Show A it was on the cro of ho brittle of ferino the french regiments which had arrived from milan during iho dav bv long and dusty road andor i broi ling anu exhausted by fatigue were encamped ou nn immense plain in by chain of hill on which towered the white houses of alio llio town lightning playing among alio leaden colored clouds illuminated at intervals with lurid light the battlefield of alio morrow Koli ting also lit up bic camp no inus in us were allowed ftc 1 measure of prudence all were not asleep however be tides tho outposts and pickets ninny in vamp wide awake hero aud there groups of incisi 1 ting on the grass around their tent conversed in a low lone end discussed alio probable issue of alio coming battle rn the middle of a small group of alio over the cliance sot abo morrow was colonel eugene dc who commanded a regiment of light dragoons he biad the wall of being ono of alio most splendid officers in brunch if alic service although a strict disciplinarian he was iu alic nse nt by and incisi alike and deservedly so colonel dc appeared to pay but little attention to what was said lie seemed in a proud reverie as lie bit than smoked a half con baud cigar turning suddenly to his surgeon major a veteran with i wall face he said vou believe in it depends colonel one may have no doubt but to admit that they arc ever realized is another matter you louk upon them as valueless of any prophetic importance quite so ah it 13 true as is said that all TOU doctors aro more or acs material alts after n iwuc lie added Y ou and so kiich tho better there anro some thoughts which should be banished on the eve of a dav like what tomorrow to morrow promises to be so tidying he got up and added 1 I shall turn in and get some rest and ad viso you all to do the same in a few hours we shall need all the strength we cau command quo by one the group broko oil and presently was loft only olli ard alo major a captain and a what did thu colonel mean by arc asked the aunger of te know ho has iro fear about lo morrow yet his manner and his last words the least arcutt gnp had you been longer in the regiment young fellow replied the Major you would know that alio colonel periodically ri gets tho blues but wo take no notice of them they soon pass and he becomes himself again but what is the cause of ida mccur i ring the cause said the captain why all the regiment know alio cause except myself I 1 joined months ago well hero is brisac back from his rounds ho can lall the factory best the surgeon major being appealed to lay don u upon tho grass lit a cigar nal sigid in 1831 do balmont Ya lmont appointed lieutenant in alie Chas curs which had just been raked landed in algiers I 1 was as distant surgeon to hie military hospital though I 1 was older than lie we soon struck up an acquaintance that ripened into friendship which time has not impaired eugene was young good looking aud a man of fascinating man aers iio came of a distinguished family and his friends kept his well in short he could get money as fast fa st as lie wished to spend it wo served three years together do Valmont got leave to exchange find return to france his mother was iho cause 0 this for sho had in view for him a marriage with a rich leaving algiers would have been all plain sailing except for bidding farewell to a certain lady called la sacr iua a dause uso at alio theater in appearance pe arance she was decidedly af an olive colored and with black hair in her urge ox eyes and in her firmly cut mouth was a significant indication of which suggested tant alie young lady would be more desirable as a than as an she said alio wis an italian having been born at homo but her parents were alio traveled through nil countries hy i iou la sevirina Sev crina had conceived for eugene a passion as violent as ft was hopeless when sho heard of his proposed lie was wild when aho learned alio llio motive of it lie turned a lemon failing iu a determined al limpl to baulk ill s plans by hini with a alic assured him with words that alio would be revenged ue laughed at the throat I 1 however to keep HD eye on the actions of lady however 1 was foiled sho left algiers about a mouth after and I 1 never knew what became of her nasi ly four years bid passed sinco eugcnia return wo kept up a constant anu I 1 learned of his marriage and lie birth of one son whom he called lucien ho continually pressed luo to exchange and go back to france at length I 1 got appointed to cavalry regiment quartered lit paris and leh algiers to take on my new duties landing at marseilles I 1 put up at alio hotel castdlane where alio first names I 1 read in alio list of arrivals were choso of iho conal and do valmont we met with joy after our long separation eugene introduced ITIC to his wife a lady asi a si lovely as she was charming and mo with arido hia son A line chubby child with curly leair and the splendid bauo of its ho dimply worshipped wor shipped this boy and his life and soul seemed wrapped up in its being and existence and now as to the sad sequel to my tale do valimont was on leavo and at ills desire they were about to visit italy not to fatigue alio child their dronfo was mapped out in short stage alicy wore resting two days at marseilles before going to genoa by lacor niche so I 1 decided to stay and sec them on in the afternoon of mv arrival at iho weather waa glorious little lucien was sent his burc down to alio sea on that magnificent beach the splendid palace of arado stand two hours alter this nurse returned alone looking like a mad woman tho caci were starling out other head and sobbing and crying pho threw herself at alio ia s feet and said the had lost iho child she and her charge were playing on the beach where they acio attracted by tho performance of sonic acrobats A crowd had and alio boy was