第40节 (第2/2页)

daytheyantlyondutythatisto

    say,eitherridiheuntry,hegenerals

    quartersinreadinessforastartorreseldong,and

    drasintheoffice.bynighttheytookitintus

    htheotherstaffofficerstobeondutythatistosay,tolie

    do,hthehorsesaddledatthedoor,in

    readiostartataninstantsnotice.

    tidutiesasanorderlyheavy,andweregenerallyover

    byfiveok;afteredasservanttotheboys.it

    possible,uheess

    together,asusual.thereavailablenor,indeed,

    anyoftheappliansotherduties,therefore,was

    thatofoking.theyhadalsoanotherorderlyallottedtothe

    andhedevotedhielftotheuaking

    allotherwork.

    theboyslikedtheieuch.the

    pleasant.theirfellopanions,andtheir

    generalstkind,andgenial.

    abrielsadvaothe

    vosgestoopposetheprussians,argsouth.the

    progressofthearheyhadtocarrysupplies

    theyrequired.loeekept,nd,a

    fearchahead;aheroftheboysly

    dispatchedhi

    afterthreedaysrg,theyheene.allwasnow

    ent.thefranctireurswerealready

    engagedinskirshingand,earlyoneing,ralphreceived

    orderstorideforysposition.

    passingthroughthepostsoffranctireurs,herodecautiously

    alongtheroad;hhishandoofhisrevolver,andhis

    horseotuandrideforhislife,onan

    instantsnotice.

    presently,astherhanarroh

    trees,heheardavoiloseinhisear,”stop”

    hereinedinhishorse,aheleavesparted;and

    anofsosixtyyearsofage,ardhanolddoublebarreled

    foeppedout.

    ”thegerbeyond,”hesaid.”iexpectthevery

    nt.”

    ”andareyoudoinghere”ralphasked.

    ”idoiedthepeasant.”iangtoshoot

    soofthe”

    ”buttheyoacertainty,iftheyhyou.”

    ”letthe”theoldnsaid,quietly;”theyenore

    harhantheyhavedone.ihadanicefarz.ilived

    thereyythreeboys.soonefired

    attheprussiansfroadeno

    differen;shot

    threeboys,beforetheirtherseyes;illtreatedher,sothat

    shedieddayand,uedforithe

    tiifoundaheapofashes,yhousehadstood;thedead

    bodiesofthreeboys;ydaughtersittingby,

    sgad

    ”itookheraoafriendshouse;andstayedhhertillshe

    died,too,afhtafter.theniboughtthisgun,andso

    poylastney;andouttokill

    prussians.ihavekilledthirteenalreadyand,pleasegod,”andthe

    peasantliftedhishat,devoutly,”iore,today.”

    ”hothatyouhaveescapedsolong”ral

    ...