Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-11-01
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! IN UIIHELCONE GUEST.
a STORY OF WAR
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After the town was taken NJ. Henri
made our househis 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 be 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 merciless enemies"
said. "a Marseillais 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 look Of childlike astonish-
ment at Ripard's hatred. His brow
clouded at my words, but he dismissed
the thought with a shake Of the shoul-
rest of the prisoners.
I'VE 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 a rough
haired man into the room. He had
cruel, bloodshot eyes; his face was con-
vulsed with rage and hatred.
This rebel has been arrested. pistol
in hand" said one of the Vendeans.
''His life and liberty were given him.
He made off, then turned and fired on
his liberators. We dragged his pistol
from him. Here 1t is" And the man
placed the weapon upon the table.
"To the prison." ordered NJ. Henri.
and, turning to the man. he said, your
nameT
The prisoner grinned savagely. "Take
care My name will alarm you. 1 am
Ripard"
1 trembled. N. Henri looked at the
Marseillais and said quietly: well,
Ripard, you are free. Cor
Nor replied the man sullenly. 81
know that trick. / am unarmed. Az
soon as l am outside / shall be 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
1t Is loaded?"
For answer NJ. Henri took the pistol
and held it 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
houses are full; there is no straw. The
country is unsafe. II you are afraid
to keep me, Kill me, for 1 am worn out.
l cannot drag another step"
''Soitp' said NJ. Henri. 1--WE are no
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
chair to spare.
"At least" said NJ. Henri che shall
share my room. The bed is big enough
for two"
l was dumb with horror. There was
a painful silence, broken by NJ. Henri
begging me to take the torch and show
Ripard to his room. The man watched
us narrowly. A drop of blood hanging
from the corner of his eyelid rolled
down his cheek, leaving 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
Marseillais' face froze my blood with
horror. l fingered, hoping to find a
chance of whispering to NJ. 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 in his idea, for he cut
me short saying:
Good night! A demaIn. 1 am worn
but with fatigue"
And to hasten my departure, he com
menced to unfasten his coat.
l went away In despair, leaving the
door ajar behind me, but | heard NJ
Henri bid Ripard close It, saying that
they would sleep more quietly. l trem-
bled ut the haste with which the man
obeyed, double locking the door be
hind him. In the anguish that possessed
me | had a mind to cross the corridor
upon which their room opened, to get n
ladder. and climbing up, to watch them
through the narrow oeil de boeuf win
dow placed high In the wall, but my
courage failed. Still / could not aban-
don our guest to the mercy of his
enemy. NJ. Henrrs Vendean soldiers
shared my fears, but they dared not
disobey the command.
when NJ. Henri says n thing, he
means it." they said, but | persuaded
one of them to place his mattress
across the door, begging him to spend
the night there, ready to break in at
the first alarm This done, l retired,
but l was still uneasy. Though /
threw myself dressed upon my bed, !
could not sleep. An hour passed wear
lily by, then another; the suspense be.
came unbcarable. Unable longer to
suppress my fears, l took ladder
from n lumber room at the end Of the
corridor, placed IL noiselessly under
the Oeil de boeuf window, climbed up
and looked into the room. The light
was still burning, though the house
was plunged in silence.
NJ. Henri was lying on the side OF the
bed nearest to the wall. and Ripard,
having placed the light upon the table
near to the head of the bed, was stand
ing motiOnless beside it watching the
sleeper's face.
| could not see his expression, for his
back wns toward me. He remained
thus some minutes, debating perhaps,
whether the serenity Of those noble
features were not a ruse.
The young chiefs shirt was open at