News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1919-01-01
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take in your arms, but won't for fear
of crushing. No use for me to try to
describe her. Yank, it's out of my line
but she captured me, heart and soul.
There l stood like a great, big boob,
shaking and suffering. At last !
managed to blurt out a stammering
Thank you, miss
'She showed us the way to the sta
<bles and stood in the door holding the
9antern so we could see to unsaddle. l
was fumbling around with the buckles,
but for the life of me couldn't get that
saddle off. One of the men, with a wink
and broad grin, came over and help
ed me. That grin got my goat, so on
the sly, kicked him on the shin. He
let out an explosive damn After
that damn the silence was painful.
The poor fellow felt like a fool. | was
sorry for him, even though I could
have killed him for his thoughtless-
mess. But our embarrassment was
'short-lived, because a silvery laugh
came from behind the lantern, a laugh
that was not loud, but it echoed and re-
echoed among the rafterS overhead. l
can hear 1t right now, Yank.
after the horses had been unsad-
died and fed the men looked appeal
ingly at me. l knew what they want
'ed-they were dog tired and dying to
hit the hay. Just as l was about to
ask permission for them to turn in, the
angel butted in with:
Poor, tired soldiers, sleepy and
hungry. Come right into the house.
Jean has some supper and Wine ready
for you
1--WE stammeroa our thanks and fol-
bowed her into the house Ike Il String
of sheep. YanK, to me that meal vas
dream. She fitted around the table,
filling glass here and there, laughing
with us and making us feel at home.
The war was forgotten. BY this time
was madly in love with her, and she
knew it, because when she leaned over
my shoulder to replenish my glass with
red wine, her hair would brush my
cheek and once she rested her hand on
my shoulder and gave it just the slight
est squeeze. l was in heaven.
at was getting late and the wine
was beginning to tell on the men. They
were falling asleep in their chairs. l
had a hard job waking four of them
to go on guard. They got their rifles
and were standing around me for in
structions, when our hostess came over
to me and, resting her hand on my
arm, with again the slightest of
squeezes and pleading eyes, interceded
for them.
Sergeant she said, let the poor
boys sleep. They are SO tired. There
is no danger. The Germans are miles
away. l know this to be true Do this
for me- And again that squeeze.
IT, like a fool, listened to her, and
gave an unwilling assent. The men
looked their gratitude. Jean, the man
servants led them out to the barn,
where an abundance of hay had been
spread for their beds. was following,
when a whisper in my ear made my
head swim
Don't go yet. my sergeant, stay !
with me-
Il stayed, worse luck.
eve sat on settee, talking, and her |
arm stole around my waist. l wasn't |
slow, either, and as you know, Yank, II
have a pretty good reach. Once, she
spoke to me in French, but l shook my
head in bewilderment. In few min
.utes the servant returned, and Adri-
enne-she told me her name-called
him to her. and said:
"tJean, go down in the wine cellar
and get some of that old port and give
tt to the soldiers of England. Poor
boys, 1t will warm them She added I
something in French could not under
stand. Then she added:
leave a bottle here for the SER
geant and me-
81 protested against more wine for
the boys. Her pleading overruled my
good Judgment, and L consented The
servant left to do her mission, and l
Her answer was a kiss. ]
was the happiest man In France.
presently Jean returned and silent
~ placing a bottle and two glasses on
the table withdrew. We were alone.
She took the bottle ard, pouring out a
glass of wine, touched it to her lips
and handed it to me with this toast:
"Drink, my sergeant. Drink to our
betrothal. Drink to the honor of
France. Drink to the honor of Eng.
land. Drink to the confusion of our
P-"7Nios.'
81 drank with my fool heart pound
ing against my ribs. Then blackness.
"When / awoke, I was lying on the
settee, my head bursting with pain.
The gray dawn was filtering through
the curtained windows, and there, in
the middle of the room, with my Adri-
enne In his arms, stood a captain of
Uhlans. / was a prisoner. l saw it all
in a fash. She had betrayed me. Now
I knew why she had wanted no guard
posted. That wine we pledged our
froth In was drugged. What an ass
had beeni
81 closed my eyes and pretended to
be asleep. They were talking in Ger
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