Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-03-01
DAILY SHORT STORY
IN THE FOREIGN LEGION.

posed of men who have past they
wish to bury. In it are noblemen-
some of royal bloOd-either under sus
picion of having committed or of hav
ing been convicted of crime.
In the legion were two men, Captain
Barzikoff. Russian, and Lieutenant
Travitez, u Spaniard. Barzikoff was
vigorous man of thirty. Travitez 4
slender young fellow. with large soft
brown eyes, who might have been
twenty or twenty-five. Between these
two men existed friendship that
amounted to affection.
One day BarZikoff proposed to Travi-
tez that they should exchange conf
dences, each telling the other what
had induced him to join the legion.
what avail? We would not believe
each other" said Travitez
Il would believe you," replied Barzi-
koff. ''TO prove my confidence l will
place my life in your hands. You re-
member the attempt to kill the ear of
Russia few years ago, the one in
which so many revolutionists were i'm
plicated. We'll, l was convicted of be-
ing accessory TO that attempted assas-
Sination.
"A friend bribed my jailer, who
permitted me to escape not six hours
before l was to have been executed.
There, you see how | trust YOU. You
have only to write the Russian police
that L am here, and L shall go to Rus
STA to die. Besides. you will receive Il
large reward"
Travitez's face broke into happy
smile. the first Barzikoff had ever seen
there. both at the evidence OF such i'm
plicit confidence and the knowledge
that his friend was innocent of any
crime. but the next moment he remem-
bered that his own confession was in
order. and the smile gave place to an
expression OF anguish. Barzikoff no.
ticed it and sighed
What was your trouble. boy" he
asked kindly, cheating, forgery, muir
der?"
Travitez walked away without reply,
his friend looking after him gloomily
Surely such confidence as Barzikoff had
given would have drawn like conf
dence had not the young man been
guilty.
Then came the war, and the Foreign
legion was sent to the frontier.
One day 1t was ordered TO assault
q Knoll capped by redoubt. 1t
marched up the hill gayly, as though
each man was glad at the prospect OF
being relieved of his burden of life. to
meet the storm which broke in his
face. Pushing steadily on, all that
was left of it, ii planted it's ban
ner on the wall of the redoubt. Bar
zikoff, who was uninjured, as soon as
the fight was over looked about for
Travitez. He found his friend lying
the blood flowing from a
wound In his chest Barzikoff stanched
the wound with his own handkerchief.
then carried the wounded Travitez to
a place of safety.
Travitez recovered. but noticed that
Barzikoff had changed I'm his bearing
toward him. He asked BarZikoff why
he had altered toward him, but could
get no satisfaction.
One day Trsvitez saw BarZikoff
n bit of paper and throw It
away. AS soon as BarZikoff had gone
TraviteZ secured the paper and found
It to be clipping from Spanish news
paper. The next day TraviteZ, joining
Barzikoff, read the clipping aloud TO
him:
cit is said that a certain senorita who
disappeared suddenly after a prominent
lobleman was banished from the court Is
serving in disguise in one OF the regiments
Of foreign nation"
Barzikoff looked up. surprised but
made no remark, and TraviteZ, tear
ng up the paper. changed the subject
by the bye, BarZikoff." he said pres
entity, there is a handkerchief of yours
found among my things. have had it
ever since was wounded at the attack
IN the redoubt. How do you suppose it
came into my possession"
81 stanched your wound with it,"
90 and to do that you We're obliged to
open my coat"
The younger officer had turned away
rom the other and spoke the last |
words in an almost inaudible tone
Il was" Barzikoff replied.
"Ahd when you opened my coat you
saw
81 did"
"And this bit of paper you threw into |
he wastebasket confirmed you in this |
opinion"
at did"
Without turning Travitez tossed Bar
.ikoff letter, which the latter seized |
md read eagerly:
"Oh. Mercedes. why have 1 permitted |
his wrong? When told you to go into the
DOM where 1 had been with the duke
knew that he and 1 were suspected of |
eing there together and you instead of |
ne would be caught with him. |
IN tortured with remorse and have at
lst determined to put it in your power
ear friend, to vindicate yourself when
yer you choose to do so. 1t is for you
D decide whether to bring discredit on
he government of your country by con-
letting a princess or suffer in silence
While BarZikoff was reading the new
Y confessed woman stood with her
Jack toward him, her head bent, her
yes cast on the floor. For moment
here was silence; then she heard a
uick step behind her and felt a pair
( strong arms about her