Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-09-14
came always tho even jog, jog of the 40
,o,1na,YinO lrnppppS

| came always the even jog, jog of the 40
companying dragons.
Albert de lsancet Kept IA quiet face,
though! inwardly wondering-for still he
guessed nGthing of the meaning of his old
chiefs new ways-inwardly wondering at
this queer promenade. Certainly it was
pretty enough on this radiant April morn
ing, only it might be possible to conduct
it too far, for none knew better than he
the reckless bravery Of him they affection
ately called ''the patron in the intimate
comradeship Of the .bivouac fire.
Nothing stirred yet about them, though
it seemed to the listening aid -de-camp
that now and then in the distance he heard
a dull roar, the sullen humming of flying
projectiles, those bees of war seeking to
rest upon living flowers, and felt "a shud-
der of the ground, covered with hop vines
and dumps of bushes, behind which no
one knew what was preparing itself.
Rejecting this, De Rancet unconscious
ly relaxed his pace, falling behind a trif1e,
and again tho old chief turned with a curt:
what are you doing there, De Rancet?
l told you beside me-"
With the words there came a shot, a
flash of fire from the gulley below them,
screened by that heap of bramble bushes
adjoining the path along which they were
going. They saw a man, a German foot
| soldier, save himself running, bent double,
lodging from cover to cover, at the same
time changing his cartridge to fire again.
The second shot went over their heads.
Breathless from running, the gunner's
hand had become unsteady.
"My general, - said the aid, respectful
ly touching his arm, "this is growing too
risky a business for you. Shall we wheel
at the crossroads yonder and put the fields
between us and such dangerous hornets?"
For the first time since they had started
the old chiefs stern eyes were bent full
upon the face of his questioner. There was
a flame in their depths that made De Ran
Get quail.
What was the matter with him, his old
chief, this day? What did he mean by
looking at him SO? Could anything have
h%appenedS Could any one have told him?
Did the old man know
For the first time, too, De Rancet began
to understand. This was no simple recon-
noissanco, this strange promenade before
the enemy upon which his old chief had
brought him. This was a duel, a duel to
the end, between him and death, between
lin and his benefactor, the man he had
wronged. This was also perhaps an ex-
ecution.
The old chief spoke.
Ode Rancet, - said he coldly, in1exibly
pointing to his side, II told you to ride
here!"
And always they moved on, the old
chief erect and pittless and showing to the
enemy his breast, starred with medals,
the aid beside him erect also, a brave SOL
der even then, and marching, both Of
them, with the frightful serenity of those
about to die.
And in the radiant silence of that coun-
try drowned in sunlight one heard but the
softened hammering of the horses feet
pounding the sod in measured rhythm
All at ono the silence was broken by a
sharp crackle of musketry. As the red
fame licked the thicket De Rancet set
spurs to his horse and bounded forward,
as If to welcome the choice that death had
made, for it was he, it was he, the ball
had reached.
He threw out his arms, his eyes grew
dim, a red hole showed in his brow, and
softly, gently he swayed from the saddle
to the ground.
The general stopped; the escort pricked
forward.
"Messieurs," said he, "now l am ready
to return. Two men dismount and pick
up the body. From the French.