Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-02

to it. ~ ''e s''"e 0a'A
The wretched creature was nearly
starved. Hardwood drew him into the
thicket beside the road and gave him his
last morsel of bread and meat
lmbecile!" he whispered, while the
Mouse gnawed the crust, squatting on his
muddy launches; there may be Prussian
pickets anywhere along the fields. Didn't
you know it?'
Yes, said the Mouse, TRANQUILITY, there's
picket of Uhians just ahead
rms was startling news for Hardwood
here! he demanded. under his breath
About a kilometer over that way" re-
piled the Mouse, jerking his thumb toward
the southeast He was going to add some
thlng more when the sudden tinkle of
horses snod foot striking stones broke out
IN the night They crouched low in the
thlcket listening. The road was lighter
now: a gay shadow passed, a horseman
trailing lance. Others rode up mounted
on Wiry little horses, all carrying tall
lances that ratified in their saddle boots
AS HARDWOOD strained his eyes, the moon
broke out overhead-a battered deformed
moon, across whose pale disk the flying
scud whirled like shredded smoke
A cultural voice began in German:
Where are the scouts-eh?''
Then in the moonlight Hardwood saw
Speyer and Stauffer, clad in the uniform
of the carbineers, salute the UhIan officer
and hand Linn a thin packet of papers The
Mouse beside him trembled like a terrier
at rat ho4e; Hardwood clutched his arm
There was a brief pariey word of eau
ton, then the Uhlans wheeled their horses
ard galloped back toward Paris, and the
two traitorous carbineers struck off across
the meadow toward LIE Bourget, then made
a demi-tour, and followed the bank of the
river. Very cautiously Hardwood crept out
10 the road when the gallop of the Uhlans
had died away.
The Mouse stood beside him, an open
clasp-knife in his fist. nostrils auivering
in the freshening wind
Hardwood glanced at the knife and said:
What are you going to do? Cut your way
foolr' 'o0
Half way back across the wet meadow
Speyer?"
Are you the public executioner?" said
LAKEWOOD ma, sharply. Put up that knife, I
The Mouse closed his knife and plodded
on in silence.
After while Hardwood asked him about
Bourke and Hide and Yolette But he
Knew httie more than Hardwood did. for
ne had ie1t the house on the ramparts the
morning after Harewood's departure, and
since then had been following him up.
hormng was breaking as they forded
the Molletter and answered the sentrv.s
challenge from the ruined highway. IT was
sunday. the Both of October-a desolate
SUNDAY In desolate land. They hurried
through the main street. where sleepy
rellefs were marching to replace the pick
cts along the river, and at last they
reached the church, where a group of OFF,
GERS stood on the steps in attitudes of de-
lection.
Col. Martin" cried Harewood "sepd o
HE or men to arrest two captains of the
carplneers. Speyer and Stauffer l charge
lnern with treason. Here is my Witness
he dragged the Mouse up the steps and led
him forward In half a dozen sentences he
toid what he had seem The Mouse nod
ded MS confederation, stealing cunning
gIances about him and shuffiing his muddy
IN f,cyN
partly because ne appreciated the import,
ance OF his present position
But, said an artillery officer. "the car
bre atls nave as already ready gone heard them
Gomez repeated Hardwood
Blanc-Mesnil." -
Before Hardwood could speak again ram
non shot from the end of the street bronpb+
the soldiers cut of the church on a run At
the same moment shell struck a house
opposite and burst
Col Martin. now ranking officer in the
village. turned quietly to Hardwood and
SAID: II live to get out Of this I'll have
me carpineers before a drumhead court
martial Are you going back to PARISH
IF l can," said Hardwood
If you get there, have these carbineer
omcers arrested by the first patrol"
hardwood started again toward the river.
calling fmpatiently to the Mouse to follow,
me Inc COMPARTMENT from the Prussian guns
everywhere, exploding slate roofs, in
courtyards, in the middle of the street.
inc Mouse. half dead with terror.
snrleked as he ran. ducking his head at
every crash. one hand twisted in Hare
wood $ coat, one shielding his face.
TINS won't do" cried Hardwood. drag
ging the Mouse into hallway. We've got
10 wait untii the bombardment stops. Here.
break in this door, Quick!'
Together they forced the door and en-
tered The house was dark and empty
hardwood Climbed the stairs, CROPPED about.
un-astened the scuttle, and raised himself
10 the roof North east and west the
smoke of tine Prussian guns curled nm from
the plain In the north vast masses of
troops We're moving toward LIE Bourget
cannonaded by the fortress Of the east at
long range.
There was. no chance to reach Paris. he
saw that at the first glance. He saw, too
the French pickets being chased back into
LIE Bourget by Uhlans, and he heard the
drumming OF a mitrailleuse In the west end
OF the village where columns of smoke
arose from burning house. Far AWAY in
Inc gray morning light the fortress of the
east lowered. circled with floating mist
through which the sheeted flashes of the
cannon played like lightning behind a thun-
der cloud.
And now began, under the guns of ST
Denis and AubervilEers-almost under the
walls OF Paris-that first of a series of ter
rlDle blows destined to reduce France to a
moral and physical condition too painful
too pltiahle to describe. For the stormine
OF LIE Bourget made the commune a cer-
talnty, and, although the second and third
attempts at anarchy were to prove abor-
tive, the fourth insurrection was ineyita BILE
and the political triumph of NJ Theirs as
sured its success
AS for the miserable village of LIE Bour-
get 1t was already doomed. The black
masses OF the Prussian guard gathered like
a tempest in the north, and swept across
the plain in three columns. From Dugny.
from Pont-Ibion. from Blanc Mesmil thew
poured down upon lie Bourget, firing as
they came on. Right through the main
street they burst. hurting back the Mobiles
sweeping the barricade and turning again
to batter down doors and windows where
through the blinds, the soldiers of the 12Sth
OF the line were firing frenziedly From
the slate roof where he crouched Hardwood
saw the Mobiles give way and run, In a
minute the interior of the village swarmed
with panic-stricken soldiers The Prus-
SLAMS shot them as they ran The shells
tore through them. and whirled them about
as winds hurl gayly tinted autumn leaves
A battery. mass OF wrecked limbers, dy-
ing horses and smashed guns choked the
transverse alley. Behind 1t q company of
the 12Sth fought like wildcats until the
Prussian Queen Eliza beth Regiment" took
them on the flank, and bayonetted them
to the last man. And now, from the west
two splendid regiments swept into LIE Bour-
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