Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-03-31

one Side of the square, now occupied by clinging crowd of spectators, sud- denly fellswith a crash and great cloud of dust.
 During the confusion, the prisoner with an eye alert for any opportunity to escape, was partly torn, partly i, lodged away from his captors, and was soon lost in the tumult. As he was borne along, he passed hercu- lean butcher and fish-wife struggling ir the jam. The latter, with a smile of satisfaction, ran the keen edge of small knife over the cords that bound the fugitive's hands, and he was free. High up in the most weather stained of row of gable-ended houses that overlooked the square wherein the above scene of terror was enacted l sat man. His room was on the top floor under the caves, whose side walls were formed by the slanting roof. ] air; one of them opened upon the square, the other upon the Rue de la I Tanerie. The only furniture besides the bed was a table, three chairs of ! rough wood and fantastically carved, and a small-sized cupboard, half ward robe, that occupied most of the space at one end of the room.
 On the table rested a glove and a sword, such as the gentlemen of the l court wore, while a plumed hat lay on the floor where it had been care- lessly dropped. The sole occupant of the room was seated in the largest chair beside the table. He was about 1 eight and twenty, clad in an attire that proclaimed him to be at once the soldier and the courier, and his clear eye and cheek bronzed by many | league of ocean wind and southern sun betrayed a man not long returned from active service. A little above 1 the average in height he was, but straight-limbed and suple as Grecian athlete; a man of muscle and sinew, yet without an ounce of superfluous fat His long black hair clustered about his wrists as he sat with el- bows upon the table, leaning his head upon his hands, one of which was gloved. Something more than the tan of sun and air darkened his cheeks. while the black eyes, the curved nos trils that expanded and contracted as he breathed, and the scornful lip, all proclaimed him to be other than a Frenchman.
 His attitude was one of dejection and disappointment, yet in his eye was that inextinguishable glimmer of hope that lightens up the face of every true soldier after the first shock of a bat tie against great odds passes away. It soon spread, and from glimmer 1t nance, until he burst forth into laugh. and, raising his head and lean- ing back, he spoke aloud to his sword, which he took up in his ungloved | hand:
 Ma foi! mon brave, here We are at the bottom of the ladder again whence we started ten years ago. What mat ters 1t, though! When the king needs us again, he will remember us. If there be an expedition against the Mediterranean pirates undertaken. it will be summons for Capt. Henri de I Tonti to attend. his, majestN'ss convep-. fence for the purpose of fitting out and leading that expedition. And there will be year or two of fighting, and a wound. with plaster to patch 1t up with when we return in the shape of another order on the treasury for 300 livres, and the promise of place in the guards-and then. forgetful- ness Or perhaps twill be land duty against the half-drunk Dutchmen. Then it's powder and bang at dis tance, and sword thrust and parry when we have charged the works, like this. en garde!-or this-or that-or that--mon Dieu! avec mes .compli- ments, Messieurs," and, springing to his feet, he fenced with an imaginary adversary, now parrying, now thrust ing, until, ending with fierce on- slaught that pierced his enemy to the heart, he bowed mockingly and sat down.
 Ma foi! then it's powder and wigs, ! slim waist and curved ankle when we return, for nothing pleases me more than to see again French woman aft CT foreign campaign. Those stupid Dutch oxen. with their big eyes and clumsy feet. may please Mynheer. but -cuistre! none of them for me. What right have I, battered soldier of for l tune with neither penny nor power. to talk of women. or wigs, when have but single louis dor between me and the street! Come. mon occur, and let us face the situation. My rent is not due for a week come Tuesday: that will take half: with the remainder I can get bread and wine enough to last for that period. Dame! ten days are sufficient in which to conquer prov ince. marry widow with fat money bags, or run into some lucky adven- ture that will give me gold enough 10 live like prince for another month. But. peste! how dark it grows. and yet it is only midday'-and going to the window overlooking the square. he glanced anxiously about him. Hal another execution is afoot." he con- tinued to himself half audibly. Some petty noble who has displeased the king. or poor farmer rebelling against Colbert's taxes. An eclipse too. That augers well for me Twas an eclipse that I watched just before my appoint ed captaincy at Messina. Again. the