The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-28

mirably erect carriage he conveyed the im- precision of phyiscal importance. Moreover, | as his breast and arm development wasS magnificent and his courage undoubted, the boys good-natured, indulgent feeling of af- lection for him was leavened with whole some amount of respect. His hair was jet black and always glistened with delteately scented oil; and his mustache, which his enemies declared was dyed, was of the same glossy color. To add to the interest of his personality was the mystery surrounding him. Who was he1 Where did he come from? Why had he left the French Army, to which it was tacitly assumed he had once belonged? No one had ever heard him refer directly to his own past and what little was known of his former life had been gained from deduction. The cadets generally be- lieved that he had been forced to leave the army on account of a duel iH which he had killed his antagonist, and, as some averred, all four seconds as well,
 'sFrenchy' was soldier, every inch of him. but in the role of battalion commander he could hardly be said to be success.
 Garry umpt' he would cry in nasal tones, as he stood facing the corps, and the result always proved disastrous to every ones gravity.
 Right shoulder, ump! Forward, ump!"
 Even the cadet officers failed on such oc- caslons to keep straight faces, and the list of reports for "laughing on drill'' which were
 
 was always twice as long as all the other re- ports combined.
 ''Frenchy" had early tafren a fancy tol Henry HasweIl, and in his generous, spon- taneous way had volunteered to give him private instruction in French. Of course Henry promptly jumped at the offer. The results as regards the mysteries of French grammar were perhaps hardly what Henry had hoped for, but in the matter of the his- tory of war and in fencing, which had early displaced the quieter branch of study, the boy learned much in compensation for bis neglected algebra and geometry.
 '.Whew!' panted "Frenchy' one evening after particularly lively bout with the foils "you learn too fas. l become ed rest me little on ze bed.'
 So saving. he threw himself on the bed, on which he lay panting, with his mighty chest going up and down like bellows, while Henry seated himself and began idly turn ins over the leaves of an Illustrated French paper Five minutes perhaps passed ID st; fence. when a sudden exclamation from Henry caused "Frenchy" to look up-
 "What's ze nattairc?' he began, when his eye fell on the paper in the lads hand .Ahr" he exclaimed in different tone, "zat--sat's ze picture or my eouAn- lou find he looks like mer
 s.ycry much, Professor" replied Henry, win his eyes fixed on the picture of the handsome young officer i'd full cavalry uni form; very much, like enough to Dc your younger brother"
 Underneath the picture were these words, of which Henry had understood enough to grasp their general meaning:-
 photograph of Count Adolphe de Ia Fore terie, taken twenty years ago, just before his disastrous duel with his elder brother Henri in regard to their cousin. the present Con Jesse de Sarmand, and now published for the first time. Count Adolphe is supposed to have fled to America, where 1t Is said be has become q teacher in a girls school"
 ''Frenchy' had arisen from the bed and now stood before Henry, with pale, set face- He held out his hand for the paper.
 My cousin was much wrongcd, se said simply, land he revenged himself. Voala- But he have suffered much Some day when you are older will tell you about him zink he would do ze same today. But who ?-perhaps not. He have sunereo very much. And now you run to bed go to bed, too. But you tell no one what aoous my cousin. Good night"