The Connecticut labor press. (New Haven, Conn.) 191?-1921, 1920-10-16

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The major and I were raising his
head, in the hope that some flutter of
life might remain, when heard we'll
remembered voice at my side, and
there was DE Lissac, leaning upon his
elbow, among a litter of dead Guards
men. He had great blue coat muf-
fed round him, and his hat, with the
high red plume, was lying on the
ground beside him. He was very pale
and had dark olotches under his eyes,
but otherwise he was as he had ever
been, with the keen, hungry nose, the
wiry mustache and the close-cropped
head, thinning away to badness upon
the top. His eyelids had always
dropped, but now one could hardly see
the CLINT of his eyes from beneath
them.
"Halloo,. Jack!'' he cried. 81 didn't
thought to have seen you here, and
yet 1 might have known it, too, when
saw friend jim"
sit is you that have brought all this
trouble" said /.
eta, ia, tap he cried in his old.
impatient fashion. SIT is all arranged
for us. When I was in Spain Learned
to believe in fate. 1t is fate which
has sent you here this morning"
This mans blood lies at your door"
said I, with my hand on poor Jim's
shoulder.
And mine on his, so we have paid
our debts" He flung open his mantle
as he spoke, and I saw with horror
that a great lump of clothed blood was
hanging out of his side.
This is my thirteenth and last, .
said he, with smile 'They say that
thirteen is an unlucky number. Could
you spare me drink from your flask? p
The major had some brandy-and-wa-
ter. De Lissac supped it up eagerly.
His eyes frightened, and a little fieck
of color came back into each of his
haggard cheeks.
1T was Jim did this" said he. 81
heard some one calling my name, and
there he was with his gun against my
tunic. Two of my men cut him down.
Just as he fired. Well, well. Edie was
worth it all. You will be in Paris in
less than month. Jack, and you will
see her. You will find her at number
eleven of the Rue Miromesnil, which
is near the Madelaine. Break it very
gently to her, Jack, for you. cannot
think how she loves me. Tell her that
all I have is in two black trunks, and
that Antoine has the keys. You will
not forget?"
II will remember
'And madame, your mother7
Lea
And monsieur, too, your father? Bear
them my distinguished regards" Even
now, as death closed in upon him, he
rave the old bow and wave as he sent
his greetings to my mother.
Surely" said I, your wound may
not be so serious as you think. / could
bring the surgeon of our regiment to
YOU"
MY dear Jack, have not been Civ
ing and taking wounds this fifteen
years without knowing when one has
come home. But it is well, for I
know that all is ended for my Little
Man, and I had rather go with my
voltigeurs than remain to be an exile
and beggar. Besides, it is quite GER
tain that the Allies would have shot
me, so have saved myself from that
humiliation
THE Allies, SIR said the major,
with some heat, would be guilty of
no such barbarous action"
But De Lissac shook his head with
the same sad smile.
'You do not know, major" said he
do you suppose that should have fed
to Scotland and changed my name if
] had not more to fear than my COM
rades in Paris? / was anxious to live,
for was sure that my Little Man
would come back. Now / had rather
die, for he will never head an army
again. But / have done things that
could not be forgiven. 1t was 1 that
led the party that took and shot the
Dieu, Edie, Edie, ma cherie!'' He.
threw out both his hands, with all the
fingers feeling and quivering in the
air. Then he let them drop heavily
in front of him, and his chin fell for
ward upon his chest. One of our SER
geants laid him gently down, and the
other stretched the big blue mantle
over him, and so we left those two
whom fate had so strangely brought
together, the Scotchman and the
Frenchman, lying silently and peace
fully within hands touch of each other
upon the b1oOd-Soaked hillside near
Hougoumont.