Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-11-22
MY INVINCIBLE FOE.

MOuG dlerll uuQef Tenerdl NOel. We
had been shut UP inactive for several
days, and very trying it was, knowing,
as we did, that those cursed Germans
were making steady advance on our
beloved Paris. At last an order came
that reconnoitering party was to be
sent out in the direction of Longboyeau,
small village some six miles distant.
The prospect Of a possible skirmish
raised our spirits very considerably. No
one was more excited than myself, hear
ing, as did, shortly afterward that
was to be put in command.
We started the following morning at
break of day. For more than an hour
we tramped along with eyes and hear
ing alert, but saw no sign of the enemy
until we arrived at point where the
highroad branched off into innumerable
pathways through a large wood.
l had paused to consider which was
the most advisable route to follow
when | heard coming toward us the
sound of horses feet, the unmistakable
tramp, tramp Of cavalry.
1t was the work of moment for me
to post my men behind the shelter of a
hedge, and there we waited. Parbleu!
How my comrades eyes cleaned when
out Of the depths of the forest there filed
two by two some 20 Prussians, headed
by all officer l can shut my eyes and
see that young man now as, pausing,
he gave the word to advance in fours.
He was magnificently built young fell
low, with steely blue eyes and long, fair
mustache-a typical looking soldier.
God knows that during the last few
months enough French blood has been
spilled to make us all burn for venge-
ance. Nevertheless, as raised my mus
ket to my shoulder my hand shook. I
was not an old soldier in those days. /
had never shot any one before at such
close quarters, and this seemed to me-
almost like murder, for he was SO igno-
rant of all danger. Yet I knew it be-
hooved me to be steady, for they out
numbered us by some half dozen.
gave the signal, and we all fired i'll
unison, every bullet going straight
home. In the stampede of horses which
ensued only four out of the 20 of the
enemy escaped death, and they, unnerv-
ed by their loss, turned tail and gallop-
ed back into the depths Of the forest
Their leader lay his full length on the
ground, staring up into the cold winter
sky with wide open, rapidly glazing
eyes, one hand still grasping the bride
Of his charger. The poor beast stood
piteously looking down at his dead mas
ter. As tried to seize him he reared,
and in doing SO the corpse moved.
Could it be possible, asked myself,
that he was still alive?
Kneeling beside him, tried to force
some brandy down his throat, but found
it was useless. He was dead--stone
dead.
Some few days later, in one of our
many sorties, received slight scratch,
which was followed by a bad attack of
fever. On recovering a weeks leave
was granted me i'll which to recruit,
My regiment was at that time quarter
ed in Paris circumstance determin.
ed to take advantage Of in looking up
an old comrade who, | had heard, had
been badly wounded at Bondy.
My inquiries led me to the Val de
Grace ambulance, where found Legras.
The poor fellow was delighted at seeing
familiar face and I staid and talked
to him for some time. In his rambling
account Of how he had received his
wound my attention strayed to the oc-
cupants Of the other beds. One in par
ticular fascinated me. 1t was the inert
figure of man lying in cot facing
Legras'.
I asked Legras if he knew who the
poor fellow was. He answered in a tone
Of mingled pity and satisfaction:
"A Prussian officer. He was brought
in some two days ago. The doctors mar
vel how he has fingered for so long, but
they say now he is dying. The sooner
the better, say l. =
Hardly were the words out of Legras'
mouth when the sick lnan suddenly
raised himself, gave one choking sob
and fell backward. In that brief mo-
ment our eyes met. What I saw there
made me shrink back i'll my chair with
sense of bewilderment-Ima may say ter
ror. That motionless figure was the
same young German officer whom a
week ago had shot down with my own
hand on the road to Longboyeau.
Trembling like leaf, / bent over
him. He was dead. u
Before leaving learned what partic-
ulars I could. He was a Prussian officer
who had been mortally wounded when
leading the attack on the neighboring
village of Bondy.
This information restored my nerves
somewhat to their proper balance, or, to
say more truthfully, tried to think it
did. OF course it could only have been o
chance resemblance, and yet
But in those days one had little lei
sure in which to puzzle out mysteries
Following this event came the battle Of
Montretout.
1t had rained almost necessarily the
night before, and the early morning
gave no promise Of any cessation Of the
heavy showers which had fallen for the
previous four and twenty hours. The
fog and vapors Of drifting rain were 20