Evening star., 1915-05-06
His New Bedfel1ow.

His New Bedfel1ow.
The baron had begun to drift off into
unconsciousness, in spite OF the raw cold
and the pain. He knew the bleeding must
be stopped. So the soldier and the sur
geon took him down from the cart, while
the kind peasant drove off cursing into
the night. In the dingy. candle-lighted
common room of the inn they found
dozen soldiers stretched upon the floor
None had been seriously injured. They
swore in a dozen tongues.
'@There is better room UPSTAIRS said
the surgeon.
The soldier and the surgeon carried him
dainty room into which he was taken
the baron remembers. He tried to Wis
ualize its occupant before he drifted off
again He woke to find himself trying to
frame gallant apology to her for his
PROCLAMATION Of her little room. The sur
geon and the soldier had removed his
clothing and bathed him and dressed his
wound. The soft. fragrant linen was in
expressfvely grateful to his fevered flesh.
Finds an Inn.
I'VE are In luck. my captain" said the
soldier. This is not an army hospital.
1t Is but an inn. and this good doctor is
come. There are but few. for no one
knows"
Time passed The baron awoke to And
the surgeon and the soldier bending over
him. There was something in their faces
that he could not quite fathom. The room
was but dimly lighted. His eyes were
faint" from weakness BY an effort he
aroused himself to know that the surgeon
was begging a favor. most apologetically
III you would permit yourself to share
bed with another wounded man" the
surgeon said.
eyes sought the face Of the soldier. The
soldier nodded. TT is quite all right, my
captain" said he.
He doesn't just remember what fol-
lowed. He knows that he was lifted
from between those adorably fresh
sheets and carried down a hall into a
large room-the state apartment Of the
inn. The great four-poster bed, with
Its heavy canopy. and the rich curtains,
and the quaint old-time furniture told
much. Upon the polished table in the
center lay the helmet and accouter-
ments of a French cuirassier. His
spuFred jackboots were limp upon the
fooT. AS the curtains of the bed were
parted the baron caught glimpse of
a heavy, strongly marked face upon
the pillow-a face with high, Gallo
cheekbones and dark. expressive eyes
and a sweeping mustache. A sheathed
sword lay by the side of this man upon
the bed
Welcomes the Baron.
welcome, German" said this man in
a strong voice. Are you noble?"
The baron rarely refers to his family
But he has all the pride of birth that
went to his Spanish forbears three
centuries ago, when they first won an
estate and a title in a little German
principality. He reused himself from
his lethargy enough to snap an assent
Good said the man In the bed. Il
too, am noble"
The soldier and the surgeon busted
themselves In making the pair com
Portable. The soldier placed the candle
| in a corner of the room, SO that the
| barons memory carries tale of long
| fiickering shadows playing on the cell.
ing and moving as some draught from
without stirred the candle flame. The
doctor approached the bedside.
IT have done what I could" said he
Now / must go"
"Good-bye. Pierre" said the othel
man You are always kind"
Was He Afraid to Die Alonep
There came silence in the room. TIL.
great bed was very soft and very warm
The baron gratefully gave way tt
| sleep Once the other man spoke, In
4
harsh, rough voice that was no longer
strong. 1t seemed hardly more than &
| whisper to the baron, but that whis
per vibrated like the tang of meta
| through the air.
AT least" said the whispering man
| mot alone"
The baron reused himself by an effort
He tried to turn his head, but the stiff
| bandages about his neck prevented
He could only see the long shadow
playing across the checked and yellow
|-ceiling. with its old plaster ornaments
He tried to ask a question. and then
swift conviction of the uselessness o
1t all came over him and he gave him
self again to sleep.
Once, later on, I felt a stir at m,
side" said the baron. Il knew that tn,
man stirred in the bed, but I did no
waken. Hours afterward-it must hav.
been hours, for the candle had flick
cred out and the room was quite darl
IL woke again. My head was clear
although I was very weak. I lay ther'
ntv L.