The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-08-10

depressed the most exuberant of the
marines. Fascinated, yet Mortified,
Gaspard watched their 1.-THE dark
their arms above their heads in ges-
lures of wild grief and wept over
their dead. One of the women, who
was crouched beside the body of fine
young warrior, turned upon Gaspard
as he passed and spat at him, uttering
words which from her manner of de-
livering them, seemed to be curses.
Gaspard looked at the woman; he
met the full gaze of her eyes of ha-
tired, of savage agony and savage love,
and he flung down his rifle with a
clatter and marched on.
''Private Meudon, what means this?"
shouted Sergeant Croix. go, pick
up your rihel"
81 shall not use it again, sergeant.
Look at that woman!'
"What have the black cattle to do
with you? You have done your duty;
1T is enough. Pick up your rifle'
Gaspard strobe on and never an
swered, and so the sergeant picked up
the rifle himself and reported Private
Meudon to the lieutenant, and the
culprit was sent for.
''Do you know what you deserve?"
asked Lieutenant Vallon, who was a
kindly man. although a severe disci-
plinarian, and who had no wish to be
severe with man who had fought his
first battle CALAMITY.
Gaspard was silent.
"Death is the punishment, haz-
arded the lieutenant. He had no exact
knowledge of what the punishment
was for such unprecedented behavior.
Clearly, however, Gaspard had been
guilty of disob dience of orders while
in an enemy's country.
Gaspard was unmoved. It was evil
dent to the officer that this man wns
no coward, and to he tried to reason
with him.
"You must have had some motive
for throwing away your rifle. Come,
out with it, my lad!"
81 have killed men," The words
came out slowly, reluctantly, and Lieu
tenant Vallon laughed outright at the
answer.
"And what do you suppose y,u'
rifle was given to you, for? To light
a fire with, eh?"
'Th,y are murdered! Their wives
and children are broken-hearted. /
know It'll"
''You know nothing, you fooli
These black pigs do not value your
life so much as you value your cigar.
If You hadn't killed them they'd have
killed you
"rhen I would have died without
being murderer. In taking the lives
of men | have lost my own soul"
''Pouf! I'll absolve you, mon en-
fant!"
''It is impossible, lieutenant"
"What?"-the officer was angry at
the mans obstinacy now. "What?
Speak to your officer like that! Here,
sergeant, put this imbecile under ar
rest! We haven't any cells, but do
your best to make him feel what
fool he is"
The sergeant grinned intelligently
aud marched the prisoner off to q hut
and placed guard at the door. The
hut was filthy and the air foul, but
there Gaspard had to remain, thirsty
and restless and silent, until the guard
was relieved, and then he asked for
water.
";5ergeant's orders are that you are
to have none until you recover your
senses, comrade. Come, be man."
was the sentinels reply
81 am mani" Gaspard said proud
ly, and he waited without complaint
until morning, when the sergeant
fetched him and marched him to the
lieutenant.
"Well, prisoner, are you going to
do your duty?" asked the officer.
81 cannot kill" was the hoarse re-
ply, and the swollen tongue and the
cracked purple lips told what agony of
thirst the man had endured.
every well," said the lieutenant,
edo with him as you suggest, SER
geant."
Prisoner! Right about face!
March!" cried the sergeant, and, joined
by the guard at the door, they marched
to q stake that had been set up in the
village street, and Gaspard was bound
to it.
There, in the burning rays Of the
sun, half-crazed with the heat and the
longing for water, Gaspard remained
until late in the afternoon. Then the
sergeant approached him, bearing in
his hand flask of water and cup,
into which he poured some OF the
cool liquid, raising the flask high SO
that the water fell into the cup with
the sound that there is no forgetting.
Gaspard's eyes ,glared at it wolfishly,
but his lips and tongue were so swollen
that he could not utter sound.
"Private Meudon, will you obey or
ders?" asked the sergeant.
| The poor scorched head nodded as
sent, and the mouth moved feebly; the
sergeant poured little of the water
between Gaspard's lips, and he tried
to swallow 1t. Then, in moment,
his eyes frightened, and he opened
his mouth for more and swallowed II
and mpmb'el that he wanted still