The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-12-01


The soldiers had finished eating and were
falling asleep. all six, around the table.
FROM time to time Il head would fall heay-
lily on the board, when the man. starting
awake, would sit up. Berthinc said to the
officer: You may just rs we'll lie down
here before the fire. There's plenty of
room for six. Pm going up to my room
with my mother"
The two women went to the upper floor.
The Russians stretched themselves on the
stone floor, their feet to the fire their
heads on the rolled up cloaks, and soon all
BiN were snoring. They had certainly been
asleep for Il considerable time when shot
sounded, and so loud that it seemed to be
fired close against the walls of the house
The soldiers sat up instantly. There were
two more shots, and then three more.
The door of the staircase opened hastily,
and the Keepers wife appeared, barefooted
short petticoat over her nightdress, q
candle i'll her hand. and face of terror
| She whispered: Here are the Frcnch-20O
OF them at least. If they find you here
they will burn the hu,;Se. Go down, quick
into the cellar, and don't make IL noise. If
you make Il noise we are lost" Tho off
Ger, scared, murmurel: Il will; l will
Which way do we go down."
The young woman hltrricdly raised the
narrow square trupdoor and the men dis
appeared by the winding stair, one after
another going underground backwards,
SO us to feel the steps with their feet. But
when the point of the last helmet had dis
appeared Berthinc, shutting down the
heavy oallen plank thick as wall and
hard as steel, kept in place by clamps and
paddock, turned the key twice slowly,
and then began to laugh with n laugh of
silent rapture and with wild desire to
dance over the heads of her prisoners.
Perthine Mt once rclighted her fire, put
on her saucepan once more, and made more
soup, murmuring, "Father will be tired
tonight" Then she sat down and waited
a distant barking reached her She began
to whistle like n huntsman, and almost
Immediately two immense dogs doomed
through the shadows and jumped upon
her with signs of joy. She held them by
the neck to keep them from running away
and called with all her might, Hello, fa-
therl"
voice still very distant answered, "Hal-
lon, Berthne!"
She waited some moments, then called
again, Hello, father! Don't pass in front
of the grating; there are Prussians in the
cellar"
All at once the black outline of the man
showed on the left. He asked uneasily:
"Prussians i'll the cellar. What are they
The young woman began to laugh 81
put them in the cellar to keep cool" And
she related the whole adventurc-how she
had frightened them with shots Of the re-
volver and shut them up in the cellar
The old man asked, what do you en-
pect me to do with them ut this time of
nightt"
She answered: eco and fetch NJ. Lavigne
and his men. He'll take them prisoners,
and won't he be plcased!'
a quarter of an hour later Pichou started
again. Berthine with her head in her
hands, waited.
The prisoners were moving about. They
shouted and called, and beat continually
with their guns on the immovabc trap
door of the cellar. Then they began to fire
their guns through the grating, hoping, no
doubt, to be heard if any German detach-
ment were passing i'll the neighborhood.
Thekeeper's wife did not stir, but all this
noise tried her nerves and irritated her
An evil anger awoke in her; she would have
liked to kill them, the wretches, to keep
them quiet. Then, as her Impotence in
creased, she began to look ut the clock and
count the minutes. At last the hands
marked the time which she had fixed for
their coming.
She opened the door once more to listen
for them. She perceived shadow moving
cautiously. She was frightened and
screamed. 1t was her father He said,
They sent me to see if there's any
CHANGE
mo, nothing"
Then he in his turn gave long, strident
whistle into the darkness.
Nj. lavigne, trembling with excitement.
appeared with his men and posted them so
as to surround the house on all sides. lie
stamped his foot on the trap door and
called, Mr.. Prussian oflicer!' The Ger
man did not reply.
The major repeated, "Mr Prussian Off
cer!' 1t was in vain. For whole twenty
minutes he summoned this silent officer to
capitulate with arms and baggage prom
lslng him life and military honors for him.
sell and soldiers. But he obtained no sign
OF consent or of hostility The situation
was becoming difficult
Major Lavigne appeared upon the thresh-
old of the Keepers lodge. He had lust
framed his plan of attack, and gave his
word OF command in IL ringing voice:
plumber Planchct and his menl Unfas-
ten the CUTTERS of the housed"
In quarter of an hour some twenty
yards of leaden gutter pipe were brought
to the major. Then, with innumcrable
prudent precautions, he had n little round
hole bored in the edge of the trapdoor.
and having laid out an aqueduct from the
pump to this opening, announced with an
air of satisfaction, I'VE are going to give
these German gentlemen something to
drink" wild cheer of admiration burst
forth, followed by shouts of delight and
roars OF laughter. The major organized
gangsof workers, who were to be employed
in relays of five minutes Then he com
manded, Pump
And the iron handle having been put in
motion little sound rus,led along the
pipes and slipped into the cellar, falling
from step to step with the tinkle of wa
tterfaH An hour passed; then two, then