The Western outlook. [volume] (San Francisco, Cal.) 1894-1928, 1915-02-20

CONTINUATION Oh sentence.
"Of what do you suspect him, sir?'
inquired Captain Jacquevel.
Espionage" answered the colonel
briefly. "He is not Frenchman. Did
you not detect his accent?"
| "Alsatian," suggested Captain
Jacqueyel.
! Never" replied Boileau. II spent
three months in Alsace. They have
the heavy Teutonic cultural in their
threats, not that North German burr OF
| Marchand's. / think"
But what he thought was never said,
for at that moment an orderly raised
the flap of the tent.
"a lady wishes to see you, sir" he
said. "a Nine. Marchand of Nancy"
Colonel Boileau looked triumphantly
at JaeqHevel. You see." he said. "A
prearranged thing. No doubt another
spy, passing as relative. Well, show
her In, Louis. And Wen keep her
when she comes in" he added to
Jacquevel, unless she can tell plain
| story"
The tent flap was raised again and
a little old lady came In. Despite his
angry suspicious Colonel Boileau rose
and offered her camp stool. For the
little old lady was SO typically French.
We'll, madam" he asked.
my son has enlisted in your COM
pany, colonel" said the little old lady
triumphantly.
Yes, there was triumph In her voice
and all through the story she told him.
For Nine. Marchand had in secret
wished that her son might not forfeit
his birthright, and, learning at Nancy,
by friend who managed to reach her,
that Jean had enlisted, nothing would
satisfy her but that she must go to
the place where he was and see him
in the uniform which his father had
worn.
"And, thank heaven, he is here" she
continued. Il walked from Nancy,
starting at noon"
you walked from Nancy, madam"
inquired the colonel incredulously.
six miles? Pooh That Is moth.
ing. During the war of 1870, when my
Philippe was serving on the frontier,
| walked from Nancy to Paris. And
now have come to see my Jean In
the midst of his comrades. To think
that, with all his American citizenship
he preserved his French heart"
did you say he was an American,
madam" demanded Colonel Boileau
grufhy.
to America when he was baby, and
he obtained citizenship at twenty-one.
But Frenchman never forgets France.
Now take me to him, colonel"
Colonel Boileau sat staring into the
little old lady's face. She was typi-
cally French, SO smartly attired, de-
spite her widows weeds. Captain
Jacquevel coughed in a melancholy
manner and looked down at the
ground
my son Is only a private now" con-
tinued Nine. Marchand. "But soon
you will see him corporal, and then
a sergeant He will be promoted for
gallantry upon the field and made lieu
tenant, then captain, major-who
knows but that the end of the war
may see him colonel?"
Colonel Boileau could find nothing
to say. For long while he sat star
ing at the little old lady. At last he
arose.
Captain Jacquevel, you will offer our
hospitality to Nine. Marchand until !
return" he said, and, leaving the tent,
went to the guard tent.
Inside, between two corporals, sat
Jean Marchand He was seated bolt
upright, staring out into the darkness.
The terror had not yet come upon
him, for 1t all seemed like disordered
dream-all the incidents since his en-
listment.
Colonel Boileau led the prisoner
springing to their feet, saluted their
officer. 1t did not seem strange to
them that he should have come for
misunderstanding seemed strange in
times like these.
When they had gone a little way
Colonel Boleau shouted, Haiti"
The prisoner faced him expectantly.
He did not know that the hour Of ex-
ecution had not been advanced.
"Marchand," said the colonel, your
mother is here"
Jean Marchand's hand went up to
his hat brim mechanically, in the man.
ner he had learned.
"Marchand,. you will die at sunrise"
said Colonel Boileau. But you will
appear before your mother and tell
her that you are free man. She
will think that you have been killed
in action. Do you understand"
The young man nodded, and Colonel
Boileau brought him to the tent door
and conducted his mother out to him.
Half an hour later wagon. drawn by
four horses and escorted by file OF
soldiers, conveyed Nine. Marchand
back to Nancy. Her eyes were brim-
ming with tears of happiness at the
thought of her sons future.
Jean Marchand stood at the colonel's
door. He was awaiting the soldiers
who were to conduct him back to the
guard tent.
Colonel Boileau took him by the
shoulders and pointed southwark.
"Yonder lies Tourville," he said.
THE Army of the East is recruiting
there. Your future lies there Off,
cially, you die at dawn. But Jean
Marchand is not a unique name, and
it is possible that another Jean Mar
chand may win honors In war and