The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1900-12-29


depth of his heart the proprietor could
clerk prevented him from winning.
The presence of new companion
tended to complieate the situation. Ar
irving late one evening, was surprised
Mt finding my place on the right of
4 Nine. Dutailly occupied by an unknown
parsonage, with a florid complexion,
broad shoulders, and noisy, boastful
manner. He wore fantastic uniform,
and enormous boots.
! IN. Robillard," said NJ. Dutailly, in
PRODUCING him, captain of the Enfants
Perdus de Courbevoie.
Before the end of the soup my mind
was made up concerning this Robillard.
His exploits porbably consisted in re-
] lieving deserted houses of the furni-
/ ture that might tempt the eupidity OF
! the enemy, and putting il in a safe
place, unknown to the rightful own
ers. wondered why this heavy jawed
Mandarin had been invited to stay to
dinner Nine. Dutailly soon explained
and not without emotion. At dusk she
had had quite dangerous fall on the
Boulevard Poissonniere, which was
slippery with frost. Robillard, who
| happened to be passing, had carried
| her to the nearest drug store and had
afterward brought her home. Through
| gratitude She could not do less than
invite him to remain to dinner. This
| l.
be soon rid of this hero.
! The man was no fool. He represented
| himself as interested in an extensive
coal business that obliged him to travel
| all over Europe. War, he said, had
! brought him back to Paris, whose safety
claimed his presence. As to his valor-
GUS deeds in the suburbs, at the head
of the Enfants Perdus, as one may
believe, they surpassed all belief. Nine.
| Dutailly listened to his enormities
with complaisance. Dutailly had diff
Guilty in resisting his desire to believe
them. Gertrude was entirely indiffer-
emit. AS to the meek little clerk, small
er than usual in his over large coat,
afflicted besides with a cold in his head,
he seemed completely crushed by the
neighborhood of this great fellow, who
made no attempt to hide his scorn for
| Brichaut.
l invented pretext for leaving inn
mediately after the coffee, weary of
the Boosting of this Gascon, TO whom
thought l was bidding adieu forever.
! In this I was deceived, however. The
| following Sunday found him in the
same place; Thursday also; finally his
plate was laid at all our meals. The
Dutailly household was fascinated. The
captain had conquered Nine. Dutailly
by his good humor and that almost ten
der courtesy to which nowoman Of her
age is insensible; he had won NJ. Du-
tally by the interest he seemed to take
in the military operations of the Temps.
| Anatole, whose cold steadily grew
worse, visibly lost ground at every
repast.
His discredit was especially notice
able after the Bourget affair, in which
the poor fellow brayely did his duty,
and came back to us wounded in the
arm. He told us the details of the en-
gagement-of the death of Baroche,
killed beside him. the retreat and
the melancholy end of this he
roic combat-with such lament bic
| dtscouragements that had he not
feared to offend his host the cap
tain would have tainted him with being
a deserter and a coward He insinu-
ated as much. and with noble indigna-
tion he showed us that II the Enfants
Perdus had been there the affair
would have taken different turn.
Then, warming with his subject, he
worked Dutallly up TO Ugh pitch OF
enthusiasm by outlining plan OF es-
cape through the besieging lines.
| Meanwhile. poor Inundated Anatole
was suffering from his still bleeding
wound, unheeded by any save Ger
| trude and me-
The next day fever compelled Bri-
| chaut TO keep his bed, and he was alb
sent from our repasts for several
weeks The captain now boldly es-
tablished his pretensions 20 Gertrudes
hand. and the attitude Of her parents
was not discouraging. On the day
that Anatole rejolned U.S. convalescent
and thinner than ever. II seemed to
me that the girls eyes were red. and
I fancied that there had been Skin
mish between her and her mother. the
latter being more infatuated than ever
with her Robllard decided that "
was time to interfere in the inter-
ssts Of the poor children. II was the
last Sunday In the year, and we natur-
ally spoke Of New Years. which we
we're 10 celebrate together.
by the way, my dear Mime. SDu-
tally" exclaimed the captain. 81 must
prepare a surprise for your new Years
/ gift"
Which gave me the idea OF prepar-
ing one, too.
On New Years day Dutailly re-
ceived us with open arms The STRAIT
/ oriat OF the Temps had fust svhipped