El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-23

! IN UNWELCOME GUEST.

A STORY OF WAR
IN LA VENDEE-

0xOEONO%oA0%O o.
After the town was taken NJ. Henri
made our house his headquarters Those
who had escaped were chased to the
gates of Mort. The Marseillais threw
down their arms in the streets and sur
rendered. The night advanced, still
they dragged the prisoners into our low
RATED room. NJ. Henri cried with vic
toriouS clemency, Lower your arms
and you shall not he hurt" The repub-
lIcans were disarmed and let go free.
pointed out to the young chief the dan
ger of letting hundreds OF rebels wan
der about the outskirts. just when his
men were thinking of nothing but vic
tory and Of going each his own way.
you have some mcrciless enemies"
I said. "A Marscillais lieutenant nam
ed Ripard has sworn that he would
kill you in the combat or murder you
afterward on the first opportunity"
On the young chiefs handsome face
there was a look OF childlike astonish-
ment at RIpard's hatred. His brow
clouded nj my words. but he dismissed
the thought with a shake of the Shout
ders and gave the order to release the
rest Of the prisoners
1--WE must show them that we have
more humanity than they" he said.
He had scarce finished speaking
when there was a tumult outside. and
three vendean soldiers dragged n rough
haired man into the ROOM He had
cruel. bloodshot eyes; his face was con-
yulsed with rage and hatred
This rebel has been arrested, pistol
in hand" said one OF the vendeaus.
His life and liberty were given him.
He made OF. then turned and fired on
his liberators. We dragged his pistol
from him Here IL is" And the man
placed the weapon upon the table.
40 the prison." ordered u. Henri
and, turning TO the man, he said, Your
name"
The prisoner grinned savagely. ''Take
care. Ny name Will alarm you. l am
Ripard."
/ trembled. NJ. Henri looked at the
MarseiIlais and said quietly: We'll,
Ripard. you are free. Cor
Mo- replied the man sullenly- 81
know that trick. l am unarmed- As
soon as I am outside l shall he shot
down by your soldiers"
MY word is my oath. You shall not
go .unarmed. Take your pistol" NJ
Henri pointed to the pistol on the ia
BILE
The man jeered. do you know that
Il Is loadedf
For answer VI. Henri took the pistol
and held il out to Ripard- The prison
er snatched 1t from his hand. stuck it
in his belt and. looking at the young
chief with an evil eye, said sullenly:
where do you expect me to go? The
f,,II. t., .&, H..
country is unsafe. If you are afraid
to keep me. kill me, for ! am worn out.
i cannot drag another step"
"Soitr' said Nj. Henri. I'VE are no
longer fighting. There Is a capitula-
ton. If you do not know where to go,
you may stop here"
trembled at the thought of harbor
ing so dangerous a guest and raised a
hundred objections. We had not even
q chair to spare.
AT least" said NJ. Henri. "he shall
share my room. The bed is big enough
for two"
was dumb with horror. There was
q painful silence, broken by NJ. Henri
begging me to take the torch and show
Ripard TO his room. The man watched
us narrowly. \ drop OF blood hanging
from the corner of his eyelid rolled
down his cheek, leaving a CHASTITY stain
upon it. / walked first, showing the
way up the steps, but my heart beat
fast. and the torch trembled In my
hand, throwing weird shadows as we
went. Inside the corridor l opened the
sleeping room door and placed the light
upon the chimney. The grin on the
MarseilIais' face froZe my blood with
horror. j fingered. hoping to find a
chance OF whispering to VI. Henri to
disarm Ripard or, at any rate. to let
one OF the men sleep IN his room, but
he had forgotten about the pistol or
was obstinate i'm his idea, for he cut
me short, saying:
Good night A demain. I am worn
out with fatigue
And to hasten my departure, he com
menced to unfasten his coat.
went away I'm despair, leaving the
door ajar behind me. but / heard NJ.
Henri bid Ripard close II. saying that
they would sleep more quietly. / trem-
bied at the haste with which the man
obeyed, double locking the door be-
hind him In the anguish that possessed
me I had n mind TO cross the corridor
upon which their room opened, to get a
ladder. and climbing up. to watch them
through the narrow DELL de boeuf win
coura ge failed. Still / could not aban-
don our guest to the mercy Of his