The Press., 1898-03-24
MY INVINCIBLE FOE.

At the close of the memorable year of 1871 found myself quartered at Fort Mont Valerin under General Noel We had been shut up inactive for several days. and very trying it was, knowing. as we did. that those cursed Germans were making a steady advance on our beloved ParIs At last an order came that a reconnoitering party was to be sent out in the direction of Longboyeau, . small village some six miles distant The prospect of a possible skirmish raised our spirits very considerably No one was more excited than myself, hear ing. as did shortly afterward that l was to be put in command
 We started the following morning at break of day For more than an hour we tramped along with eyes and hear ing alert, but sIw no sign of the enemy until we arrived at a point where the highroad branched of into innumerable pathways through a large wood. 1 had paused to consider which was the most advisable route to follow when beard coming toward us the sound of horses feet. the unmIstakab ble tramp. tramp of cavalry
 1t was the work of moment for me to post my men behind the shelter of hedge, and there we waited Parbleu How my comrades eyes gleamed when out of the depths of the forest there filed two by two some 20 Prussians, headed by an officer 1 can shut my eyes and see that young man now as, pausing, he gave the word to advance in fours He was a magnificently built young fel- low with steely blue eyes and long. fair mustache-a typical looking soldier.
 God knows that during the last few months enough French blood has been spilled to make us all burn for venge- ance. Nevertheless, as l raised my mus ket to my shoulder my hand shook was not an old soldier in those days had never shot any one before at such close quarters, and this seemed to me almost like murder. for he was SD igno- rant of all danger Yet knew it be- hooved me to be steady, for they out numbered us by some half dozen.
 gave the signal, and we all fired in unison. every bullet going straight home In the stampede of horses which ensued only four out of the 20 of the enemy escaped death. and they, unnerv ed by their loss, turned tail and gallop- ed back into the depths of the forest Their leader lay his full length on the ground. staring up into the cold winter sky with wide open. rapidly glazing eyes, one hand still grasping the bridle of his charger The poor beast stood piteously looking down at his dead mas ter. As tried to seize him he reared, and in doing so the corpse moved. Could it be possible, asked myself.
 that he was still alive?
 Kneeling beside him, 1 tried to force some brandy down his throat, but found it was useless He was dead-stone dead
  Some few days later, in one of our
 many sorties. received slight scratch, | which was followed by a bad attack of | fever On recovering a week s leave
 was granted me in which to recruit
 My regiment was at that time quarter ed in Paris. a circumstance determin ed to take advantage of in looking up an old comrade who. 1 had heard, had been badly wounded at Bondy My inquiries led me to the Val de Grace am mbulance. where found Legras The poor fellow was delighted at seeing a familiar face, and 1 staid and talked to him for some time. In his rambling account of how he had received his wound my attention strayed to the oc- oupants of the other beds One in par
 ticular fascinated me. It was the inert figure of man lying in a cot facing Legras'
 l asked Legras if he knew who the foll na of mingled pity and satisfaction "A PrussIan officer He was brought Tn some two days ago The doctors mar, vel how he has fingered for so long, but they say now he Is dyIng The sooner | the better. say L
 Hardly were the words out of Legras mouth when the sick man suddenly raised himself. gave one choking sob and fell backward In that brief mo. ment our eyes met What l saw there made me shrink back III my char with a sense ot bewIlderment-In may say ter
 TOT That motIonless figure was the | same young German officer whom a | week ago had shot down with my own
 hand on The ruad to Longboyeau, Trembling like leaf 1 bent over | him He was dead
 Before leaving 1 learned what partic-
 uIars 1 could He was f'russlan officer who had been mortalIv wounded when | leading the attack on the uelghborlng
 village ot Bondy
 This lnforinatIon restored my nerves. somewhat to theIr proper balance. or to say more truthfully. 1 tired 10 think 1t did. Of course It could only have been 8 | chance resemblance. and yet But m those days one had little lei. | sure m which to puzzle out mysteries Following thIS event came the battle of Montretout It had rained almost necessarily the
 night before, and the early morning
 gave ho promlse ot any cessation of the
 heavy showers which had fallen for the | previous four and twenty hours The | fog and vapnrs of drifting ram were 70
 thick as morning broke that one could
 scarcely see yard in front of one. At
 length the fog lifted and pale. watery
 looking sun shone out. disclosing to our
 view the Germans strongly intrenched
 position. Our orders were to support our
 leading column The bugles had just sounded the advance when, without any warning, three German squadrons of cavalry, led by an officer. made a sud den furious descent on our left flank
 Under cover of the fog they had crept up unnoticed close to our lines Had not the clouds lifted when they did we should have been taken completely by surprise
 It was an exciting moment as, quick ly forming square, we received them with fixed bayonets A breathless ten minutes ensued as we fought desperate ly for our lives.
 1 saw two of our officers fall mortal ly wounded. but the enemy's leader seemed to bear charmed life