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

Mouse. waving his club. You neve
mind the shells; they won't hurt you
Now are you afraid of me, little one?''
No" sighed the child. A glow o
pleasure suffused the Mouse's ear
again. Then he felt ashamed, the
he looked at the child, then h
wondered why he should take pleasur
in telling the little thing not to b
afraid. For a while they contemplate
each other in silence; len the chill
said: When you We're in the ru
d'Ypres l used 10 make you split wood
Do you remember?
Yes" said the Mouse, much graft
fed
And you were afraid of the lion.
pursued Red Riding Hood.
Dame muttered the Mouse, i an
! afraid vet"
The child laughed-such a sad. THU
little laugh. The Mouse, TO please her
made an awful grimace and winke'
with his sightless. eye.
/ VIII you stay with US now?' asked
the child.
The innocent question completely up
set the Mouse: the idea that he wa!
wanted anywhere, the sensation OF pro
! tecting anything was so new. so utteri,
astonishing that even his habitual sus
picion was carried away in the over
whelming novelty of the proposition.
Red Riding Hood rose from the sofa
went to the bed and climbed in tAe'
| turned graVely to the Mouse.
Don't let anything harm US, sh'
said Good night
For a long time the Mouse stood an6
| stared al the pale little face on ths
] pillow There We're blue circles under
! the closed eyes; the clustering black
hair cast shadows over the hollow
temples. The exhaustion from hunger
I Gle -
tired lids. Even when Yclette and
Hide came in the child did not wake
I'm going to stay" said the Mouse
sullenly IF the shells come the little
girl will be frightened"
As he spoke ne furtively felt for some
purloined silver forks that filed one
pocket, found them still there, glanced
maliciously at Yolette and coughed
gently.
Where is the Nanteree fort!" asked
Hide, family.
The Mouse explained in a weird
whisper, apparently much relieved that
nobody offered 10 examine his pockets
rs he all alone?" said Hide.
"Parbleu, There's not much society
in the classmates" observed the Mouse
mo. nor many surgeons to spare.
I'm going back TO him tomorrow" He
said it indifferently; he might have
of his life. but risks We're too common
at that time to occupy the attention
of even such a coward as the Mouse
Wherever he went there were shells
and bullets and bayonets now. and 1t
mattered little whether they We're
French or Prussian.
He boldly ratified the silver forks in
his pocket, leered, pulled his cap low
er, for the reflection of the flames an
IL,
"A la guerre CONNIE la guerre, mes
DANES"
At the same moment hurried steps
sounded on the landing. Yolette opened
the door and Bourke entered.
When he saw Yolette and Hide he
could not speak at first.
Don't, don't" sobbed Yolette. I'VE
are all safe-all of us II was you that
] feared for. Oh, if you knew, if you
knew"
I was in the rue d'Ypres." stam-
mered Bourke THE shells rained On
the ramparts, and 1 ran to the Prince
Murat barracks. l never dreamed they
were Smelling this part of the city until
somebody said the Luxembourg had
been struck. Then l came. Yolette,
look at mel Good God, what a fool
wasr'
She chung around his neck, smiling
and weeping, telling him she should
never again let him go away. Hide
was silent. The Mouse fidgeted by the
door. The child slept
Then Hide spoke of HARDWOOD, of his
message sent by the Mouse. Yolette
cried out that she could not let Cecil
go away again, and Bourke, devoured
by anxiety, questioned the Mouse until
that young bandits mind was a hope
less chaos.
You can't ask him to go. Hide"
implored her sister. oh how can you
ask Cecil to go to the forts, when you
know what they are doing out there?
l can't let him go-I cannot.'
IF jim is not in danger. I can go
out with the next escort said BOurke,
grayely. If he is, then 1 must go at
once"
The Mouse was vague: he didn't
know what might happen since they
cut out the bullet, His habitual dis
trust of doctors. of science in all its
branches. made it plain to BOurke that
there was nothing accurate to be
learned from him.
The Mouse fingered a minute or two,
watching the sleeping child in the bed.
Bourke told him he might go, and he
went as a dismissed dog goes apollo
getically, half resentful, half concilia-
tory. clutching the forks in his pocket
with dirty fingers. Hide turned and
went into her room, closing the door
behind her.
Il must sleep with the child" said
Yolette. she wakes in the night and
trembles so, / almost fear she may die
of fright. Cecil. is there any danger
now from the shells?"
L don't know. he said. 'T will lie
down in the kitchen. If they lombard
the quarter again we must go to the
cellar. Tomorrow ! am going TO take
you and Hide and Red Riding Hood to
the American minister's: and, my darl-
ing, before we go you must marry me-"
"Marry-now" faltered Yolette.
otherwise the American minister
cannot protect you. II you are my
wife he is bound to do so. 1 can't
stand this sort of thing. The city has
gone distracted; nobody is safe outside
an embassy. The Prussians must re-
spect our flag. dear, and anarchists
and kindred ruffians dare not enter the
Shall I tell you what has
happened in the Rue d'Ypres? A gang
Of communists, cutthroats and thieves
have broken open our house and are
in the cellar with our red
wine. Stauffer. Mortier and Buckhurst
are there, and they viii do US mischief
If they have a chance"
He went UP to her and drew her head
down to his shoulder.
letter. ne asked. go that / can leave
you safe at the embassy and go to my
friend?"
Yes" she whispered, then threw
beth arms about him in passion of
and fear.
CHAPTER XVII.