A Girl of the Commune

eard that his whole class were g

he fields as hanging about the streets gossiping. We can always talk, but during the past six weeks Paris has done nothing but tal

often ill-treated, and not unfrequently had to pass a night in the cells before they could prove their identity. Mary gave an exclamation of surprise at seeing him so attired, but made no remark until after chatting for half an ho

The more I see of them the more I get tired of their bombast and their empty

actically useless until the Germans make an assault. Besides, three parts of them are married men with families, and nothing short of their homes be

dignantly, "for the Parisians, who have no idea

with me for doing nothing and being in earnest about nothing. Now that I am doing

this sort of t

u wanted me to work for work's sake, although as i

he other side I shou

e now, but they demand terms that France can never submit to as long as there is the faintest hope of success. You need not be at all anxious about me. We are not going to attack the Prussian positions I can assure you. We are only going

We are all students of art, law or physic, and a good deal like such volunteer corps as the artists or 'Inns of Court.' Some of the younger professors are in the ranks, and at least we are all of average intelligence and education, so I fancy we shall fight if we get a chance. I don't mean now, but later on when we have gained confidence in ourselves and in our rifles. Just at present the Pa

nge, indeed," the g

three days. I doubt if they will take it in three months. If we had provisions I should say they would not take it in treble that time. They certainly would not do it without making regular approaches, and before they can do that they have to capture some of the forts. These, as you k

ing rash," she

all ever get within five hundred yards of a Prussian soldier. You need not be

ly. "After knowing you ever since I was a little child, nat

n. If they should do so it will afford you another illustration of the equality of your sex to ours in all matters, and I will go

said, appealingly, "I don't

e empty cottages to sleep in I fancy the gloss will be taken out of this uni

woke up as th

? your tall

xing up in a quarrel that does not concern him, especially when there are tens of thousands here i

aid, complacently. "They will fight like heroes. The Pr

sten to this sort of thing, and with the excus

nothing but friends. Cannot a girl have a man as a friend without there being any thought of love? In England people are friends, they can talk and laugh to each other without any silly ideas of this sort occurring to them. This is one of the things that keeps woman back in the scale, this supposition that she is always thinking of love.' I did not believe her then, but I have listened to-nig

if Lucien were going out to fight I should dissolve in tears, I should embrace him and hang on his neck; I might even have hysterics, though I have never had them in my life. She is a good girl, too, though she has such strange ideas about women. What can she want for them? I manage the house and Lucien goes to his office. If I say a thing is to be done

er than usual. Certainly the studio was never merrier or more full of life. So far from the active exercise and the rough work entailed by the constant vigilance necessary during the long night

more than was good for them, smoked inordinately, were up half the night, and came in the morning to work with heavy heads and nerveless hands. Now they were soldiers, men who matched themselves against the invaders of their country, who ris

n relaxed. The master felt that at such a time he could not expect the same silent concentration on work that it demanded at other times, but he found to hi

led in the studio, and he enjoyed the hard work and excitement outside the walls. The fact that they were running the same risks and sharing in the same work was an added bond of union among the stude

d at night to ascertain the precise position of the Prussian outposts or to endeavor to find out the meaning of any stir or movement that might be heard towards their front. At other times his fits of mood

fficulty in guessing at the reasons for this change in their relations. He himself when he first noticed that Arnold was taking the first place with Minette had spoken to him half-jestingly, half-seriously, on the subject. He had never made any secret of his own distrust o

and that, although deeply in love, he had not as yet been able to bring hims

ully sorry for him, but I know it is one of those cases in which, now that it has gone as far as it has, it would be worse than useless to try to interfere, and would only make him more bent upon going through with it. I don't see that one c

atuation, or on his return may find that some one else has supplanted him in her affections. I should not fancy that constancy would be one of her strong points; at any rate I do not see that I can do any good by meddling in the matter, though if Dampierre spoke to me about it

e Palais Royal, where he intended to dine. There were but few people about, for the evening was wet. He was vaguely conscious that some one was going in the same direction as himself, for he heard footsteps following him a short distance

act of striking when he received the blow. He fell as if shot, the knife, flying from his hand, clattering on the pavement several yards

l find himself minus some of his teeth. I wonder what his object was robbery, I suppose and yet it is hardly likely that the fellow would have singled me out and decided to kill me on the off chance of finding something worth taking. He could not have seen that I have a watch on

door, and had known nothing of there being another man of the same height in the house, he might very well have taken me for Arnold. He spends half his time up at Montmartre, and may likely enough have given offence to some of the ruffians up there; when he is n

ide in the street for Arnold, who was ge

nd later he would probably have settled me. As it was I knocked him down and I fancy I stunned him. At any rate he did not move, so I walked on. Of course it may have been a mere vulgar attempt at murder and robbery, but from the fact that this man followed me for some considerable distance I should say it was not so, but a question of revenge. I don't know that anyone in Paris has any cause of quarrel with me

silent fo

at Montmartre, and it is possible that I may, without knowing it, have rubbe

a square-built fellow. If you happen to come across him I fancy you may recognize him, not from my description but from my handiwork. You see," and he pointed to his right hand, which was wrapped up in an handkerchief, "I hit him hard and have cut t

f you have any sort of suspicion that one of three or four men might be likely to have a grudge against you, they may enable you to pick out the fellow who attempted my life. Of course I may be mistaken altogether and the fellow may have

n; I always have one in

he street when you are in doubtful neighborhoods. A pistol is very good in its way, but it takes ti

Arnold made no allusion to the subject for some days, a

blow you luckily escaped was meant for me. However, I don't think there will b

he matter followed up in any way, and should not have spoken

ington. Probably had I been in your place the

assailant. When he went up to Montmartre he told Minette what had happened

bear ill-will to y

ps himself to himself, never attends meetings of any kind, and can har

her father joined them and said that it was tim

en Jean Dian

him, and a pret

that,

all cut and swollen to four times their usual size and three of his teeth are out. Mon Dieu, what a crash he must have got! He has been drinking a great deal lately, and I have warned hi

dgings," Minette exclaimed. "I have some

he meeting Minette. What d

tly. "We shall be there before it is done. I

, shrugging his shoulders. "When you take a thin

razier of charcoal. They rose in surprise at the entrance of Minette and her father

n, stunned him, and left him like a dog that he is on the pavement. No doubt he has told you the lie that he told my father, that he fell while going upstairs drunk. It was a blow of the fist that has marked him as you see. The man he had tried to murder did not even care to give him in charge. He despised this cur too much, and yet the fellow may think himself fortunate. Had it been Monsieur Dampierre it would not have been a fist but a bullet through his head that would have punished him. Now mark me, Jean Diantre," and she moved a pace forward, so suddenly that the man started back, "you are a known assassin and poltroon. If at any time harm befalls Monsieur Dampierre I

beneath her torrent of contemptuous words and from the fury in h

he said sullenly thr

new that you were at the best an idle, worthless scamp, and would never have married you had there been no other living man in the universe. But enough. I ha

ther and Arnold followed, and the four other men, without a word to