Arizona republican., 1893-01-18
THE PRISONERS.

There was no sound in the forest except besight rustic of the snow as it fell upon tba trees. It had been falling, small and o.s.necmidday; it powdered the branches with frosty moss, cast a silver veil over tbaGf.l leaves in the hollow, and spread mon Che pathways a great, soft, white rs-1ct that thickcnCd the immcasurable silence amid this ocean of trees. Before tbe door of the keepers lodge stood a bare armed young woman chopping wood with a1ay upon astOuC. She was tall, thin and stroug-a child of. the forest; daughter and wife of Cam.loepers. \ voice called from within the house: "Come in, Der thine: we are alone Sonight and it is get ting dark. There may be Prussians or wolves about,'
 Thaye finished, mother; there is noth Drrobsfrirhtcneda at." Then she brought in her fagots and her logs and piled them up at the chimney side, went out again to close the shuJters-euormou shutters of solid oakland then, when she came in, pushed the heavy bolts of the door.
 Her mother was spinning by the Gre-a wrinkled old woman who had grown tim O7ous with age. "I don't like father to be out" she said. Two women have no strength
 The younger answered, "Oh, l could very well kill a wolf or a Prussian; l can tell yOu.' And she turned her eyes to large revolver hanging over the fireplace Her husband had been put into the army at the beginning of the Prussian invasion, 4-1t oh al with her father, the old gamekeeper, Nich- olas Pchou, who had obstinately refused to leave his home and go into the town.
 The nearest town was Rethel an old fortress pcrched on a rock. The Prussians Were not far of, for their scouts had al- ready twice pushed across the forest as far as Nicholas Pichou's lodge. The old keeper bad gone that day to announce that a small detachment Of German infantry had stopped at his house the day before, about in the afternoon, and had gone away again almost directly. The subaltern in command spoke French. When the old man went on such erranls he took with him his two dogs and left the two wom- en, advI iug them to lock themselves into the house as soon as night began 10 fall.
 The young one was afraid of nothing She Was hanging her saucepans over the fire t0 maze the soup, when she stopped short, listened Co a vague sound which had racled her by way of the chimney, and mwmuryd, There is some one walking in the wool-scyen or eight men at least"
 Her mother, alarmed, stopped her wheel and mutteTcj: "Oh, good Lord! And ia tbcr ust here"
 She had not finished speaking when vio- lent blows shook the door. The women made made no answer and a loud guttural voice called out, Open the dOor!" Then after a pause the same voice repeated, 'Useu tae dCor or I'll break it inw
 Then Brrthiue slipped into her pocket lhe big revolver from over the mantelpiece, and having put her ear to the crack of the door, asked, "Who are you2"
 Ileyoice answered: "We are the detach- ment that came the other day Open the door or we will break it in"
 The keepers wife had no choice. She promptly drew the great bolt, and, pulling OacS lhe door she behcld six Prussian men, thc same who had come the day be- lore She said in a firm tone, What do you want here at this time of night"
 I"e officer replied: 'I had lost my way. iFeco'uzcd the house have had noth- Ing Go eat since the morning, nor my men either"
 The keepers wife stepped back. Come ID, said she.
 They came in powdered with snow and N''n sort of messy cream on their hel- n. ,ne'' that made them look like meringues. Il'I seemed tired; worn out.
 ol down,' said she land I'll make you some soup. You do look quite worn
 men she bolted the door again. She pu',' some more water into her saucepan a"' '''rW In more butter and potatoes; I sD.H uhuOoking piece of bacon that hung ,p ,I 'ue chimney, she cut off half and added .""' as" Go the stew. The eyes of the six men followed her every movement with an ar or awakened hunger. They had set so s".u guns and helmets in a corner, and p'' waiting on their benches like we'll be- LI"''' school children. The mother had S, S5u1 'o spin again, but she threw terri y' Tl S"nceS at the invading soldiers. nn augre was no sound except the slight ss1'''Ns ot the wheel, the crackle of the gfew hot.
 tban, "' SiI at once a strange noise made b.,Il, S.snl all start-something like a hoarse aBin,,I at the door, the breathing of an Ga.r1 Geep and snorting. One of the
 ,."n' TGl had sprung toward the guns. s,', "e woman, with a movement and sGo stopped him. Ut is the wolves" said jDs o, They are like you; they are wander Iv L,V'u "gout hungry" The man would hard and .o g'e' ne wanted to see for himself, ner,.i, Gs soon as the door was opened he 5Tg'.t''eI ST two great gray beasts making hi. "' quick, long trot. He came back to beer'"5I .n.nlunrmuring, q should not have opene5 ry G,en , ate voraciously; their mouths of gDI,', ,G rom ear to ear to take the largest tbs1fcdpI1,,, Ineir round eyes opened sympa- lovin,D' i,,D'.y With their jaws, and their swal- ,ltr Ia'er pipe Then. as tbev rvere tbiratv