The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1910-06-30

faith. under leaders the most heroic
that army ever had. 1t is against
those peasants of La Vendee that this
cursed carnival Of slaughter will
wreck itself"
His face was alight with enthusiasm.
his eyes shining with deep emotion.
They are carrying all before then,"
ne went on, more calmly. Today,
they are mere scattered peasants work.
ing In their fields. Tomorrow, they are
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 Jack again with their fiocks
and herds. 1t recalls that golden ago
OF Greece when every man was eager
to give his life for his country
But. surely" l objected, trained
troops should be able easily to stand
against them
They have not yet done So" he re-
torted. w have taken Les Herbiers,
Montaigu, C~hantonnay, Cholet and vi
HERS, 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 a individual unit of 1t
pent on victory, wins the VICTORY. Inc
army which fights half-heartedly, loses.
That is the history of every battle. The
people of the Bocage are fighting for
their homes and their religion-their
souls are in the conflict, and they will
never admit themselves defeated until
the last man has been slain. Within a
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 a time, I should ave left the
army. Two nights since, l received a
message that my Wife was dangerously
ill-dying even. The army will be vic
torius without me but my wife"
He stopped. l understood and nodded
gently.
Only that could have brought me
away he added; the certainty hat
she needed me. I started at once, but
found the Blues In force at Coulanges.
I attempted to turn aside and at once
lost my way amid the tnnurnerable and
abominable roads with which that
country is cursed. / was forced finally
to ride on to Chinon and then along
the Loire, for 1t seemed as though ev-
cry road was blocked by the enemy. I
, should have reached the chateau last
night, and behold me only this far
} n he pricked his horse savagely and
galloped forward.
, / followed, and for an hour or more
!, we held the pace without exchanging
r a word, he busy with his own thoughts
. and / wrapped in contemplation of the
. marvellous turn of fortune hich had
not only restored me all that I had lost,
but which had also given me the
friendship of q man like this. I looked
at him from time to time, admiring
: more a eve the fine face and
graceful figure. He was, I judged, not
over thirty; III there was something
y 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
a when should play my part, too!
$ At last we drew rein to give oul
s horses breath. and my companion
y pointed out to me some OF the features
of the country. To our right was tn
!, gentle valley of the Vienne, and finall,
I" we dipped into it 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 withou
: its dangers for I may be recog'
niZed at any turn, and the adventur,
u of this morning warns me to be care
!, full. AT the village, there may evel
L. be another detachment of republicans
So l think it would be wise to turf
: aside n take that path yonder b,
~ which we shall not only ayoid tn
town, but come directly to my estate.
Very well, monsieur 1 agreed, an
in another m we had plunge,
N among the trees.
g The soft earth of the wood, with it
carpet of leaves, deadened the ound Q
80 our horses hoofs and we went O
8. silently among the shadows for som
ne time. Then we turned abruptly to tn
. left, the wood opened and again I sa,
4 the river cleaning before us.
There is the chateau" he said sud
denly. and following his gesture. I sa,
a lofty tower rising above the tree;
", THAT tower he added, smiling, g
my heritage from an amorous noes
tor. who built it, some hundred year
to nom a rival coveted. The tower VIZ
n designed to withstand attack-and di
en- withstand it-so the fair lady RENAME
in our family and helped to perpetual
it. That brave Marquis de Favras, wi
lr- died SO CALAMITY on the Place de Gre,
OF two years ago, belonged to that brabt
of the family, SO you see we rave I
ais reason to be ashamed of it, howev'
irregular Its origin. There is the mo-
it'll ern wing" he added, as we came O
ire suddenly upon the road, built by n
father"
,ur 1t was a handsome building of viii
Ter stone, and as we approached it, / sa
ted two ladies strolling upon the terra
red which ran across it's front. At the ga
ray a man, swart and h~eavyset, stood f
it'll a moment cycling us.
1sh (Continued Next Weekly