Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-01-08

NO, must go, he insisted, brac-
ing himself with an effort; but his
strength gave ont as he said it, aud he
reeled into her arm. She supported
him into tho obscure cellar and laid
him among the bundles OF straw.
Then she returned to the dwelling
room. Now that he was no longer
there she could act. She took the
flag, broke the staff over her knee and
threw the pieces into the fire. Next
she hid the gun under pile OF fag-
gots iu the corner. Then pouring
some vinegar and water in bowl,
she told the child to be good and not
make noiso and went to attend to
her wounded husband.
Yyonnette continued to play with
her doll, but her attention was at
tracted to strip of tue Aag which the
flames had respected. 1t was a piece
Of white silk with feur de lys en-
bossed in gold upon it. She drew it
out of the embcrs with a cry OF de-
light, and setting her doll upon her
kneo was engaged in pinning the silk
upon it in the shape OF dress when
the door opened and big, fierce,
white moustached soldier in blue
tunic, white breeches and high gai-
ters entered. He was sergeant of
grenadiers of the Republic.
He glanced around the room aud at
once noticed that the gun rack was
empty.
lone of those wolves who have
been pcppering us from ambush evil
IDENTIFY lives here" he muttered.
There's gun missing. A thousand
thunders! If we catch any of the ras-
Gals they will get short shrift and no
ceremony.
He tore aside the curtains of
the bed, peered around and sud-
denly caught sight of Yvonnette,
who, not in the least concerned went
on dressing her doll.
Tue savage expression OF his face
softened into tender smile aud he
went towards her.
"What shame to leave her all
alone in that house at such time MS
this" he muttered. He bent, took
her in his arms and kissed her.
Whats your name, little doar?" ne
asked.
"Yvonnettc, replied the child.
"Why, I've got little Yvonnette,
too, just like you, and three little
boys as we'll, /" he said, and the recol-
lection OF his little brood in Paris
brought the tears into the soldiers
eyes.
AT that instant he noticed the silk
on the doll and the hard, fierce ex-
preston returned to his face again.
"Where did you get that?' he ex-
claimed harshly, dropping the child
and seizing the stuff.
"There," said Yvonnette, half
frightened at his change of manner,
pointing to the fire.
He rushed to the hearth, drew some
of the half burnt pieces of tho flag
staff from the flames. with piece of
scorched silk, and recognized them.
"Who do these belong to?" he
went on.
"To papa"
"Where is your papa?"
"There, said Yyonnette, pointing
to the door.
'I've got one of them at last"
growled the sergeant savagely, seising
his gun. "And if don't fill him with
lead enough to sink him to the bottom
of the sea inside of two minutes, my
names not Laderoute.
He strobe to the cellar door and
shook it. 1t was bolted on the inside,
and still further enraged he raised
his rifle and was about to splinter the
frail partition with the butt end OF the
weapon when he heard sound that
made him turn his head.
Without realizing the danger her
father was in, but instinctively fright
ened by the gestures of the grenadier
Yvonnette had burst out crying.
The sergeant looked at her and low
cred his gun, aud guilty flush suf-
fused his face.
81 kissed her a moment ago and
now l was going TO kill her father"
he muttered. 'Laderoute, you're a
blanked, blnnked, blankety- -blanked
cuss. That's what you are"
He hastily gathered up the incrim-
mating debris of the f,g and piled the
embers upon them. As he did SO a
company of soldiers marched up to
the house. Sergeant Laderoute took
Yyonette on his arm and stood in the
doorway to prevent them from enter
ing.
mo one here but this little lady,"
he said. Right about fnce-march !"
Then he kissed the child. "For my
own little Yvonnette's sake" he mur-
INJURED. Goodbye. sweetheart" and
putting her down. closed the door
aud hurried after his comrades.
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