The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-27

hours. Two battalions of the 135th will
| hold Courneuve; Admiral Saisset fius
+! cover the right flank with the sailor,
and fortify Drancy. Where's Colone
I Martin? Oh, well. Colonel, are YOU
under the guns of Aubervilliers? Is i
too. far? Where are those Bellevill'
carbineerS2"
.The Belleville carbineers ran," said
an officer, with a short, dry laugh.
There was a silence, then another
laugh.
IF / had my way I'd shoot this Flou-
rens." said General Bellemare, quietly
His glance fell on HARDWOOD and he
shrugged his shoulders.
M. Hardwood, / fear you will have
to wait before trying to pass the lines
1t appears we are to receive no aid
from Paris; we must rely on st. Denis
acco; to General Trochu.''
"B. said Hardwood. asto1nded
LIE Bourget is the key to st. Denis;
isn't it worth holding? 1t has been
won gallantly."
"Of course it's worth holding" broke
out General Hanrion, violently. Gen
eral Bellemare made a gesture of as
sent.
ut is the key to the Double Crown
battery" he said Surely they must
realize this in Paris. If l dared to
leave LIE Bourget-if 1 dared go myself
and persuade the governor"
He looked hard at Hanrion, who
nodded back at him.
st. Denis can't aid us now" cried
Colonel Lavoignet- Let them send us
a dozen batteries from Paris. Do they
expect us to annihilate the whole OF
the Prussian guard-royal? Let the
Uhlans go back and tell their king that
a handful of mobiles and faatassins
sent them packing"
Everybody moved uneasily. The
apathy of General Trochu disheartened
them. Here was a victory-the first
victory under the walls of Paris; and
now, when it was won, the governor
thought it scarcely worth the powder.
Yet LIE Bourget was the point of the
wedge with which the German lines
might be split. 1t pierced the very
center of the north zone of investment,
threatened the German eastern COM
munications, and finally assured st.
Denis and opened wider area of oper-
atoms for the army of Paris.
General Bellemare drew out the tele-
graphic dispatch from Paris and read
it again with knitted brows:
lie Bourget has no important bear
ing upon our line of defense, and is not
necessary to our general plan of opera
ton. TROCHU,
Governor of Paris"
What was the sombre Trochu dream
ing of? What dark chimera did he
follow, dreaming awake as he paced
the dim chambers of the war office?
'Messieurs.'' said General Bellemare,
sharply, call my escort. L leave for
Paris tomorrow
,ieoerar r.anrion stepped forward,
his face lighted with hope.
by Godi" he cried. the governor
shall listen now Or
"Or it will be too late said General
Bellernare, quietly. He stood a moment
watching the tattered mobile battalions
pressing YEARLY toward the Mollette.
The boyish soldiers turned their sad
white faces toward him. Some smiled,
some raised ragged arms in salute. A
little bugler sounded a fanfare, but he
was too exhausted to finish and hung
his head in shame, while a sergeant
scolded him to conceal the tears in his
own eyes. On every face the fine lines
of hunger drew lips tight and sharp
ened nose and cheekbone; in every eye
the last flicker. of hope had died; yet
they marched. turning their patient,
pallid faces to their general, who
watched them in siience-these men
who had conquered and who were now
left to die-because General Trochu
had "other plans."s At last. when they
had passed, General Bellemare turned
and walked slowly into the church, up
to the altar, holding his sword clasped,
cross on his medaled breast.
When he knelt, Hardwood stepped to
the church door and closed it.
There was sudden stiffness in LIE
Bourget.