The Orderly

The sergeant majors were awaiting the colonel's arrival. Not a word was breathed, for the air seemed charged with electricity. Thefactisthe great chicf's orderly had been imprisoned the evening before (no one knew why), and the commandant himself appeared anxious. Some alleged that Private Loumy, the colonel's orderly, full of solicitude for his superior, had thought it a part of his duty to taste the wine before serving it at table. Others, with moro elevated ideas, gravely surmised that the orderly had abused his master's coufidence and betrayed France by divulging to Germany certain secret plans of attack. Suddenly each oue stood up, examined the position of his feet, curled his mustache and begau to assume the most complete immobility; the clock had just struck 9, tho exact moment when the colonel usually appeared af the door of th guardhouse. But on that day he did not arrive until a quarter of an hour after the usual time, and then dictated more calmly than usual t his simple line: "Nothing new today, comma; the band will be dispensed with; full stop. That will do." The astonishment was such that it degenorated into positive fear. Assuredly the affair must be serious, sincethe colonel had shown such composure; there could be no doubt that the country was in danger through the faithlessness, nay, the treason, of the colonel's orderly. Each one withdrew, without daring to look behind him for fear of being accused. The commandant, Toulouret, bravest of the brave, alone remained ready to support the shock. Stirring neithcr head nor foot, he stood motionless near the colonel, who was signing some papers. "My orderly has placed me in a most awkward position," suddenly said the great chief. "Undoubtedly, colonel, it is a very serieus matter." "What, then, you know?" "Oh, no, colonel, not at all!" quickly replied Toulouret, who feared to be takem for ui accomplice. "Well, just imagine, this booby- by the bye, is he still imprisoned?" "Oh, yes, colonel, under doublé lock and key. I placed him in solitary conflnement, and, moreover, his papers are ready for the council of war." "For the council of war? Goodness gracious, commandant! What a pace yuu are going at?" "But I thought forso serious a case nothing less than a council of war, colonel" "Of what crime do you imagine him guilty?" "High treason, they say, colonel." "Treason? What treason?" "Haring disclosed to Germany certain secret plans of attack." "Secret plans! What secret plans? And disclosed by Loumy!" The colonel burst into loud laughter. "Well, then, colonel, I can raake nothing of it at all." "I had this idiot shut up just to putalittlo sense in him. You may release him today. Here, commandant, you shall judge of this case yourself. Yesterday I said to Loumy: " 'I don't feel very well today. Go and teil Mme. Dorville, at whose house I wasto dine, that I cannot accept her flattering invitation for this evening. And, Loumy, as it is 6 o'clock bring my dinner when you return.' "On his return I sat down to table. My orderly first served me with excellent soup, then a salmón of prime quality, then pheasants, then a prodigious quantity of delicate viands of various kinds. I could see no end to it. " 'There must be a banquet going on at the mess this evening,' I said. " 'Oh, colonel, that is not all!' he replied; 'there's champagne, and the lady says to me, "Vour colonel must drink my health in a glass of this." ' " 'Idiot!' I cried, 'where did you get my dinner from?' " 'Why, colonel! Didn't you say to me, "Brinu me niy dinner when you come back?" So I says to the lady, "You must put the colonel's dinner in a basket." ' "Judge of my anger, commandant. "A happy thought rarae to mo, the only way to niake aniend for this fellow's stupidity. "'Run quicktoaflorist,' I said to Loumy. 'Buy a nice bouquet and take it, with my compliments, to Mme. Dorville. Hurry!' "In half an hour Loumy returned in high spirits. " 'Well, you left the bouquet with the lady? I hope you chose one that was nice and fresb.' " 'Oh, yes, colonel! and the lady - she wanted to give me a franc.' " ' Which of course you did not accept.' " 'Oh! never, colonel, and I said to the lady, "Humbly asking madame's pardon, the bouquet cost me 10 francs." And then the lady she gave me 10 francs, and here they are!'