Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1898-06-03

NeNofFnrlCfF tno sbOWel IctleI Y brave
little woman. For an instant she glanced
belplessly around tho room. Truly there
were few hiding places ~ tho little cot
taRo. Then her eyes fell on the large
baking oven. aud her busy lisllo brain
found q way out Of tho difficulty. She
quickly babe tho frauo-tirour get inside
the oven, and then she llled it with the
loose FACETS.
Scarcely was her work finished when
she beard q LOUD knocking at tho door,
and q Prussian officer entered. He stop
pod abashod when no saw only the little
maid before him. Perhaps the thought
Of some little girl hat no had left be-
hind in the fatherland an G to his mind,
for tho look in his eyes was quite gen.
tie, and his voice trembled in spite Of
himself when he spoke.
ave saw II man enter this house just
now, " he said. TELL nc, my little
maid. where no is"
In the moment, while sho was wait.
ing for him to speak. Mario had time TO
collect her wits aud to reflect that the
man did not look like such a monster
after all Now she replied readily:
"A MANI Oh, yes, a soldier just came
in mere and left that, pointing to an
old musket Of her fathers which stood
in q corner of tho room; hut he is gone
now" she added
She carefully related to tho Prussians
how the franc-tireur had taken the path
that led from tho rear Of the cottage to
the forest.
Tho girl answered his questions so
readily that it was hard for the officer
to suspect her Of deceiving him, but no
ordered his men to make q thorough
search of the cottage. They looked in
closets and cupboards and rummaged
the loft. one of the men in passing
opened the oven door aud glanced in.
flarie's heart almost ceased beating,
hut she gavo no sign of her alarm. See
ing nothing but tho heap of fagots, the
man closed the door. Marie could hard.
ly keep from heavilg q sigh Of relief.
IL seemed in her own mind that she
must give a shout Of joy. as they were
preparing to leave ono Of the men asked:
"Shall we not fire the cottage?"
1t was the usual rule when a peasant
was suspected of barboriug a franc-tirour
to burn his cottage as Il lesson to him
and Il warming to all others, but Mnrie's
winsome manner had touched the Off
GERS heart, aud the. questioner received
q curt, almost savage "Nol'
Marie watched the Prussians ride
away, and when they wer9 all ont Of
sight she let Captain Charles out Of his
narrow hiding place. Ho had heard NIL
that passed in the cottage, aud he kissed
Mario and called her a brave girl. Then
he departed by the road opposite to that
which the Prussians had taken, to join
his men at their meeting place in the
forest.
Marie was tho pride Of her parents
and tho heroine Of the town when her
story was made known. And in tue
depths Of the forest, when tho franc
tirlurs gathered about their campfire and
their leader told Of his narrow escape
and tho bravery Of the little peasant
girl, each man lifted his canteen and
enthusiastically drank to tho health ard
prosperity of Marie Durct.
The landlady of the little vine cover.
ed inn at Bois-le-Duo tells this story tc
every stranger who visits tho place
And if one is inquisitive enough to asl
what afterward became Of the franc
tireur and tho peasant gil she will IN
fold her hands and say:
"JCst walk mp to yonder brick house
on tho hill and ask for II. 10 Muire AUD
his good wife. There you will find Cap
tain Charles and lis brave Marie.''-
Earl Mayo in Cincinnati Commercial
Tribune.