The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-01-30
his lips appeared ready to ask for q

called.
Madame Souvestre sprang up.
"Oh! Ali" he murmured, looking
OF her inquiringly.
"You have had q good sleep" she
remarked, "and you look refreshed.
Here is some coffee"
81 have been dreaming" he said,
smiling apologetically, land at
first"
eat first you thought Mademoiselle
Pauline was here"
"How do you know"
"You are not reserved. You speak
freely when you dream"
"Do I? Well, it is all right if I did
not disturb you"
Disturb me? Oh, no, not at all.
only heard you calling for Made
moiselle Pauline. She is your sis
ter?"
'sIt was O most vivid dream. But
the battle! Have you heard? Do you
know how it is going?"
"You do not hear any more guns"
she said, turning to help him with his
coffee, "but no word has arrived yet.
Surely, Monsieur Crapsoussin will
arrive soon.'
She put one hand under his head
and with the other held the cup to his
lips, while he took hearty draught
of the pungent black liquid.
"Thank you, madame. That was
delicious-the best coffee that I ever
tasted; and I feel so much better.
Surely, there will be good news. But
what is that noise?"
Madame Souvestre set the coffee on
the table and hastened to the window.
People were rushing along the street,
shouting, gesticulating, grimacing
wildly. Men, women, children, all
appeared to be possessed by an un-
controllable excitement. Hats few
up into the air, old men were behav-
ing like boys. She turned toward
Fairfax with a great light in her face
and said:/
'It is victoryl I hear them rejoic-
ing! Listen!"
The tumult increased momentarily,
and above it all they heard voices
singing the "Marseillaise.
A servant admitted Crapaud Cra-
poussin whose left ear was under a
white bandage that showed stain OF
blood.
cit is glorious!" cried he, pirouet-
ting across the floor, "and see, I am
wounded! A bullet tore a cash in
my ear; I shall have honorable men-
ton. But, oh, it is a great victory!
We tore them all to rags"
He went to the bedside and took
q land of Fairfax between both OF
his.
"Ah, monsieur, the whole plain
down yonder is red with dead British.
soldiers, and our army is not hurt"
he went on rapidly, almost out OF
breath.
"Crapaud," said Fairfax, "go fetch
Mademoiselle Pauline Vernon here to
me-"
Madame Souvestre started and
looked quickly back and forth, from
Fairfax to the dwarf.
"Mademoiselle Pauline Vernon"
she repeated, with confused express
sion in her face, cob, to be sure;
but" she hesitated.
s'I made a foolish request" said
Fairfax, quickly. "Of course it can
not be done. Forgive me; I fear my
strength has fallen off until my mind
is weak"
"No, no, monsieur; but y>u talk
too much; you must not do it. Ger
tainly, though, Mademoiselle Vernon
can come to my house to see you. Go,
Crapaud, order my carriage and bring
the mademoiselle here"
She followed Crapaud out of the
room, and when they we're on the stair
she stopped him and said:
els Mademoiselle Vernon his cousin
or other kim"
"No, madame"
'Is he her lover?"
eyes, madame"
"Crapaud Crapoussin, if you bring
her hele, I will kill you, do you hear?"
eyes, madame"
She wrung her hands and looked
down into the distorted face of the
dwarf.
"No, no, Crapaudr' she presently
added, her voice softening and the
tears rising in her eyes, mo, no. I am
foolish-I did not mean that Here
Crapaudr' She drew forth her purse
and gave him some pieces of gold,
pieces hard to get in those days.
''Take this, and make haste! Go bring
Mademoiselle Vernon. Do you hear?
Hurry"
But, madame" said Crapaud, with
sheepish smile as he pocketed the
money, "Mademoiselle Vernon is
prisoner in the hands of the British.
I had to speak as I did to Monsieur
Fairfax, because he ought not to know
that the mademoiselle is prisoner.
It would excite him, kill him, to
know"
Madame Souvestre's face paled, and
she trembleG from head to foot.
"These are terrible times, Crapaud, I"
she faltered, with a meaningless in
tonation in her voice, terrible times. !"
He saw her gasp and loose her bal
snce. He caught her in his sturdy
arms, lifted her with ease aud bore
her up the steps into chamber where
he laid her on couch; then he ran
for her maid and sent her to her mis-
tress.
"Bah! 1t is very bad" he muttered
to himself, "this way of the women.
It is always love and spasm with them.