The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-01-17

slight eminence 1 was endeavor1ng %
| make an effective sketch of the scene.
Suddenly a white fog rolled over the
valley and wrapped both bodies of com
batants in it's thick folds. / endeavored
| TO regain my quarters, but the fog in
creased In density, and / soon found il
| impossible to make Roadway against il.
| For some time / remained mOtionless.
| The noise of cannon and musketry died
away, and / heard the bugles sounding
retreat on both sides. Then / deter
| mined to go slowly back to my quarters
near the village of Bonzonville. Unfor-
tunately, found it impossible to decide
winch was east and which west. had
| been stationed on a round knoll or emil
hence, and had walked about its crown
| so many times during my observations
that 1 was unable to decide on the exact
spot at which had assembled it. At last,
however, came to a tree of which
seemed 10 have some recollection. and
descended the hill and walked, as /
thought, toward Bonzonville.
By that time the plain was quiet, and
heard nothing save an occasional far-on
bugle note. I walked on for an hour
through the thick, white fog, seeking for
some familiar landmark. None came. L
began to realize that L was lost. stood
and wondered what TO do. Then / went
forward again. A church clock struck
the hour. six, close by. Clearly, I was
near village. | came to q road, and
FASTENED along it. and presently walked
west instead of east. L was at Grave
lotte
The picket marched me into the viii
lage. and led me before their colonel, a
ferce-looking militafre, who glared at
me from behind table at which he was
evidently writing dispatches. What's
this?" said he "a spy"
Now, unfortunately for me. I cannot
speak French, but my knowledge Of
German is extensive. / replied to the
colonel's question in English. He shook
! his head. | then spoke in German. and
his face grew dark. A soldier inter-
preted my answer.
So said the colonel. "A pretty
| story indeed! He speaks German like
native. and processes to be an English
man. Everybody know that an En-
gishman can speak 10 other language
than his own. An English artist, Ell?
See what papers he has"
l drew all my papers from my breast
pocket voluntarily and handed them
over. AS i'll luck would have it. l had
that morning made plan of the sur
rounding country in my s6etch-boOlS
The French colonel looked at this mar
rowly. and nodded his head. LAS I
thought said he. What is this but a
map? Come, Mr.. Spy, what have you TO
say?'
"TeH the colonel" said I TO the inter
prefer. that L am no spy, but the spe-
cial war correspondent of a great En-
before is true. These are my credentials
bid him look at them
The colonel tossed the papers aside
cOntemptuOusly. What of them said
he. They may have been stolen, forged
how do / know? He speaks German
he looks like a German-he has maps,
charts drawings on him-enfin. he is a
spy. Take him out and shoot him."
corporal tapped me on the shout
der and mOtioned me toward the door.
I 1
words that l stood moGonless; but
when 7 realized their full meaning I
suddenly found tongue. and rated the
whole group in forcible English. The
colonel shrugged his shoulders. and re-
peated his commands and the file of
soldiers began to hutle me out. Before
we reached the door, however, he
stopped us Spy" said he I'VE will give
YOU a chance. Tell us all YOU know OF
the Prussian movements, and we Will
consider your case
Il shall do no such thing" said l.
Il am English gentleman, and l
will not do dirty work for either
French or Prussian"
Take time" said he. Think it over
Corporal, call in a soUs-heutenant and
two men"
young officer and two privates en-
tered the room of the farmhouse i'm
which we were standing and saluted
You see this man." said the old colo
mel, pointing to me. Keep him safe
till daybTeak; then bring him TO me-.
He turned to me again: Think over my
offer. Mr.. Spy. If YOU accept il. we'll;
If YOU don't, you Will be shot in the
morning
The young officer and the two men
marched me out into the fog again and
took me TO a cottage close by. / was
placed i'm a room where fire burned on
the hearth, and an oiI-lamp shed some
little light on a plain deal table. My
guardian signed to me to sit down; and
then one of the soldiers, after a wills
pered colloquy with the lieutenant, left
the cottage. and presently returned with
food and drink. which he set before me.
Desperately placed as ] was. I ate my
supper: and when I had finished, filled
and lighted my pipe. ] thought things
over. and could see no chance of es-
cape.
Monsieur" said I. addressing the
young officer who sat near me on the
hearth. Il shall certainly have to die to-
morrow morning if your colonel persists
in his foolish conduct. and ] should like
to write a last letter to my friends. win
you have the goodness to provide me
with writing Materials
The lad responded i'm the affirmative,
and babe one of his men fetch pen, ink
and paper. While he was gone the young
officer-who was certainly not more than
eighteen or nineteen years of age and
curiously. and presently inquired if l
was really an Englishman. He spoke
English so we'll that 1 was surprised.
Certainly l am ] answered. And
anybody but your colonel would have
recognized as much. / am an English
man and what I represented myself TO
be when questioned"
Il am sorry for you, SIR said he. Il
wish I could help YOU"
Then promise to forward this packet
for me-" said 1. You can show it to your
colonel If you like"
He replied that he would do his best
to Oblige me- and l set TO work at my
letter. 1 wrote out a full account Of my
afternoons adventures, and addressed
it to the proprietOrs of my journal. Then
/ took off my watch and chain and rings
and laid them on the letter, intending
to wrap them all up together. l had
another ring in my purse, and / drew
the latter from my pocket and opened
il. AS / did so the bronze medallion es-
capped and fell from the table to the
floor The young officer stopped, and
picking it up laid il by my hand The
light from the lamp shOne full on the
inscription. He uttered an exclamation,
and picked the medallion up again. I
looked at him in establishment. His face
was flushed and eager; he stared at me
with wide-open eyes.
Monsieur he monsieur!
For the love Of heaven. tell me--this
medal, where did you get it?"
The medal?'' 1 said. ooh, I got il
some years ago in England
Ilt,t xrba be