The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-07-24
/ CONTINUED from last week.


Continued from last week.
1 That was all her reward Cigarette
received the recompense that usually
comes to generous natures which have
strung themselves to some self surren-
der that costs them dear.
Cecil looked at her surprised and
smiled
Ny pretty one. is it you? That is in
deed good You were the good angel OF
/ my life the other night and today come
to bring consolation to my friend
Good ANGER Chut. NJ. Victor.
There is nothing Of the angel about me.
hope. Your friend too. Pruttut! Do
i you think have never been used to
taking care Of my comrades In hos
pitfalls before you played the sick nurse
| here?''
She spoke with all her brusque pet:l-
lance in arms again. She hated that
1 he should imagine she had sacrificed
her fete day to Leon Ramon because
the artist trooper was dear to him.
/ He smiled again: he did not under
stand the caprices Of her changeful
moods, and he did not feel that inter-
est in her which would have made
him divine the threads Of their a.
/ carries.
Il did not think to offend you, my
| little one he said gently. Il meant
only to thank you for your goodness
| to Ramon in my absence =
Cigarette shrugged her shoulders.
There was no goodness, and there
need be no thanks. Ask Pere Matou
how often have sat with him hours
through
But on fete day! And you who
love pleasure and grace it SO well
! "Ouf! have had SO much of it,
said the little one contemptuously
| 1T is so tame to me- Clouds of dust,
scurry Of horses, fanfare of Humpets,
| thunder Of drums and all for nothing!
Bah! l have been in a dozen battles
land am not likely to care much
for a sham fight. Z
| NAY, she is unjust to herself, = MUIR
INJURED Leon Ramon. "She gave up the
| fete to do this mercy-it has been a
great one. She is more generous than
| she will ever allow. Here, Cigarette,
look at these scarlet rosebuds; they are
! like your bright cheeks. VIII you
have them? I have nothing else to
give #
.'Rosebudsr echoed Cigarette, with
supreme scorn .Rosebuds for me?
know no rose but the red Of the tris
color, and could not tell weed from
I a flower. Besides, told AIiou- AIatou
just now, if my children do as / tell
them, they will not take leaf or a
peachstone from this grande dame
how does she call herself Z? Nine. Coz
roma d'Amague!'' 81
Cecil looked up quickly. Why not %
Cigarette flashed on him her brilliant
him.
Because we are soldiers, not pau
pers. And it is not for the silver
pheasants, who have done nothing to
deserve their life but lain in nests of
cotton wool, and eaten grain that
others sow and shell for them, and
spread their shining plumage in sun
that never clouds above their heads,
to insult, with the insolence of their
pity and their charity. the heroes of
France who perish as they have lived,
for their country and their fag.''
Il Cecil laughed slightly. but he an
swered with certain annoyance:
There is no sinsolence' here; no ques-
ton Of it. The princess desired to Of
fer some gift to the soldiers Of Algiers.
suggested to her that to Increase the
scant comforts Of the hospital and
gladden. the weary eyes Of sick men
with beauties that the executive never
dreams of bestoWing would be- the
most merciful and acceptable mode of
exercising her kindness. If blame there
be in the matter, it is mine. IS
In defending the generosity Of what
he knew to be a genuine and sincere
wish to crafty his comrades he be-
trayed what he did not intend to have
revealed namely. the conversation that
had passed between himself and the
Spanish princess. Cigarette caught at
the inference with the quickness Of her
lightninglik thought. sy
| "Oh5he.. So it is she! e
There was a whole world of empha-
sis, scorn, meaning. wrath, comprehen-
sion and irony in the four monosylIa-
|sbles. The dying man looked at her
with languid wonder.
She Who? What story goes with
these roses ~
Zone, said Cecil, with the same in
Election of annoyance in his voice.
h . None whatever. Is generous thought
fnlness for our common necessities as;
soldiers''
tOuf = interrupted Cigarette before
his phrase was one ard finished. rhe
stalled mare will not go with the wild
coursers. An aristocrat may live with.
us, but he will always cling to his old
order This il the story that runs with
the roses. Miladi was languidly inso-s
lent over some ivory chessmen, and
Corporal Victor thought it divine be-