The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-16

attempt to cross the line of fire. Then
there was more talk. and finally the
sergeant admitted, after repeated con-
sultations with his timepiece, that the
firing would not begin for an hour
nearly, and that, IL monsieur would
hasten very rapidly, he might pass.
Monsieur would hasten-yes, with
entirely sufficient speed to cover two
miles in an hour, and they parted with
mutual fluctuations.
AS he walked on, Rayburn's eyes
sought, from time to tine, the summit
of the great Puy. Then he reached
the point where the telegraph line
wliich marked the short cut, struck the
highway, and, a few moments later, the
targets came in view; q dozen great
frames Of unpainted boards, perhaps
fifty yards south OF the road, stretching
away for more than half mile, and
looking like the wrecks of what might
once have been American wayside ad-
vertisements. He had not noticed them
at all the day before.
Far over, on a range of low hills
mile and half or two miles to the
northword, his eyes caught the CLINT of
sunlight upon metal. That was where
the batteries must be. and Rayburn re-
Elected upon the utter inconsiderations
of European militarism. Surely the
targets could as well have been set a
few hundred yards farther north, and
the public inconvenience occasioned by
closing q main highway for several
hours in each month, readily avoided;
but, while he thought he quickened his
pace n trihe, lest the scrgeant's watch
or memory might have played him
false.
Soon the line of targets was passed,
and then the eastern detail came in
view. all gesticulating wildly.
Rayburn was beginning TO feel ag-
grieved and provoked at the whole af-
fair, and when he gained the point at
which they were stationed, he was in
the humor to amusc himself by feigning
entire ignorance of French; proceed
inc which his friends might have crit
icised as smaclxiIg more of earnest than
play.
"Are there more Of you Anglese COM
ing?" shouted the s,rgeant in com
maId, raising his voice and speaking
with wonderful rapidity upon the Gus
tomary theory of enforcing compre-
hension. Then suddenly Rayburn COM
pretended and grew white. The whole
situation flashed through his mind on
the instant. Those girls were to de-
scend the sosth side of the mountain.
That would bring them within the lines
OF the closed road They would be en-
tirely unwarned OF their danger until
they encountered IL. Perhaps they
would delay until the practice was over?
hut no, IL would continue till dark and
they would surely count upon reaching
Clcrmont-Fcrrand before then. Pos
sibly. barely passibly. the observatory
men would inform them, but most prob
ably these knew nothing about the p-uc-
tice. seeing they had not warned him:
ana. anyway, with the customary in
difference of the French lower middle
classes, they would be more apt 20
leave such warnings 90 those whose
duty IL was 20 give them.
Needless of whatever construction the
sergeant might put upon his sudden
lrngual enlightenment, Rayburn has
tened To inform him. as well as he
could. OF the danger that menaced. Tn
fortunately, however, themanwas hope
lcssly dull. He was simply an old soldier
Ian ignorant peasant who had boon
Los1-A dear little child who made home
a.