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ging them to resort to fist and club。 The day before； some battalions of Zouaves from Algiers had disembarked in order to reinforce the army on the frontier； and these veterans； accustomed to colonial existence and undiscriminating as to the cause of disturbances； seized the opportunity to intervene in this manifestation； some with bayonets and others with ungirded belts。 〃Hurrah for War！〃 and a rain of lashes and blows fell upon the unarmed singers。 Marcelo saw the innocent student； the standard…bearer of peace； knocked down wrapped in his flag； by the merry kicks of the Zouaves。 Then he knew no more； since he had received various blows with a leather strap； and a knife thrust in his shoulder； he had to run the same as the others。
That day developed for the first time； his fiery； stubborn character； irritable before contradiction； even to the point of adopting the most extreme resolution。 〃Down with War！〃 Since it was not possible for him to protest in any other way； he would leave the country。 The Emperor might arrange his affairs as best he could。 The struggle was going to be long and disastrous； according to the enemies of the Empire。 If he stayed； he would in a few months be drawn for the soldiery。 Desnoyers renounced the honor of serving the Emperor。 He hesitated a little when he thought of his mother。 But his country relatives would not turn her out； and he planned to work very hard and send her money。 Who knew what riches might be waiting for him； on the other side of the sea！ 。 。 。 Good… bye； France！
Thanks to his savings； a harbor official found it to his interest to offer him the choice of three boats。 One was sailing to Egypt； another to Australia； another to Montevideo and Buenos Aires； which made the strongest appeal to him？ 。 。 。 Desnoyers； remembering his readings； wished to consult the wind and follow the course that it indicated； as he had seen various heroes of novels do。 But that day the wind blew from the sea toward France。 He also wished to toss up a coin in order to test his fate。 Finally he decided upon the vessel sailing first。 Not until； with his scanty baggage； he was actually on the deck of the next boat to anchor； did he take any interest in its course〃For the Rio de la Plata。〃 。 。 。 And he accepted these words with a fatalistic shrug。 〃Very well； let it be South America！〃 The country was not distasteful to him； since he knew it by certain travel publications whose illustrations represented herds of cattle at liberty； half…naked； plumed Indians； and hairy cowboys whirling over their heads serpentine lassos tipped with balls。
The millionaire Desnoyers never forgot that trip to Americaforty… three days navigating in a little worn…out steamer that rattled like a heap of old iron； groaned in all its joints at the slightest roughness of the sea； and had to stop four times for repairs； at the mercy of the winds and waves。
In Montevideo； he learned of the reverses suffered by his country and that the French Empire no longer existed。 He felt a little ashamed when he heard that the nation was now self…governing； defending itself gallantly behind the walls of Paris。 And he had fled！ 。 。 。 Months afterwards； the events of the Commune consoled him for his flight。 If he had remained； wrath at the national downfall； his relations with his co…laborers； the air in which he livedeverything would surely have dragged him along to revolt。 In that case； he would have been shot or consigned to a colonial prison like so many of his former comrades。
So his determination crystallized； and he stopped thinking about the affairs of his mother…country。 The necessities of existence in a foreign land whose language he was beginning to pick up made him think only of himself。 The turbulent and adventurous life of these new nations compelled him to most absurd expedients and varied occupations。 Yet he felt himself strong with an audacity and self… reliance which he never had in the old world。 〃I am equal to everything；〃 he said； 〃if they only give me time to prove it！〃 Although he had fled from his country in order not to take up arms； he even led a soldier's life for a brief period in his adopted land； receiving a wound in one of the many hostilities between the whites and reds in the unsettled districts。
In Buenos Aires； he again worked as a woodcarver。 The city was beginning to expand； breaking its shell as a large village。 Desnoyers spent many years ornamenting salons and facades。 It was a laborious existence； sedentary and remunerative。 But one day he became tired of this slow saving which could only bring him a mediocre fortune after a long time。 He had gone to the new world to become rich like so many others。 And at twenty…seven； he started forth again； a full…fledged adventurer； avoiding the cities； wishing to snatch money from untapped； natural sources。 He worked farms in the forests of the North； but the locusts obliterated his crops in a few hours。 He was a cattle…driver； with the aid of only two peons； driving a herd of oxen and mules over the snowy solitudes of the Andes to Bolivia and Chile。 In this life； making journeys of many months' duration； across interminable plains； he lost exact account of time and space。 Just as he thought himself on the verge of winning a fortune； he lost it all by an unfortunate speculation。 And in a moment of failure and despair； being now thirty years old； he became an employee of Julio Madariaga。
He knew of this rustic millionaire through his purchases of flocks a Spaniard who had come to the country when very young； adapting himself very easily to its customs； and living like a cowboy after he had acquired enormous properties。 The country folk； wishing to put a title of respect before his name； called him Don Madariaga。
〃Comrade；〃 he said to Desnoyers one day when he happened to be in a good humora very rare thing for him〃you must have passed through many ups and downs。 Your lack of silver may be smelled a long ways off。 Why lead such a dog's life？ Trust in me； Frenchy； and remain here！ I am growing old； and I need a man。〃
After the Frenchman had arranged to stay with Madariaga； every landed proprietor living within fifteen or twenty leagues of the ranch； stopped the new employee on the road to prophesy all sorts of misfortune。
〃You will not stay long。 Nobody can get along with Don Madariaga。 We have lost count of his overseers。 He is a man who must be killed or deserted。 Soon you will go； too！〃
Desnoyers did not doubt but that there was some truth in all this。 Madariaga was an impossible character； but feeling a certain sympathy with the Frenchman； had tried not to annoy him with his irritability。
〃He's a regular pearl； this Frenchy；〃 said the plainsman as though trying to excuse himself for his considerate treatment of his latest acquisition。 〃I like him because he is very serious。 。 。 。 That is the way I like a man。〃
Desnoyers did not know exactly what this much…admired seriousness could be； but he felt a secret pride in seeing him aggressive with everybody else； even his family； whilst he took with him a tone of paternal bluffness。
The family consisted of his wife Misia Petrona （whom he always