not ont of her sight for half a minute on looking round ho was gone handshe sought him in vain ho to hav been spirited away she called his name at the top of her voice and ran up ami down lie beach until exhausted bystanders alio heard her chiei helped glicr in the search but found nothing was lucien drowned asked lie kiib this was the question started but il was well nili impossible the child could only toddle and the sens wag too far from alie place indicated by the hinso so this hypothesis wai given up the police considered it a case of kidnapping and to work but failed to liina 1 clue searched for burks all alio slums 0 the city iho low the dregs of ilio population congregate alic scum of ilio mediterranean bit with nu acs A description of ilio child was sent 0 o every consul with orders to kiako full inquiry DC valmont himself obtained special leave of absence froin alio war auice and spent a year in ning to solve the mystery he returned more dead llian alive to bury his wife whom grief had killed As to the colonel at lirt he had serious intentions of joining tho trap fists and retiring from alio world iut hope sustains him still ho believes it his boy was not drowned ihna bonco will lake pity on him and yet restore him vain delusion hut wo humor leini in his hope ho has since devoted hia whole life and soul to his regiment but the wound at his heart lias never healed and alien it breaks out afresh lie becomes sad and sorrowful and talks about presentiment la I 1 believe lias kept her word and wrecked wreaked a terrible revenge brisac his story and wished all good vc linao six hours for sleep mv boys and then 1 on the morrow at tho carev hour of SIY 0 clock a double line of s moko CK tended for a distance of two miles on each sido of iho plain the french biad brought almost all their guns into action tho austrian batteries posted on the opposite alls replied with a well directed lire in this artillery duel which far some hours the advantage remained w illi the french the superiority of the austrian position was indio than counterbalanced by tho deadly crt of tho rillo gum of the french which were first employed in warfare at alic battle of sol ferin 0 the carnage was frightful and alic result disastrous to the austrian who were obliged to retreat at oliree on that day june ilio french were lenued up to advance under a withering musketry liro to assault the tower of sol farino tho key of the position mancial then called on ills ci cavalry valry to make a which biad it been successful would have alio fortuned fort unea of alio day alio austrian cavalry acro massed behind a fringo of wood which concealed their movements from the french suddenly they were seen to emerge from their shellar and to prepare lor a determined charge to take in hank those battalions which had already readied the sloped of tho hills general ni cl saw the danger and immediately hurled against them the marguerite division 0 cavalry in which do Val light dragoons charged in tho liesl line the ilsock was tho elements to swell alie frightful storm of war reals of thunder bellowed forth and vivid lightning played over the ghastly sight beneath it delivery of alio charge home that colonel do valmont suddenly saw rise before him about a do cn hussary hussars hus sars in white of tho archduke regiment led by a voun fair hair and a buddin mustache they alio franch dragoons maniacal fury mahln luicir way through tham like cannon ball W ith ono bound 0 liis horse the lieutenant was at the colonel do almont saw his sabre hash as apra it to cut him down he had only timo to pull iho trigger of his pistol and the austrian fell killed by a bullet in tho forehead at the end of alio engagement colonel do almont returning to camp over alio scene of the the body of alio lieutenant still lay there on its back A thin trickle of blood marked tho spot of the bullet wound the face of the young was as calm and placid M a child alcea do at him with profound emotion A few yards olt seme dismounted men acro guardian guardi ag prisoners among whom was an officer of pointing to the dead body the colonel ni sir can ou tell me the nimo of that brave karl gottfried was the answer one month after thi peace of villafranca eugene de valmont returned to I 1 aris with the army 1 l italy where he found tho following loiter awal tim b his arrival OL n wat 1 u T 0 moved brought clintic other lar aur cral c ral by our men tho dead on omu ot thorn who arm to they farol abom was ain on ill KU a a diun A was round glicr n io wa on uio point of death 1 uy to dram wound uni my i nays ont me pr 1 bin ija soverina Sov erlna under iho feature ot tho woman I 1 your former in lance in algiers ily what malm ot ln carao to 1 a 0 the I 1 not to explain that before bins ahn allowa the to a part nl B I 1 have for louir ho it waa who lol nt map rel llo or which I 1 rhall inter on poverty liar to alindon the wild t vienna mio lott it to abc charity ot iho where she never heard 0 ihal loy after thin will falvo you gomo traico apply lit once to the kin baay aw a lal ya joy alio colonel ran to abo embassy anu explained iho object of bis mission fur a which scorned to liviu ft ho lived in a fever of suspense and wis coin to bod ono whon his valet brought hini an letter with a red seal tho austro diun ganan amis ho rend as follows lam Instruct cl liy for to p t conr that tho in nt iho fm on tho september iw vas by a glowas at alio school of which ho left lust year with iho of flub pom d to SA T the of t lio wu nt ilo loro tho namo of his father karl ono the valet entered tho colonels room and found liim sit this in his chair face was deadly white his vya dilated and immovable cro fixed upon the fatal letter the servant him lightly on alic lio ilder and hia dropped motionless on alio bloor lio was dead lonois |