The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1910-06-23
CHAPTER 1.
Tho Trap Of Sergeant Dubosq.

eccoTcy aAAo an
OF Tours behind me, crossed the little
river and turned my face outhwar
on the pleasant road to Poitiers.
The morning was a perfect one, soft
and warm, with the simmer of sun
shine and the stirring of green things
over the earth, for spring had come
again to our fair land Of Touraine, n
/ sat erect In the saddle, drinking long
draughts of the good air and ~riotously,
gloriously happy. For l was oun
heart-whole, care-free, n setting
forth upon a pilgrimage which would
lave given my father JOY, had he been
alive to o
The way was thronged with market
women Fastening toward the town,
pushing their little carts before them,
their sabots clicking merrily upon the
hard, clean road, and their tongues
wagging more merrily still. They
looked up with smiling ~countenances to
wish me good-morning end God-speed
and more than once l caught a fash of
black eyes in a fresh n rosy face
under the white cap, which sent
through me a pans Of regret that /
could not turn back.
The broad valley of the river seemed
one continued village, SO closely were
cottages and farmsteads set, blu as I
pushed forward into the fiat country
beyond, houses became less frequent,
the road grew more and more deserted,
and the fields stretched fallow n neg
lected to left and right as far as the
EYE could reach. Here and there, in
deed, I caught g glimpse of a chateau
nesting behind a screen of trees, but
the lane itself seemed empty of human
kind. There were no flocks in the as
lures, no peasants in the fields. not a
single plow driving a furrow through
the mellow soil. The empty and neg
lected land had about 1t something
grim and threatening, an air of wait
ing the accomplishments of some catas-
trophe not to be avoided.
All of which, / uold myself. was the
bitter fruit of the revolution. Nc one
would SOW a harvest which there was
small likelihood OF reaping: besides, the
canatlle found more amusement In
crowding to Paris to shout for the ma
ton and watch h guillotine at work
When hunger gnawed. it was easier to
steal food than to carr Il: and there
was always Citizen Santerre Offering
refresment to all who would shout for
him.
I thanked God that we of Touraine
had not yet been caught In the eddies
OF that maelstrom: that we had been
left to live our lives In peace and com-
paratiye security, undisturbed by mas
sacres, by the worship Of Reason, or by
that grim machine which tofled so
ceaselessly upo the Place de la Reyo-
luton. And IL our peasants ran away,
1t was at least without leaving behind
them blackened wills and outraged
bodies.
But as I topped a little rise in the
road, saw that the Instruments of
war, at least, had at last invaded even
this peaceful country. Under a tree
by the roadside a group of soldiers
were sitting, and 1t needed no second
glance to tell me they We're republic
cans They were lolling about. talk
Ing among themselves; only their Of
ficer was OF his feet, but he was
watching the road keenly. and the in
stant his eyes met mine. he uttered
a, sharp command. In a breath. his
men had sprung to arms and deploy-
ed across the road.
But 1 was u peaceful traveller in
tent on my W business: SO. telling
myself that I had nothing to fear
tionists. | continued on without hest
1t could not be for such a
small and ~inoTensive fish as / that "a
net SO elaborate had been spread.
Halt, citizen!" called their officer.
7 must ask you to dlsmount,' he add
as / drew rein. looking at me with
eyes OF extraordinary keenness.
"Willingly." / replied, III one of your
snen, will hold my horse" but two of
them had him by the bride before the
words were y@a.tese
Now. citizen" continued the Off
Ger. nrbalely. as ] sprang from the
saddle and faced him. there are a few
ss.es.! =all.ieh. y shail have te ask
But the sun is warm, so let us
SIT down together in the shade of that
tree wonder"
Very well."I assented. and followed
him to a spot where we were defended
not only from the rays of the sun, but
also from the curious ears of the SOL
diers of the detchment, which still held
Its position acros the road.
My companion paused a moment to
look at me before he began his ques-
tionIng. and gave me. in turn. the OPP
portuntty to examine him. He was
q tall, raw-boned man. evidently Of
enormous strength. His face was
roughtened by wind and rain and
burned to a deep red by the sun. An
and chin and his yes cleaned behind
their bushy brows like those of a.
beast in ambush. His hair was
with grey. but ~ judged
notsso much from age-for his whole
being was instinct with fire and vigor
from the appalling scenes IN
which he had played a part. He ems
very spirit Of the revolution, irate,
i~mplacable. but with a certain rude
sense OF Justice and of honor, and a
confused belief that its cause was in
some way bound up with human
rights and human progress.
Come. Citizen he began. at last,
your name r.
Jean Tavcrnay.. i answered, deem
ing It wise to omit the proposition.
Your homer
Near Beaufort"
Your destfnation?s
"Poftiers.s
asYour busfneSs
I hesitated.
"A private matter" I said finally.
He froWned ferceiy.
1.-THE republic has a right to kpow!"
he said, In q formidable voice.
Il is notA thing which In n
way concerns the republic. It concerns
only myself"
That Is for me to Judge. Besides
the business OF the republic is that OF
each Of Its citizens. VIII YOU an
aver?
have-iamay as well confess at ones
what thereader must SOON discover
concealed under an exterior the most
ordinary, q vein OF obstinacy which has
Qttsn tmpctleds me to deeds the most
7I0allshs was d now. hesitancy
Mmtslshas ttASprigin IN boyisil shvness,