The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-07-03

with dangerous, reDeIHous aIluremenr
for the untamed, chahng, redhot spfr-
tts Tor his comrades, for whom he
knew insubordina would be ruin
and DEATH Cecil had always thought
very little OF himself.
/ CHAPTER VI.
/ 50 - CORPORAL VICTOR, Mon
~ sieur lie Commandant de-
] [s9Eaa sfres you to present your
tSS9 self at his quarters to-
night at 10 precisely with all your cary
ings, above all with the chessmen."
The swift sharp voice OF a young
officer OF his regiment Weakened Cecil
from his mustng as he Went on his
way down the crowded, tortuoua, sti-
| fling street. he bed scarcely time to
catch the sense Of the words and to
halt. giving the salute, before the chas-
seuI.'s skhtish little Barbary mare had
1 gaIloped past him. Cecil Involuntary
stood stiil. His face darkened. All
orders that touched on the service,
even where harshest aud most unwel-
come, he tad taught himself te take
| without any hesitation till he now
scarcely felt the check OF the steel
curb. but to be ordered thus like a
| lackey--to take his wares TINS like a
hawkerl
"Ah! We are soldiers, not traders,
aren't we? You don't like that, NJ
Vfctor7 You are no peddler. eh7 And
you think you would rather risk being
court 1nartialed and shot than take
your ivory toys for the Black Hawks
talons?
! Cecil glanced up in establishment at
i the diyination and translation OF his
thoughts to encounter the bright fal-
con eyes OF Cigarette looking down on
him from little oval easement above.
Good day, pretty one" he answer
ed with a little WEAKNESS, lifting his
/ fez to her with certain sense OF an
! noyance that this young Bohemian of
the barracks, this child with her
/ slang and her satire, should always be
/ In his way like a shadow.
/ GOOD day. my brave one's returned
/ Cigarette contemptuousiy. ''We are
not SO cerenonious as all that in Al
/ giers! Good fellow, you Should be a
chamberlain. not a corporal. What
fine manners"
j She was ineensed and piqued and
provoked. She had been ready to for
1 give him because he carved SO won
derfulty and sold the carvings for his
comrade at the hospital. She was
holding out the olive branch after her
own petulant fashion. aud She thought
IL he had had any grace In him he
would have responded with some such
ford compliment as those for which
she was accustomed TO bog the ears of
her admirers and would have swung
himself up to the coping to touch. or
at least try to touch, those sweet,
fresh, crimson lips OF hers that were
ike a half opened damask rose.
4 Fine manllersy' echoed Cecil, with q
smile. Ny poor child. have you been
30 buffeted about that you have never
! been treated with common courtesy r.
'sWhew.n cried the little lady, blow
ing a putt Of smoke down on him.
None Of your pity for me. Buffeted
about? Do you suppose anybody ever
i did anything With me that | didn',
choose2 If you had as much power as
/ 1 have in the army, Chateauroy would
not send for you to sell your toys like
a peddier Yon are slapel am a
! sovereign
He listened. amused with her boast
fui supremacy but the last words
/ tonched him with q certain pang just
i In that moment.
Well. yes he said slowly, ~ am q
slave, fear. 1 wish a Bedouin figsa
/ would cut my fhralls In two
He spoke jestingly, but there was q
4 hnge OF sadness In the words that
touched Cigarettes chaugeful temper
to contrifion. She knew she had been
nngenerous, crime dark as night In
! the sight Of the little chiFalrous Eol-
/ der.
Never nind,' she said softly and
waywardly. winding her way Alright
1 with that penetration and tact which,
however unsexed In other things, Ciga-
rette had kept thoroughly feminine.
/ THAT was but an idle word OF mine.
Forgive it and forget It. You are not a
blaFe when you fight. Theyisay to see
you Kill q man Is beautiful--so work
nlanlike! And you would go out and
be shot tomorrow rather than sell your
honor or stain 4, eh? Take q glass OF
champagnes PTut-fut, how you look.
1 Oh, the bottles with the silver necks
are not barrack drink, OF course, but
drink champagne always myself This
u the princes He knows / only take
the best brands.
With which Cigarette, leaning down
from her easement, whose sin was
about 9 foot above his head, rendered
her peace offering To q bottle OF Cliquot,
three Of which, packed 10 her KNAPP
sack, she had carr1sd OF from the
luncheon table OF j Rhssian prince Eho
/ tran ksyfyIYaw <hvns,Oh II 1ufnra ana kS4,a