The sun., 1893-08-13
The ATTACK ON THE MILL.
An Episode Of the War Of 1870
By'Eu,sle Zois.


Itwasa rule laid down by the German stat
that any Frenchman not belonging to the reg
ular army. but taken with arms In his hands
must be Rlot Even volunteer companies wer
not recognized as bellIeerents. BY thus max
ing EXAMPLES Of the peasants who defended
| their 1resides the Germans hoped to preren
| that rising Of tho m asscs which they feared.
The officer. n tall. tfhn man. fifty years @
I age. subjected Dominique to a brief tntor
rogatory. Although he spoke French vorl
/ purely, he had stornmess which was wholll
| Prussian.
| DO you belong TO this country"
| mo: am Belgian.
| why did you take up arms? All this can
| NOT concern you."
dominique made no reply. At this moment
| the officer noticed FRANCHISE, who stood. death
| ly pale. listening to the talk; her slight wound
had laid a red mark across her white fore.
head. He looked from one to the other OF the
young people. and seemed to understand.
DO you deny having flred2' was all he
asked.
| II fired as many timesas could" answer.
| ed Dominique quietly.
1t was an unnecessary confession. for he was
| black with powder. covered with sweat. spot
| ted with few drops OF blood which had fallen
| from tho scratch In his shoulder.
very good- repeated tno oncer. lou
are to be shot in two hours"
FRANCHISE did not cry out She clasped her
| hands and raised them with a mute ges.
ture OF despair. The officer remarked the
gesture. Two soldiers had led Dominique
| away to another room. whore they were to
| keep him In sight. The young girl fell into a
| chair. with the strength gone from her limbs:
she could not weep. she was suffocating. The
| officer was still examining her He finally
spoke to her.
rs this young man your brotherr' he
asked.
She made a negative sign with her head lie
stood stiflly. without smile.
HAS he lived here long ?" he asked. aftera
silence.
She nodded in affirmation.
Then he must bo very we'll acquainted with
the neighboring woods? p
This time she spoke.
Yes. sir" said she. looking at him with
some surprise.
He said no more. but turned away. asking
that the Mayor of tho village be brought to
him. But FRANCHISE had already arisen. with
q slight flush in her face. thinking that she
had seized the drift OF the questions. and filed
with fresh hope. she ran herself to find her
father.
Father Merlier had gone down from the
wooden gallery to visit his wheel as soon as
the shooting had ceased. He adored his
daughter. he had solid affection for Dom
Unique. his future son-in-law: but his wheel
also held u large place in his heart. Since the
two children as he called them had come safe
and sound out Of the fray. he was thinking OF
his other love. which had suffered greatly.
Leaning over the great wooden carcass. he
was studying its wounds with heartbroken
look. Five paddles were in splinters and the
central frame was riddled. He was thrustinz
his fingers into the bullet holes to measure
their depth: he was considering In what man.
ner he could repair all these injuries. Fran
coise found him already choking the holes
with moss and rubbish.
Father" said she. they ask for you"
And she wept at last as she told him what she
had Just heard. Father Merlier shook his head.
People were not shot In this manner. Hemust
look to it. And he returned to the mill in his
quiet. peaceful manner. When the officer in
quired OF him concerning provisions for his
men. he replied that tho people OF Rocreuse
were not accustomed to being brutally treated.
and that nothing was to be had from them by
the use of violence. He took the charge Of it
all on himself but on condition that they
should leave him free to act in his own way.
The officer at first appeared angered by this
quiet tone, and then yielded to the clear and
What do you call this forest in front?" he
called him back to inquire
THE forest OF Sauval."
What is its extent?"
The miller look ed f1edfy at him.
81 do not know" he answered.
He withdrew. An hour later the contribu-
ton OF war; In food and money claimed by the
officer was In the yard of the mill Night was
coming. FRANCHISE was following anxiously
the movements OF the soldiers. She did not GO
far away from the room where Dominique was
confined. Toward o'clock her emotion be-
came poignant: she saw the officer go into the
prisoners room. and for quarter Of an hour
she heard the sound Of their voices Then for
an instan MT the officer reappeared at the door
and gave an order in German. which she did
not understands but when twelve men had
taken their position In row in the yard. with
their guns on their arms. trembling seized
her; she felt that she was dying. Itwas ended
then; the execution was about to take place.
The twelve men stood there for ten minutes.
and Dominique's voice continued to be heard
in tone OF violent refusal The officer came
out Of his room at length and slammed the
door behind him.
Very good" he was saving. you can think
Of 1t. give you till tomorrow morning."
And by q gesture he dispersed the twelve
mon. FRANCHISE looked on stupehed. Father
Merlier. who was still smoking his pipe while
watching the soldiers with an air OF simple
curiosity. came and took her arm with parental
gentleness. He led her away to her own
chamber.
"Be auist" he said to her: TRY to sleep.
To- morrow there will be daylight and We will
try to see."
As he retired he locked her door through
precaution. It was principle OF his that
women are OF no use that they spoil every
thing when they concern themselves with any
serious affair. Francolse. however. did not go
to bed. She spent long time sitting on her
bed listening to the sounds In the house. Tho |
German soldiers. encamped In tho yard. were |
singing and laughing; they must have con-
tinued eating and drinking till IL o'clock, |
for their clamor did not cease for an instant |
In the mill itself heavy footsteps woke the |
echoes at intervals. doubtless those Of tho |
sentinels who were relieved now and again. |
But the sounds which she could distinguish In |
the apartment directly below her own room |
Interested her more than anything elso Sew |
eral times she lay down on the floor and laid |
u-AA 49, 49,