The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-01-30
,mportops-va. 70 be sent to the French

important--was to be sent to the French
headquarters
managed somehow that Eustase bad
entrance 10 the chateau, and you may Tan.
cy what Joy there was when "a mere and
the pretty Agnes found out who was the
elderly pigeon merchant who had brought
the birds for the kitchen. Such informa.
ton as E,stase obtained he wrote and put
In quill and attached it to the pigeon, and
think mademoiselle herself carried it to
the upper window Of the chateau and let
1t fly, and the bird winged her way right
over the forest. And now Eustase said to
Agnes, "YOu have won for me the cross
and my epaulets." But just then they
heard a shot
That evening Girls Lapin came to my
place and told him about his son and he
could hardly believe me. And us we were
talking together in low voice we heard
the sound of military party-tramp,
tramp, tramp-and behol6 there came
along at the double an armed guard Of
Psussans with prisoner in the middle
Of them, his hands tied behind him, rs
pale as death, with strange glazed look
in the eyes. "That is a poor fellow whom
they have caught sending messages to our
army by carrier pigeon, heaven bless
him." somebody said. And at that Girls
Lapin staggered forward and threw him
self among the soldiers with a loud cry,
while the prisoner turned his head FMon
PEREZ" he cried, springing toward him as
well as no could but the soldiers urged
him along with their bayonets and drove
away Girls Lapin with blows, and he fell
backward among us more dead than alive.
1t twas terrible! The young man was to
be shot. The countess and Mile Agnes
were to be sent out of France. The pigeon
which had been shot had told the whole
story. That evening Girls Lapin came to
see me. l tried to comfort him, but he
babe me hold my tongue, for that knew
nothing about the matter. "That might
be-" / said "but know this much-that
\if I knew the traitor who had betrayed
him would do my best to strangle him
with these two hands of mine" At this
Girls Lapin dashed mt me, tearing the wrap
per from his brawny throat "Do you say
SO? Then strangle me- for am the traitor!'
He had shot the pigeon and had taken
1t to the Prussians and sold it for 90 francs
with the little burden it carried Eyes, I
have sold my sons life,' he groaned.
"Well, am going away-I am going to
take charge of mademoiselle and my wife
They need never know" looking Mt me
ficrcely. NO." said, they need never
know-nor anybody else, for that matter.
should not betray you" "You will not
bctray me-" repeated Girls Lapin, "but
you will not touch hands upon that"
NO." l said, drawing back, II will not"
At that his mood changed and he flung
himself into the operating chair and bado
me light my lamp and shave his beard. In
new country he would be n new man,
And indeed he looked new man with
his gray beard taken off and his hair short
cned-a much younger man, for his hair
was still black, or only specked with gray.
When l had finished, he muffcd up his
face, saying with bitter laugh that it
would not do to take n chill. And now"
he said 81 am promised ten minutes with
my son. 1t will be pleasant interview,
don't you think" with u hollow laugh
that made my blood run cold. And before
daylight tomorrow" he continued, II
shall be far away from here and We shall
never meet again. viii you not touch
handsY" my friend" 1 said, "may
heaven forgive you, but cannot take your
hand" And Girls Lapin turned away and
was lost to sight in the darkness
I slept soundly enough that night, for
whatever peoples troubles may be one
must work and work brings the need of
repose, but just before daybrcak | was
aroused by the soldiers who were billeted
upon me turning out. ! got up to sec
what was the matter, when Il sergeant,
catching sight of me, made signs to me in
a rough, authoritative way to take up
spade and follow him. | turned sick at |
what was going to happen but these were
people not be trihed with, and marched |
away to the forest with the rest.
1t was in this little clearing monsieur,
where the firing party was drawn up, with
one solitary figure stripped to his shirt
standing before them. l flung myself
down on the ground and buried my face
in the moss, and the volley rang out
loud and clear. And then the firing party
marched off, and | was left with the ser
gcant, who was carelCssly pacing up and !,
down, and who mOtioned to me to dig the
grave But first | went up to the body to
close the eyes that wero staring wildly,
with, l fancy, solAo little consciousness
still left In then. But the face was quite
different from what l cxpccted--with the
marks of my own razor upon it, and
cash that | made in my agitation the night
before! 1t was the face Of Girls Iapn.
All how pressed his hand and ! fnnciCd
that the numbcd fingers fcebly returned
the pressure His crime was cxpiatcd he
might rest in peace. And, ma fol, | should
like to lie here myself with the sound of
the aX in the distance and tho wood pi-
gcons cooling. But that is all folly, for
when we are dead, what matters?
Mind, do not believe for n moment
that the young man thought that he had
left his father to die. He could not think |
it possible that they should shoot one man |
for another Nor would they have done SO
but for the rusC Of Girls Lapin in having
his well known beard taken off. But, |
anyhow the young man escaped, and the |
guard did not recognize the change And |
perhaps he does not know to this day, for
when the war WINS over mono could say
what had become Of Girls Lapin. And l
also held my peace, for | thought that such
would be the wish of my old cOmladc.
But NJ. Eustase got his crauets after
all, and in the end lie comic guve his per-
mission that he should marry Mile. Agnes.
And madame, who was at first very angry,
was ai,erward rcconcilcd, and when she |
dicd-both she and lie comtc arc now
d2ad-shc left the bulk of her fortune to
the young couple. And so the little Eus.
tase is now NJ. de BlCnville md hunts the
forest like grand SCignCur, but some Of
us remember that, after all, he is the son
Of Girls Lapin. ALI the Year Round.