Volume I Part 39 (1/2)

The corporal disappeared As soon as the footsteps died away, the major took the cards and stacked them When the soldier returned with the rum, the ood,” he said, after he had taken a deep draught

The corporal drank also and then they sat down again This ti a few pennies After a while, the soldier in thewon repeatedly, the stakes were increased The major continued to lose, and soon the soldier had won all of Bartolo on they drank often, and when Bartoloone, the corporal said he would lend him a few lire

”Ah, if I lose these too,” ree It is already past five o'clock”

”Bah--let us play anyhow!” exclaimed the corporal, exhilarated by the ht sain, but this ti before the major had not only won back all his money, but that of the corporal's too, and just as the latter had asked him for a loan a knock was heard at the door

”Confound it!” exclai us now?”

In answer to a harsh ”Come in,” the door opened and a soldier appeared

He announced that it was tio to the barracks in the Piazza Poliziotti

”It is all right; I shall be there directly,” answered the corporal

The soldier departed, and the corporal now turned to Bartologed the Austrian

”Not for the world I hts now, and close my account with God,” replied the ive e”

”Gladly, if I only had tiht, swore roundly

Theway said:

”I knoay out of the difficulty”

”What is it?” asked the corporal, breathlessly

”Your order is to shoot o to the barracks; postpone the execution half an hour--take ive you your revenge there,” proposed Bartololeefully

He strode in advance of Bartolo to the barracks

The soldiers looked at one another in astonishment, but none dared to say a word, and at a quick step they were on their way to the barracks

”Ti won,” muttered the ”

CHAPTER xxxIII

FORWARD!

In the streets of Milan the battle raged The Italians resee, and soon one bulwark after another fell into their hands