The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-25

/ ing gesture, Il started to iook-and
quite by accident, mademoiselle, 1 met
some fTiends-but I was not stealingr
! he whined, giancing furtively around
no indeed, 1 stole nothing, as the
/ others did. You will tell NJ. Bourke
that You will tell NJ. Bourke 1 was
not pillaging houses"
Where is NJ. Harewood?" inter-
rupted Hide.
Il was going to tell you" said the
Mouse, submissiveIy. Il was going
/ ing TO tell mademoiselle that NJ. Hare
wood is in the classmates of the Nan
terre fort-very sick since they cut the
/ bullet out. And it is quite true l was
not pillaging. God is my witness. l
have never stolen a PIN
He looked obliquely at Yolette,
snfvelled a little. hitched his tattered
I trousers, and shifted.
Twice Hide Strove to speak, but her
I colorless lips scarcely moved. Yolette
put one arm around her and turned to
the Mouse.
What message have you for NJ,
/ Bourke?" she asked. Did Mr.. Hare
wood not send q messenger
Yes" said the Mouse. she wants
to see him. 1t was not until last night
that those sacre Prussians gave me a
chance to leave the fort. We have
been there since LIE Bourget, when
Monsieur was shot as he left the
church"
He did not add that he had half car
ried, half dragged Hardwood across
the MOllette under a frenzied fusillade
from the Prussian pickets. He was a
coward as towards 90; his very fe-
rocity proved it. Yet he had instinc-
lively chung to Hardwood when a bull
let through the leg knocked him
sprawling: he had hauled him out of
the Prussian fire, much as a panther
hauls its young from a common
danger. with no reason in the world
that human minds could fathom,
totally unconscious that he deserved
credit. The Mouse had received Hare
woods thanks with ennui, if not sus-
picion, and now it never occurred to
him TO say that he had saved Hare
woods life, although, like most
criminals, he was a keen appreciation
of the dramatic. No-what occupied
the meagre brain of the Mouse was the
fear that Bour1e might return and
learn from Hide and Yolette that he,
the Mouse, had been looting.
He looked sideways at Yolette, who
was leading Hide to the bedroom. He
listened stupidity to the paroxysms of
grief when Hide flung herself on the
bed. That was all very confusing,
but what would Bourke say?' He look
ed down at his blackened hands. at
the bludgeon still gripped in one bleed
ing fist, evidences of his share in the
riotous nights work.
''AIince je me -sauver he blurted out.
and at the same moment he saw Red
Riding Hood staring at him from the
sofa.
e-"What are you making eyes at
helm ?" he demanded. sullenly. Per
haps you are going to say 1 was pill
laying houses
The child. seized with fit of shiver-
ing, covered against the wall. drawing
her feet in under her nightdress
The Mouse regarded her fiercely,
twirling bis bludgeon between his
blackened fingers. Then, apparently
satisfied that she was too terrified to
sightless eye. put the bludgeon in his
pocket and started toward the door.
Before he went out he hesitated. TIE
sight of the frightened child seemed to
exercise a certain fascination for him.
He looked back. frowning, just TO see
whether il would frighten her a little
more. 1t did; but. strangely enough,
her fear gave him no qualification.
..Voyons, petite do l scare your" he
asked curiously.
YES whispered the child a curious
sensation. an unaccustomed thrill.
something that had never come over
him before, sent the blood tingling in
the Mouse's large ears. He peered at
the child narrowly.
Don't look Ike that he said, for
I amt going to hurt YOU !
The child was silent.
You're cold" said the Mouse, with |
a strange sinking of the heart
Yes; and the Shells"