The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-03


the next few moments, Henri least OF
all; but as his brain grew clearer the
young Frenchman learned that for ten
days he had been lying in German
field hospital, delerious from saber cut
in the head, and that, by rare fortune,
both he and Carl, who had been wound
ed in the same great sortie struggle, had
been nursed by Katrina herself, for she
had given her services to the wounded
almost since the beginning of the war.
"Now l have my reward" she said.
"Bless you, Katrina!" said Henri.
And then he added:
"Poor Louis! l have cut my way
through, bat he is still in Paris, and the
American Minister can not send him out.
Poor Louisl he does not command hus-
sar company"
Evidently Henri's brain still suffered
from the saber cut, but he was right
about poor Louis.
That morning he and DR.. Spielburg
met again in the Place Vendome.
ODE Rosat, my dear fellow" said the
surgeon, "you use too much stimulant;
you are a ghost already"
"But you don't know, Spielburg; we
are working underground like moles in
the dark and cold, and l do not know at
what moment we may break in on their
countermines, or be bolwn higher than
this column here"
"Minings All! Well, you must be
careful; you can not dig your way out,
you know"
perhaps I SHALL" said Louis, with a
weary, melancholy half smile; and the
stern doctor shook his head doubtfully as
the officer of engineers turned on his heel
and strobe away toward those outer lines,
over which the shadow from the ciUy had
already crept and settled.
Mine and countermine.
Each side felt sure that the other was
working at that; but the French did
more than the Germans, in very fear OF
what might be, and Louis De Rosat had
become a very enthusiast in his subter-
raneous duties.
1t was night when Louis De Rosat re-
turned to the mine; but, as he stood on
the rampant of the fort for moment, il
seemed to him that he could see, in
spite of the darkness, away over into that
outer world beyond the German lines
and the suffocating siege.
"Henri," he muttered. "Nobody
knows what became of him. 1 wonder
| if he got through with his hussars. They
sent out three balloons yesterday
eff they can fly over, why should we
not dig under? I must 60 down now.
"Spielburg is fool-a man must take
little brandy and absinthe before going
to dig in hole like that"
"The men are tired tonight, and the
rations were short to-day. will take q
spade myself"
In few moments Louis found himself
in the long, narrow passage that was be.
ing bored through the earth in the direc
tion of the nearest German works.
Not human being did he see, though
the scanty lights were burning blue and
dim in the foul air.
There lay the tools, however, for he
had now made his way to the further ter
minus.
81 at least will work." he said to him
self. 81 am ahead of time, and they will
soon be here"
As he tore down the soft earth and
loose gravel with pick or spade, he cast it
hurriedly behind him, for the men to take
away in their barrows; but it was long
before they arrived, and he had so piled
it up as almost to wall himself in.
Then he heard voices, and knew by the
ring of the tools thit the men were there,
and had begun their work, but he never
paused.
eff we could only make such headway
as this all the while, we would dig to the
Rhine in week." he said aloud.
And he piled his spade with more fran
tic energy than ever.
The men, too, as if animated by the
example of their officer, toiled as Loui:
had never known them toll before.
But for all that, they were compelled
to send for another and another squad Of
helpers, to keep pace with the avalanche
of matter that was poured back into
the mine by the wonderful work of theil
leader.
"More men!' shouted Louis. ri fee
as if | could make work for a regiment
am going deeper now under them all
and if no water comes in we shall be be
yond their lines by daybreak."
There was now no sound in the lone
tunnel but the rattle of the barrows, the
click of the spades, and the loud, thick
breathing of the diggers.
1t was a long night, and sometimes
Louis half wondered that no relief came
but he was not at all fatigued as yet, ano
as for his men, he had never seen sucl
willing fellows.
"All Paris could get out through thi
mine, or we could let in all France by
it, he muttered, "but it seems as if haC
been digging here for week. There's NJ
such thing as knowing when it is day
away down here in the mine. Ahl wha
is that9
His exclamation seemed to bring it
own answer, and Louis dropped his spad'
in astonishment, for dim but fast in
creasing ray of light came pourin!
through the thin and crumbling wall o
earth in front of him.
II must have dug out into a valley Of
| con,o lind oud that NAV ha had Ru