The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-06-30

faith, under leaders the most herx
that army ever had. 1t IL agains,
those peasants OF La vendee that this
cursed carnival OF slaughter viii
His face was alight with enthusiasm,
his eyes shining with deep emotion.
They are carrying all before Them
ne went on, more calmly. To-day,
they are mere scattered peasants work.
ing in their fields. Tomorrow. they are
an army of $1,000, springing from the
very ground to smite the enemy. They
shoot him down from behind their
hedges, they put him to the sword, they
send him staggering back to his bar
racks, all but annihilated. Then, the
next day, IL there is no more fighting,
they are back again with their focks
and herds. 1t recalls that golden age
or Greece when every man was eager
to give his life for his country"
But, surely" / objected, trained
troops should be able easily to stand
against them"
They have not yet done so,s he re-
torted. w have taken Les Herbiers,
Montaigu, Chantonnay. Cholet and vi
hiers, one after the other, like shaking
ripe plums from a tree. After all, VIC
tory depends not so much upon organ
iZation or generalship, or even num-
bers. as upon the spirit of the men
themselves. The army which goes into
a battle with each Individual unit of It
bent on victory, wins the victory. The
army which fights ha~lf-heartedly, loses.
That is the history OF every battle. The
people of the Bocage are fighting for
their homes and their religion-their
soul are in the conflict, and they will
never admit themselves defeated until
i Tho Ia OF n has han- .1os-
month, the Blues will have been driven
completely from Vendee and the king
Will reign there" and at the words. he
crossed himself.
He saw the, question in the glance I
turned upon him.
You are wondering he said, ''why,
at such O time, / should nave left the
army. Two nights since, / received a
message that my wife was dangerously
fll-dying even. The army will be vic
torius without me but my wife"
He stopped. I understood and nodded
"Only that could have brought me
away" he added; "the certainty that
she needed me. 1 started at once. but
found the Blues in force at Coulanges.
l attempted to turn aside and at once
lost my way amid the innumerable and
abominable roads with which that
country is cursed. / was forced finally
to ride on to Chinon and then along
n Loire, for 1t seemed as though ey-
cry road was blocked by the enemy. I
should have reached the chateau last
night, and behold me only this far"
and he pricked his horse and
galloped forward.
/ followed, and for an hour or more
we held the pace without exchanging
a word, he busy with his own thoughts
and l wrapped in contemplation of the
marvellous turn of fortune which had
not only restored me all that I had lost.
but which a also given me the
friendship Of a man like this. I looked
at him from time to time, admiring
more than ever the fine face and
graceful figure. He was, I Judged, not
over thirty; but there was something
In the glance of his eye, in the set of
his lips, which told me that he had
played his part in the world for many
years. Perhaps the time was at hand.
hen should play my part. too!
AT last we drew rein t. give u
horses breath, and my companion
pointed out 10 me 5ome of the features
of the country. To our right was the,
gentle valley Of the Vienne, and finally
we dipped into 1t and crossed the river
at a ford.
Now I am at home" he said, look
ing about with a smile of pleasure.
But In this case, home is not without
its dangers for I may be recog-
nized at any turn, and the adventure
or this morning warns me to be care
full. At the village, there may even
be another detachment Of republicans.
So l think 1t would be wise to turn
aside and take that path yonder by
which we shall not only avoid the
town, but come directly to my estate"
very, well, monsieur" I agreed, and
In another m we had plunged
among the trees.
The soft earth OF the wood, with it's
carpet OF leaves. deadened the sound of
our horses hoofs and we went on
silently among the shadows for some
time. Then we turned abruptly to the
ieft' n wood opened and again I saw
the river cleaning before us.
There is the chateau" he said sud-
denly, and following his gesture, I saw
a lofty tower rising above the trees.
THAT tower" he added, smiling. as
my heritage from an amorous ances-
tor. who built it, some hundred years
ago. to shelter a certain fair lady,
whom a rival coveted. The tower was
designed to Withstand attack-and did.
withstand it-so the fair lady remained
in u family and helped to perpetuate
It.. That brave Marquis de Favras, who
died so CALAMITY On the Place de Greve
two years ago, belonged to that branch
of the family, SO o see we have no
reason to be ashamed Of 1t, however
irregular its origin. There is the mod
ern wing" he added, as we came out
suddenly upon the road, built by my
father"
1t was a handsome building of white
stone, and as we approached 1t, I saw
two ladies' strolling upon the terrace
which ran across it's front At the gate.
a man, swart and heavyset, stood for
a moment cycling us.
Continued Next Week