donotthinkitisobeout,thesebitteights,until

youarequitestrong.”

”iauitestrong,a,asstrongasever,”percylaughed;but

hislaughself,alittleunnatural.

hisfatherlookedsharplyup.

percysatdootherhao

hi

”iein,”hesaid,”andofurseit

ynotbesobutiheardofsoonehedescription,

seedtoberalph.”

”other

gazedathiapalefadappealingeyes.

”dontagitateyourself,adearyousee,ityrue,

afterallbutangthepeopleiraine

straightfres.ispoketohiandhesaidthathehad

heardbyafrieraightfroierzonthatayoung

officerhadjustarrivedthere,indisguise;whohadbeenwounded,

andinhiding,eversin,

itisjustthetiiulatedheing;andfrohe

factofhisbeingayoungstaffofficer,andindisguise,ihave

verylittledoubtitisralph.”

hisseatandstandingforant

behindhisperdthenatthedoor,

inquiringly.perodded.

captainbarclayleanedover,andkissedhiswife

”thankgod,dear,forallhisrciesanotherdayortwo,andwe

shallbehavinghio.”

”thankgod,indeed”s.barclaysaid;”butthoughihopethough

itrytothinkitperhapsit,perhaps”

”no,a,”pereparticularshegave,andfrobr>

ostsureiysayiauitesureitis

ralph.isayso,youknoverycertain.”

s.barclayfeltthathe,andfellintoherhusbands

ar,gsoftlyhhappiness.

lly.shehadcaughttheglaween

herfatherandperdhadrightlyinterpretedit.shehadrisen

toherfeet,butacaptainbarhecked

the

therooclosedthedoooiselessly,hadfloothefrontdoor

andoutintotheroadbeyond,andryinghappilyinralphs

ar.

”andrs.barclay

askedherhusband.

”soon,dearquitesoon,”heaorrow.he

ealstasquicklyasthenews.”

”oh,ho”s.barclaysaid.”thankgodforhis

rorroayhavebothboysback

again.”

”herebearainin,tonight,peraptainbarclay

asked.

”quitepossibly,”percysaid;”indeed,indeed,”andhe

hesitated”yousee,i;itisjustpossiblethathe

yhavearrivedbythistrain.”

s.barclayuoodnow.

”heise,”sheexclaid,lookingup.”ikno,now.”

s.

”youelanieyes,dear,hehase.”

percysahatittothedoor,andope.

ralphonthis

thers.

laterintheevening,captainbarclaysaidtoralph:

”isupposetorroediertificate,and

etogeneralzy:sayingthatyouarealive,butuo

rejoin”

”yes,”ralphanshathebestplan.i

sthaveanthsrest.”

”thatans,dearboy,thatyouhavetogooutany

re.ahheendofthestruggleoratany

rate,iftheendhasnotabsolutelyarrived,itwillbe

unstakable.

”thegais,iavinced,altogetherlost.afhtago,i

hadstillhope.y,nearlyor

quiteequaltothatofprinkcharles.heuldnot

attaeinforce,houtleavingtheroadtoparisopentothe

other.

”bourbakihaseuponthisdexpeditiontotheeast;andyou

hrth

uponay

relievebelfort,butinthateroffranceishetodo

prussianreinfortsareingdoowerder,everyday.

troopsarergonthistoparisand,ifbourbakiisnot

hersedanhere.

”afterthedefeatofthese,thelasttiesoffrawould

bedontiheustsurrender,forthere

herpossibilityofrelief;andtherewouldbeno

advantage,ever,inenduringfurthersufferings.

”no,boys,isaidgohoughtthattherewasa

possibilityofsavingfrahan

yourduty.ithanfollyito

voluntarilyputyourlivesintodanger,o

bepossible.ishouldbethelastntohinderyoufroas

yourduty.isaidgobefore,herswouldhavesaidso.

iycalledyou;butasyou

bothobtainsickleave,foranothersixakethat

leave.donotdorethanyourduty,forheroissnowofnouse

tofrance.”

”iagreehyoualtogether,papa,”ralphsaid.”ihaveseen,and

had,quiteenoughfightingforlifeti.ofurse,ifthewar

goesoretutoourduty,butiabr>

oobtainallthesickleaveiget;foralthoughi

stillbelieveintheindividualbraveryofthefrenchsoldiers,i

auitenvihatitisaltogetheroutofthequestion

thaththeiranization,ofgenerals,of

officers,ofdiscipline,ofeverythingtheydrive

outthegnifiany.

”haspercygothisleaveextended”

”yes,”percysaid;”iaairlystillshaky.ihave

notquitegotoverthats;andthesurgeonsaid,y

applyingforit,thatisthaveprolongedrestso,attheendof

thenth,heextefortonthslonger.

”ithhlyagreehyouboth.eenoughofit.

isfathatyto

frandourrank;andtheseribbons,”aouchedthe

rosetteofthelegionofhonor,inhisbutto

inguishedourselves.goodfortune,

hitherto;itghttu,i.”

andsoitainatho,forthe

onths;byetheyagreed,htheirfather,the

resistance.ralphetogeneralzy,

relatiancesofhisabsence.generalzy

andsuponhistisayinghow

pleasedhehatralphhadescaped,ashehadquit

...