The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-01

Il have forgiven you-there was but
one thing for me to forgive, for 1t is
true that you should not have gone
away; if death had come. you were
not fit to die-nor 1, my darling"
She kissed his closed eyes; the lashes
trembled.
I'VE were so much in love- she said,
so much in love-and l knew nothing
you can never know, Jim-how l love
you-and it was even then-from the
very flrst-the same-the same adora-
toni And, Jim, if you had died, and
although l knew the dreadful end-l
would not have lost the memory of one
hour. one second, one look, or one ca
resS."
He tried to speak; he could not.
Again, through his closed lbs he saw
her as she had come to him, fainting,
exhausted, her frozen hands seeking
his. Again he lived through the days
that followed, the thunder of the guns,
the casemate shaking, the bitter cold,
the darkness, and she always by his
bed-her every touch, her every breath,
telling him of a love so pure, so inf
mite, that his dark heart, heavy with
the bitterness of self-accusation, sank
subdued under the strength of such
passion.
He thought of the long nights, the
pain, the fever, the piercing chill, the
hunger, all borne in silence lest he
should grieve for her. He remembered
all this as he lay there, his eyes closed.
his temples pressing the soft curls of
the girl who had done all for him-who
now was to be his wife.
Are you still unhappy" she whis-
pered. Think of tomorrow. Sins are
forgiven: it is my faith"
In mine: you are my faith he said.
There is nothing but you, Hilde-noth-
ing in heaven or earth but you and
God who sent you
The clutches are here; shall I get
them?" asked Hide, smiling through
her tears.
He took them gravely, praising the
leather armpieces, the lance shafts,
the rubber ferrules. She was content
ed. The splints on his broken limb
CALLED him; she aided him to sit up to
relieve the numbness, and he lay back,
his head resting on her breast.
THE Prussians sent white flag this
morning" she said.
Then it is true he asked, the news
from Paris?"
Yes. Paris has surrendered
1T was a good fight he said. Hun
ger is the victor; the Prussians are in
cidents.'
said; the Prussians enter the forts at
sunset. Our soldiers will take you in
the ambulance; we go by the Porte
Rouge. Perhaps Yolette''-she broke
down and wept bitterly. He comforted
her, saying that Bourke was the wisest
and best man on earth. and that Yo-
lette was safer than if she had been in
Nanterre fort. After a little she dried
her eyes and reproached herself for
causing him anxiety. Then beside his
bed she said her prayers for the night.
kissed him peacefully, turned out the
lamp and went into the nurses ward
to sleep, fiinging herself on the iron cot,
dressed as she was. AS for him, he lay
awake, staring into the darkness. The
beauty of this young girls soul, the sa-
crednesS of her passion, overwhelmed
him. Who was he that he should share
her thoughts, her sacrifices. her ideals,
her innocence. Her face was always
before him in all its loveliness-eX-
quisite, spiritual. In her eyes he read
the secret of that chaste unselflishness
that had given all and surrendered
nothing. Sleep came and went like a
brief dream. 1t was morning; the
drums We're already beating in the
dawn, the parade resounded with the
hum of departure.
Hide knocked and entered, family
smiling her morning welcome. The
alteration in his face dimmed her sweet
eyes little, she leaned above his pill
low, her lips rested on his. That morn
ing he was to try his crutcheS. When
he was ready. she helped him to the
window-he was scarcely strong enough
to Standard he laughed and adjusted
the crutcheS, as she steadied him to the
door where the foot artillery were
passing down the winding street to the
monotonous tap, tap, of drum.
After them came the Mobiles, bugles
sounding Stridently in the sharp, crisp
air. He wished to go to the ramparts;
she dreaded the bits of ice and snow;
but he had his way, and she guided
him across the parade and up the sand
ed incline to the parapets above.
The sun hung over the distant city,
glittering on a million windows, gild-
ing dome and spire and frosty river,
reddening the long gray palaces. food
ing quays and roofs and bridges with
a hay radiance that turned the streets
to streaks of rose and pearl. A mist
of amethyst yelled the heights of Cha
tillon. Behind it the German cannon
lay, stretching from Clamart north
ward then east and south and west, in
one enormous iron circle, back to Fon-
tenay aux Roses. Across the river from
the fort, between Chatou and Croissy.
the Prussian cavalry were plainly Wis
fble, moving at a gallop over a wasted
meadow. Beyond them rose the smoke
of campfires, marking the long line of
trenches eastward of Houilles.
In Paris there is little smoke" said
Hide, sadly. Jim, l can scarcely wait
to 60 What do you suppose the shells
have done to the city? Think of it,
Twenty days of ceaseless bombardment
and my sister there
There was more risk in the fort
here" said Hardwood. I'VE have been
barracks into powder, but you yourself
know that we have not lost many
killed"
He continued: 1.-The Mouse has not
reappeared, has he, dearest?" Hide
shook her head.
Well" said Hardwood. "he's in Paris
again, unless he was shot outside the
lower parapets. Did he say nothing
about going, Hilde?"
NO Jim. He hung around the case
mates for a week. Then an officer COM
planned of missing his gold watch and
asked me whether the Mouse was your
The Mouse was liStening-I
saw him behind the door That night
a Mobile lost some money and went
about the parade swearing terribly
The shells were falling, striking the
DarfackS every minute, Dut the Mobile
didn't notice them and kept on swear
ing that the Mouse had taken his mon
ey. In the morning the Mouse had
Hes a strange BEAST unused Hare
wood. Il know less about him than I
did the first night l saw him. Yet
Paris is full of such mice-and L have
seen many"
Hide sat down on the parapet and
looked out over Paris. Hardwood ca
oerlU 1Natchad ha,, Cara and c,1fenrir,-r