The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-09-25


/ they crowd around me. They are sor-
~ they fred. That is foolish. They
We're only doing their duty, and they
could not hear me in time z
He. laying her down with unspeaka-
BILE gentleness as she had hidden him,
hung over her, leaning her head against
his arm and watching in paralyzed
horror the helplessness. Of the CULVER
ing limbs, the slow flowing OF the.
blood beneath the cross that shone
| where that young, heroic heart SO soon
would beat no more.
Oh, my child, my childp' he moaned
| as the full might and meaning of this,
devotion which had saved him at such
cost rushed on him. What am worth
that you should perish for me? Better
q thousand times have left me to my
fate! Such nobility, such sacrifice,
such lover
The hot color flushed her face once
more. She was strong to the last to
conceal that passion for which she was
still content to perish in her youth.
'Chut! We are comrades, and you
are a brave man. / would do the same
for any of my sDahis. Look you.
never heard Of your arrest till heard,
too. of your sentence. They will tell
lsyou how did It'll have not time. The
marshal gave his word you shall be
saved. There is no fear. That is your
friend who bends over me here; is it
not A fair face, a brave face! You
will go back to your land, you will live
among your own people. and she-she
will love you now-now she knows you
are of her order!''
/ Something Of the old thrill of jealous
dread and hate quivered through the
words. but the purer, nobler nature
vanquished it. She smiled up in his
eyes. needless of the tumult round
them.
You will be happy. That is we'll
! Look you, it is nothing that did. i
would have done it for any one of my
soldiers. And for this She touched
the blood flowing from her side with
the old bright, brave smile. 1T was
an accident. They must not grieve for
| 1t. My men are good to me. They will
feel such regret and remorse, but do
not let them. 1 am glad to die. If the
shots had not come to me. they would
have gone to him, and he has been I'M
happy SO long and borne wrong SO pa
tiently he has earned the right to live
and enjoy. Now. III have been happy
all my days, like bird. like a kitten,
like q foal. just from being young and
taking no thought. i should have had
to suffer If | had to live. It is much
best as it is
Her voice failed her when she had
spoken the heroic words. Loss of blood
was fast draining all strength from
her, and she quivered in torture she
could not wholly conceal He for whom
she perished hung over her in an agony
greater far than hers. 1t seemed a
hideous dream to him that this child
lay dying in his stead.
Can nothing save her?" he cried
| aloud. o God. that you had fred one
moment sooner!''
She heard and looked up at him with
a look in which all the passionate.
hopeless. imp erishable love she had re-
sisted and concealed so long spoke
with an Intensity she never dreamed.
She is content, " she whispered soft
". y on did not understand her right
ly; that was a ILL.,
"a II. @ God. how 4 have wronged
you! N y darling! Ny darling! What
have done to be worthy of such
lover" he murmured, while the tears
fell from his blinded eyes and his head
dropped until his lips met hers At
the first utterance Of that word be-
tween them, at the unconscious tender
hess of his kisses that had the anguish
Of a farewell in them. the color sud
denly flushed all over her blanched
face. She trembled in his arms, and 9
great shiyering sigh ran through her.
Tt came too late, this warmth of love.
Iush = she answered, with a look
that pierced his soul. I. Keep those
kisses for miladi She will have the
right to love YOU. She is of your ris-
tocracy, she is not unse1ed.' As for
me, / am only a lit e troope who las
saved my comrade! My soldiers, come
round me one instant. I shall not long
find words Y,
Her eyes closed as she spoke.
deadly faintness and GOODNESS, passed
over her, and she gasped for BREATH
! a moment, and the resolute collr.
age III her conquered. He. eyes open
led and rested on the war II orr faces Of
her sschild ren rested in a long lost
look Of unsp eakable Wistfulness and
tenderness.
81 cannot speak as I would q she said
at length, while her voice grew very
faint But have loved you. All is
said r
All was uttered IN those four brief
words. She had loved them.
She stretched her arms out with a
gesture Of Infinite longing, like q lost
child that varaly seeks its mother
lie could only see France once.
more. Trance
u, & tiafs at word I1Y1r112 lip1s IA tf1,-