Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-06-24
CHAPTER L.
The Trap of sargeant Dubosq.

my fat little host at the Beau Visage
good-by, and leaving the white streets
OF Tours behind me, crossed the little
river and turned my face southwark
on the pleasant road to Poitiers.
The morning was q perfect one, soft
and warm, with the simmer of sun
shine and the stirring of green things
over the earth, for spring a come
again to our fair and Of Touraine, and
i sat erect in the saddle, drinking long
draughts of the good air and riotously,
gloriously happy. For / was young,
heart-whole, care-free, and setting
forth upon a pilgrimage which would
have given my father Joy, had he been
alive TO know.
Tn 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
locked up with smiling CONTINGENCIES to
wish me good-morning n God-speed
and more than once / caught a flash of
black eyes in a fresh and rosy face
under the white cap, which sent
through me a pang of regret that l
could not urn back.
The broad valley OF tho river seemed
one continued village, so closely were
cottages and farmsteads set, but as l
pushed forward into the fiat ountr
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
SO S0Gtd reach Here anu there, in
deed, | caught a glimpse Of a chateau
nesting behind a screen of trees, but
the hand Itself seemed empty of human
kind. There were no flocks in the pas
lures, ne peasants in the fields, not a
single pillow driving a furrow through
the mellow soil. The empty and neg
1ected land had about IL something
grim and threatening, an air of wait
Ing the accomplishments OF some catas-
trophe not to be avoided.
All of which, / told myself, was the
bitter fruit of the revolution. No one
would SOW a harvest which there was
small likelihood OF reaping; besides, the
canaille found more amusement in
crowding 70 Paris to shout for the ma
ton and watch the guillotine at work.
When hunger gnawed, II was easier TO
steal food than to earn fI; and there
was always Citizen Santerre offering
refresment to all who would shout for
him.
I thanked God that we OF T~ouraine
a not yet been caught in the eddies
of hat 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 toiled so
ceaselessly upon the Place de la Revo-
luton. And If our peasants ran away,
It was at least without leaving behind
them ~blackened wills and outraged
bodies.
But as / topped q little rise in the
road, l 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, n 1t needed no second
glance TO tell me they were republi-
cars They were lolling about, ak
ing among themselves; only their Of
klcer was on his feet, but he was
watching the a keenly, n the in
stnnt his eyes met mine, he uttered
"a sharp command. In a breath, his
men had sprung to arms n deploy-
ed across the road.
But I was a peaceful traveller in
tent on my own business; so. telling
myself that / had nothing to fear
from even the most rabid OF revolu-
tionists, / continued on without hest
tating. IT could not be for such a
small and inoffensive fish as / that a
net so elaborate had been spread.
Halt, citizen!" called their officer.
81 must ask you to ~dismount.' he add
ed. as I drew rein, looking at me with
sys 81 SsTaoTaiHaTy kesnTsss.
nWillingly,'' / replied, III one OF you
men will hold my horse" but two of
them had him by the bridle before the
words were fully uttered.
Now, citizen" continued the off,
Ger. urbanely, as / sprang from the
saddle and faced him, there are a few
questions which / shall nave to ask
you. But the sun is warm, so let us
sit down together In h shade OF that
tree Wonder"
~Very well" / assented, and followed
him 10 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 across the road.
My companion paused a ome to
look at me before he began his ques-
Thinning. and rave me. in turn. the on
~portunity TO examine him. He was
a 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
enormous mustache shaded mouth
and chin and his eyes cleaned behind
their bushy brows like those OF a
beast in ambush. His hair was
streaked with grey. but, I judged
being was instinct with fire and vigor
las from the appalling scenes in
which he had played a part. He en-
bodied for me at that moment the
very spirit OF the revolution. irate,
implacable, but with a certain rude
ems OF justice n OF honor, and a
confused belief that it's aus was in
some way bound up with human
rights and human progress.
come, citizen" he began, al last.
your Manner
Jean Tavcrnay." I answered, deem
ing It wise 20 omit the proposition.
Your home?"
Near Beaufort"
s'Your destination 2"
"poitiers."
Your b~usiness?"
hesitatcd
"A private matter" / said finally.
He frowned iercely.
.sTha enuhlic has q right to kncHi,s
he said. in a formidable voice.
This is not a thing which In any
way concerns the republic. 1t concerns
only myself
eThat is for ME TO Judge. Besides
the business Of the republic Is that of
each Of its citizens. Will o an
swer2'
! navel may as well confess at once
FW.LZX4A.