Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-01-19
A POOR RETURN.

"A OOIC NIL UhN.
France lay helpless under the heel of the
invader, who had encalnpcd around st.
Cloud and Suresnes. Paris, fettered, exist
ing upon black bread and horseflesh, shiv-
cred in an icy mantle. The black branches
of the leafioss trees over in the Bots stood
out distinctly against the gray, stormy
sky and upon the ground snow was lying
thick.
The night was dark and moonless as to
and fro l walked on sentry duty. My post
was a lonely one under the strongest por-
ton of the wall near the Porte de la Mu-
cite.
As I tramped on I thought of my home
away in the center of the inert, trembling
city; Of my young wife, blue eyed, fair
haired, from whom l had been torn away
wondered. was she faring? As an advo-
cate I had been distinctly successful, hav-
ing been intrusted with quite a number of
causes celebres. But on the outbreak of
war my chances of fortune had been sud
denly wrecked and l had been called on to
serve with. the One Hundred and Sixth
regiment of infantry, first under General
Chanzy on the Loire and afterward taking
part in the defense Of Paris.
Though now so near the oma 1 loved,
I saw very little Of her. Indeed I had not
been able to snatch an hour to run home
for the past fortnight. Yet while 1 trudged
on ! knew that n of the truest and best
women on earth was awaiting me in the
great old house In the Rue st. Sauveur.
I think that for solne time ! must have
been oblivious to my surroundings, for on
turning sharply my eyes suddenly detected
some indistinct object moving cautiously
in the shadow. Something prompted me
to refrain from challenging, and with rifle
ready I quickly hurried to the spot. With
a cry of surprise a man in a workman's
blouse sprang forward right up to the
muzzle of my gun.
I challenged and presented my rife.
"Hold!' he gasped in French in a low,
hoarse tone. ."Louis Henault, don't you
know mef Have you SO soon forgotten
your fellow student, Paul Olbrichr"
The voice and the name caused me to
start.
"YouF' / cried, peering into his face
and In the semidarkness discovering the
soar upon his cheek that he had received
at the fencing school at Konigswinter.
"You, Paul, my best friendl Alas, that
you are a Prussian and we meet here as
enemiesl" Z
"As enemies, " he repeated in a strange,
harsh tone. eyes, Louis, you are right, :"
he added bitterly; "as enemies"
'tWhy are you here?" I inquired breath
lessly. ''Why are youdisguised as French
workman? 1t Is my duty to arrest YOU
to-
"But you will not. Remember, we were
friends beside the Rhine, and we can only
be enemies to the outside world. Surely
you of all men will not betray mel''
when last l heard Of you, two years
ago. said, "you were a lieutenant of
dragons. Tonight you are here inside
Paris, disg used"
'To tell the truth, - he replied quickly,
sit Is a love escapade. Let me get away
quickly beyond the walls and no one will
know that you have detected me. See
over there" and he pointed to u portion of
the wall deep III the shadow. "There is
my flancee. have dared to pass through
your lines to rescue her before the final
onslaught"
I peered In the direction he indicated,
and could just distinguish u figure, hidden
by a cloak and closely yelled.
''Quick!" he continued. "There Is no
time for reflection"
Mufled footsteps and the clank of arms
broke the quiet. Three officers were APP
preaching.
$50! May heaven protect your"
Scarcely had they disappeared when
there were shouts, followed by shots rapid.
~ exchanged.
"Spies!" / heard one of our men ex-
claim. "And, sacre, they've escaped!'
At that moment the officers who had
approached ordered me to halt, and pro-
eeeded to question me as to whom I had
been speaking with. I admitted that the
man was a stranger and that I had al
lowed him to pass out of the city.
The penalty was death. The stern, gray
haired general before whom I was taken
half an hour later pronounced sentence,
and without ceremony l was hurried off to
execution.
But the bombardment had RECOMMENDED
vigorously, and as l was being led along a
shell fell close to my escort, and, bursting,
killed two Of the poor fellows and demon
allied the rest.
I saw my chance and darted away.
6t*
Three hours later.
Breathlessly l mounted the long flights
Of stairs that led to my home and opened
the door with my key.
"Valerie!" I cried. valerie, I have re-
turned!' There was no response. Where
was Valerie? l dashed back into the salon,
and there upon a table l found a letter ad-
dressed to me In her familiar angular
hand. A second later / felt conscious Of
the presence of some one at my elbow, and
turning found Marietta, our maid of all
work.
"My wifes Where is my wifes" I gasped.
MADAME has gone, m'sieur, the girl
replied in her Gascon accent. LAST night
a man called for her. and she went out,
leaving a note for you"
"a MANI" I cried. Describe him.
What was he like?"
II only caught one glimpse Of him,
m~'sieur," Marietta replied. ''He was fair
and had a long red scar across his Cheek
"a SCARF I shrieked In dismay as the
terrible truth dawned suddenly upon me,
Valerie, whom | had first met In Cologne,
when a student on the Rhine bank, had
told me that | was not her first love, and
now / remembered that she had long 2
been acquainted with my fellow student,
Paul Olbrich.
1t was my own wife whom / had assist
ed to clope with my enemy!
' II 44s
Far away in u secluded valley in the
Harz, under the shadows of the mystic
Broken, there is a plain, white cross in
the village burying ground bearing the
words, Valerie Henault, 1879"
My enemy, Paul Olbrich, a year after