried breathle6sly:
1T lis about the bullet in front of the
nat, monsieur! Why did it not kll9
With another laugh Adams resumed
his battered head covering. He was
in a dilemma Rs to his future progress,
with his dispatches giving him unpleas
ant reminders, yet, for the life Of him,
ne could not have forborn bis merri
ment. The setting sun was behind
her when she spoke, and her eyes
were wonderful wells OF still blackness
In the shadow. So he eaid slowly, II
YES waving our men forward at the
landing by Louisburg, medemoiselle.
The bullet went through it then"
You ore brave, said the girl, softly.
Adams, who above all things hated
compliments, shrugged bis shoulders
without replying. Then he turned on
his heel, and stood beside her, survey
ing the scene below.
The little cave c'eft in the rocky
coast was still a-q1ivering from the
storm. On an eminence on one side
were a dczen scattered houses from
which a constant stream Of kerchiefed
women assembled to the shattered cor
vette upon the beach. In the west the
sun was setting, 80 that the wreck was
already In shadow. Adams thought
r~emorsefully of the men the sea had
swallowen the day before; and
then, by a natural sequence, he thought
of the one it hRd spared.
His position, as he surveyed it, was
none too ~reassuring. He vas alone in
a settlement of French Acadians, with
the sun going down.. He carried de
spatches telling Of a great victory, de-
spatches Governor Shirley, Of Massa
chusetts must soon see-and there was
no means Of advance. Besides this,
the still procession Of women to the
wreck, the strange raising Of their
hands ae they stood before it, and their
equally silent return, all perplexed
him.
And to be perplexed in such 3 situa-
ton is to be vaguely alarmed.
From these fancies Marie aroused
him. you are brave" che said, nod
ding as she repeated her former re-
mark. IAN your c~ountrymen are
brave"
What have we done to make you
think so8" he asked, his eyes still upon
the wreck beloW.
GGV~,, Eoryo EnBo~ oy1SgHr,~Cn ~ enS1
the girl in regretful tones. Your un
taught soldiers have beaten the kings
best troops. Our flag goes downs it