The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-06-25

. and that she was up there in the dining
! room, and that we must somehow let Jacque
know Then / thought of the boy, who wa
bold enough for anything; he could cree
along and hide himself in the bitches NOR
easily than a man.
He can't be far away / said to Jeal
Lacroix We must find him and send him
1t seemed the best thing to do, sir, ant
yet / have often thought since then, ths
without meaning TO, was doing just wha
that old wretch of n Com mandaut wanted
he thought he would get at the father through
| the child
The Prussians had done their dinner
and were smoking like factory chimney
But on the stroke of Z Jacques's wife sat W
straight, and gave loud cry. Her husband
and her little boy were being brought in by
the patrol.
when the Commandant said, with &
laugh:
AZ knew we should catch you, my fine
fellow he replied, looking straight into hi:
eyes:
60 / was not caught at all. knew that
would be set free if came back so here
am. But all the same, you have acted like
a coward
quite red, as if he were nearly choking; his
hand felt his sword, and L thought he was
| going to fall upon Jacques, who stood before
him with folded arms. All, if they had not
had need of Jacques Brulefert and his skill
| the poor fellow would have had bad time
of ii. At last, when the Commandant could
| control himself sufficiently TO speak, he said
Yon are going to sleep here, you dog of
| a Frencbman. Your tools will be brought
TO you, aud tomorrow off you go with us.
The least attempt to get away and you'll be
shot at once'
Jacques did not finch. He sat down
| quietly at a table in the corner, while four
great Germans settled themselves at the
| next table with their guns charged and
bayonets fixed.
The next day at dawn a whole company
stood at attention in front of our door, sent
TO fetch away Jacques He chafed and
joked his four guardians, who would not let
him cut of their sight for q single moment,
but seemed afraid that he might vanish up
the chimney.
About 8 o'clock his wife and the child
came 70 see him. The poor woman was cry
ing SO that she was pftiful to see.
80 Listen, Catherine he said; you must
promise me to leave the village at once and
90 to Uncle Francois You see, / mean to
try and escape on the way. But if you are
still here they will arrest you again TO get
me back
"He kissed her affectionately, almost
cheerfully, to inspirit her little, and pushed
her toward the door. The boy strayed be-
hind sobbing, naturally enough. But
Jacques caught him between his knees and
said:
Little man, you must be brave and not
cry; those cads are only too pleased if they
see you cry. Think that am going off to
The war, and shall be coming back again.
Ii, by chance, though, things go badly with
me, and / never come back any more, you
must love your mother, my boy. You must
love her for two
"The Commandant had Just come out
from his room, and he was no sooner down
stairs than he gave the word, 'Marchi'
Jacques took his box and followed him out
side.
The column began to march. Jacques,
who was placed in the middle, walking
along quite gayly, called out to us:
shall see you again soon! You'll be
having news of me before long
But L knew my man, and could have
sworn he had in his head some trick to play
them and their machine.
The place where the Prussians had left
it was not half league away, upon the
plateau above us; and, faith, we were curious
TO see this engine which had come from so
far.
Soon, in the middle of the road, we saw
great black object, guarded by little de-
tachment that had TO camp out around it.
1t was that brute of a machine; a traction
engine it was called, think; and behind,
on two great carts, themselves mass of
iron, was the gun and the carriage.
Ah,' We said to each other, what pity
Jacques got taken prsonerl If only he
could damage its inside little so that il
couldn't be got to novel
But nothing Of the sort; he Just gave
look 10 its works, and in a few minutes had
put rything right. for he was rare
workman, can tell You. Then, while they
were getting up steam, we heard him giving |
heap OF explanations TO the Commandant.
The old man was afraid of the incline it |
bad TO descend. But Jacques reassured him (;
he understood quite well how 10 manage it |
he would slow down at the entrance to the |
villaee; he would put on the brake he |
would shut off the steam if necessary, he |
would reverse the engines.
The Commandant, however, did not yet |
feel quite safe about him. At the moment |
OF starting he called Lieutenant, and said |
that i could not understand.
though 1 heard him plainly. The Lieu
tenant answered: ia, COmmandant. ia.
Then / saw him take re-
volver from his belt, and climb up on to the
locomotive by Jacques.
For greater security the Commandant
had double file of men posted alongside
TO the right and left Of the machine then
he himself went to the head of the column.
calling out first something in German, and
then In French for Jacques: Forward
The machine painted and snorted and
tugged with all its might; the cannon
lerked off with clash OF iron, and between
the two rows of soldiers who accompanied it
it all proceeded slowly along the level high
way.
We had run on to the village to an
nounce the approach of the wonderful ma
chine. and all our folk, men, women, and
were out in the road to see il pass
by. Soon were heard cries of 1t is coming,
1t is coming!' and there it appeared clearly
outlined against the sky, all black and
smoking.
9 AT that moment the Commandant, who
was prancing along on horseback, turned
around to Jacques, and called out: 'Atteu-
ti0nl'
Don't be alarmed sings out jacques:
I'm going to put the brake on
Ah, sir, if live TO be 100, i shall never
forget what happened then; no, nor will
anyone who was there, aud saw il all, Then