The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-03-19
Bell Glasses

There came a defamation from some dis
lance. A little spark winked out agalnsI
the indigo and a puff Of whittier smoke
Like old times. Andre muttered as he
loaded the mortar. The first line mas
commenced"
It was some neighbor in like position al
ready opening fire.
The car outside the gates was heard to
be moving on again. Renee looked in its
direction with surprise. -.
Il must have deceived myself" she sara
to Andre.
"Hein! That is the way with a girl in
love wi5h SOM imbecile. Still, it is better
than being deceived by him. 1t was some
type who stopped to put up his top"
Renee ran down then to help her grand
father with the clOches. Cover all these
petite" said the old gentleman. Il go to
the cabane to fetch others for the new
sprouts"
He went to the cabane. The car to which
they had listened seemed to have gone on.
At about this time Andre fired a bomb.
His uncle, at the door Of the cabane, turned
and made a protesting gesture.
Thou art too sOOn,' he cried, and he
added with a sort Of jOvial blaguerie'
what sort Of soldier art thou, to be vast
ing ammunition before the enemy comes
in ranger"
He went inside, presently to emerge with
as many Of the clOches as he could carry
conveniently, risking the breaking of them
in a manner that no thrifty gardener would
do, by nesting each into the one above as
hurried walters sometimes carry glasses,
but in the case Of the clOches in the re-
verse sense, the Orifices below.
Logging these to the en- dOf the garden,
he set them down with a word to Renee
that she take them apart and cover the new
plants. Then back he went for another
load, calling to Andre that he should COM
mence firing as soon as the fringe of the
black cloud came overhead. A cold draft
was already stirring.
The cabane was at the acute apex of a
long triangle of which a line drawn be-
! fWnnm Andre and Rnmnn WnnNn no tho base.
It's altitude would be about one hundred
| yards, the door of the cabane at right
angles to this base line. The back of the
caDane, in which was g small barred WIN
dow, about four feet from the ground, was
opposed to the wall, and about ten meters
from it. From their positions, neither
Andre nor Renee could have seen behind
the cabane, because it was thanked on
either side by big arbustes Of box, old and
heavy masses, from which Monsieur Wharf
sometimes took slips for a friend or neigh
Dor who desired to plant a hedge.
The black cloud was now almost direct
ly overhead. At any moment it might pre-
cipitate its burden of rain or hail. Andre
fired a bomb into the bellying border Of
it, Renee whose task of setting the clOehes
had brought her between two parallel rows
in Andres direction, was now within three
or four yards of him. She paused and
looked up to watch the petard flash against
the purple menace. 1t burst and Renee
clapped her hands and laughed.
What inSOlence, to fire bombs at the do
main of bon Dieu!" she cried.
Monsieur Wharf, with his hand on the
latch of the door that the current of air
had blown out, heard her at a distance Of
about Il hundred pards. He also laughed
for he was an old gentleman of good
humOr
Ajax hurting his defiance at the light
ming he called back and went inside. The
heavy plant door slammed behind him as
he released it, and the big iron latch fell.
This closing Of the door was not noticed
by Renee and Andre, who were looking
skyward to watch the puff of white smoke
drift off like a balloon. Almost at the
same moment the first of the shower came
down in big splashing drops.
Andre was chivalrOus enough to say
"Run for shelter will finish with the
clOches-it is going to pour
Renee, who had on her party frOck and
light blouse, gathered uE her skirts enc
ran, not for the house that was about 2U
yOrds distant, but for the small, ruSti
kiosk with a matched roof, about half wa!
to the villa and nearly in line with Andr
and the door Of the cabane. The rain nov
began to fulfil the prophecy Of the weather
wise Monsieur Wharf by changing int
hailstOnes, small at first. but rapidly in
creasing in size. about that of big peas
Andre, despite the fact that he was wear
ing his Sunday clothes, did not shirk
duty on which he knew the impOrtanc
placed by his uncle. With the hail wa
rain, and he was getting wet, but many O
the precious primeurs were still exposed.
1t was at this moment that there cam
from the Cabane the sound Of a SmOthere
yell or imDrecatiOn or both and a terrlfi
smashing of glass.
The two young people guessed what ma
happened. Monsieur Wharf, laden wit
his burden of clOches and embarrassed b
the slamming of the door, must have trie
to shift one hand to open it, when his lOa
improperly supported, had tOttered an
fallen. 1t would appear that the old gel
teman in his hurry had not thought trS
20 open and prop back the door to allO
a free exit before gathering up the clOche
Renee gfifIn0 hack q nnWVOUg I4ugl
knowing how furious her grandfather mus
be, less at the loss Of perhaps twent
francs worth Of clOches than at his ow
shOrt-S1ghtedness and the perverstty
inanimate objects. She thought she hear
him let out another "Sacre@" but 81
= did not run to his assistance for the tW
excellent reasons that in the first pla'
- the damage was done, and the second TIL
Us the soft intervening soil was now mud an
IA: she had on a pair Of new white shoes
= one hundred francs the Lair. MOnsieI
Wharf was generous with his believe
4 granddaughter, albeit something Of a ma
ur tlnet at times.
rs, Andre stood for a moment staring at Il
cabane. Then as Monsieur Wharf did n
VI emerge, he left the clOches and ran aero
i'll the intervening space, Wrenched upon Il
he door and entered, when, as the case
lite Monsieur Wharf, the door banged shut b
hind him also. He came out again imm
= diately, flung up his arms with a gestu
of horror, and ran back to where Rem
"a was standing in the kiosk, sheltered fro
asst the rain. As ne drew near enough Tor ~
to see the expression Of his face, the 81
- was sliced with the sickening cOnvicti'
that some frightful calamity had Occurre
- "What is it?" she cried. What has ha
IRE pened?"
to H has fallen on the broken cloches.
y spike Of glass has pierced him in t
throat Run quick and telephone for
-Or Doctor"
n.y. What with shock and running, Andre
- words were almost inarticulate. Renee W
no scatter brlined girl but possessed
- sound sane sense. It flashed instant
ny through her head that in such a case (
lIe first n nearest aid was Of more impC
pc lance than a surgeon. Regardless {
white shoes she dashed across the slipper
muddy ground to the cabane, Andre at b
- heels. They reached the little huff lu
open the door, and entered.
9i9 Monsieur Wharf was lying prone on {
NJ rear Of the cabane across a heap Of smash
and shattered clOches, already in a gel
ess pool Of blood. The fearful sight stagger
Renee despite her courage. She luruch
back against the wall. Andre, who was
mt trench fighter and accustomed to the sic
- Of wounds and blood and death, stOOp
down and drew the body Of his un
M away from the shattered glass and turn
inc 1t on its back. 1t needed but a glance
nv show that life was practically eXtil
though great gObbets Of crimson were we
ing from the gaping wounds at the side
his throat. Andre cleared IL with the col