The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-11
TEE LOST PROVINCES.
How VaHsiuartC Came Back to France.
by LOUIS Tracy.

Fate willed IL that at 2:30 A. NJ. the differ
ent sections Of tks vast German host begun
the movement that wOs to eliminate In the
passage Of the Meuse NJ 4 o'clock.
Fifteen minutes later came the first init.
nation Of the unlooked-for French attack.
Tho Emperor and his stan dismissed the
alarm MS a trivial matter.
"a too jealous sentry firing Mt a stray COW.
commented Won Waldersee.
Who commands Mt that point?" said tho
Kaiser.
Col. Breitstein Of the Eighteenth Hanover
fans, He wants an excuse to enable him to
Say that he led the first regiment over tho
Mouse"
Possibly. What is IL now"
An aide-de-camp had entered unceremoni-
ously. carrying a telegram.
The Emperor scanned 1t.
French attack serious. Have lodged strong
force on right, hank from Pierreftte. Brett
stein heavily engaged. Am hurrying up sup
ports. with two batteries.
"yoS HoFER. Major General"
This lie strange. What can It mean?" VIII
liam ii. resented any interference with his
plans.
Probably q reconnaissance Paris is an
noyed at Daubisson's inactivity. IL is we'll.
Won Hotter can easily hold them. Our attack
WIN uCNoiol WIN w kiCutSE tHSe'
Il hope SO. Yet ] wish this coincidence
were not 30 marked"
As they conversed the minutes passed. And
each minute was worth an hour. for the Ger
man columns were InovinR with machine-like
exactitude in the wrong direction. Like the
hands OF a clock they could now go Onward.
but II called upon to reverse. what would be
a., the result?
Another aide burst into the royal presence.
breathless, with a second message from Won
uofer.
Position desperate. Breitstein and Eigh-
teenth cut up. Twelve guns captured. French
division crossing with extraordinary rapidity.
Am Offering desperate resistance. but hope
lessly outnumbered."
And n third. from the chief Of the Troyon
column: Commander of the Eleventh Brigade
reports river held by artillery and infantry.
Great difficulty and delay will be experienced
In building pontoons. Two infantry regi-
ments have forded the Mouse. but have been
repulsed with much loss. Am about to attack
in force"
From the northern army corps. stationed
near verdun:
Had barely commenced operations for cross
ing Mouse when delayed by a strong assault
from Verdun. Compelled to suspend original
movement in order to meet this development.
Everything points to a serious battle forth
with. KREuzNAcH."
"Kreuznach is right. Won Waldersee." roared
the Emperor. 'Quickl Recall every divis-
ion. Suspend the advance. Quick. 1 tell
you. for heavens sakel Vansittart has left
Paris"
Impossible. your Majesty" The chief Of
the staff knew something of the arrange
ments made by his imperial masters servants
In the French capital.
"NOfhfnU Ia impoaaihIo THE Ia h;s Jo;oo
Daubisson would never dare attempt 1t. Oh,
hurry. hurry!"
Those few moments had suflced to change
William Ills mood from dignifed generalship
into half historical frenzy. He rallied. at the
fate which so cruelty blighted his best con-
ceived project. He cursed Vansittart and his
own staff with admirable impartiality. and
finally rushed from the chateau into the cool
morning air without. Above all else he felt
the need OF motion. the sense OF doing some
thing.
He had perforce to wait Until a charger
was saddled. The whole eastern horizon was
now flushed with the delicate pink and green
OF advancing day. Nature. in sky. field and
wood. wore the coloring of summer. The
weather promised to be bright and pleasant
ample sunshine tempered by a cool breeze
from the Ardennes.
But rude sounds Jared the ear and gave
portent of other and less soothing scenes.
Heavy firing at Verdun. in the northwest.
betokened the preliminary stage of a serious
and extensive battle in that direction. From
the whole line OF the Mouse came the desultory
boom OF field ordnance and the crackle of
rife fire. while n growing volume OF sus-
tanned conflict southwest Of Troyon showed
that a strong blow was being struck at the
very heart Of the German position.
Nearly a million OF armed men were in mo-
Eion. The lesser moiety OF these. the French.
were steadily pushing their way toward the
German centre. while their opponents. though
numerically superior. and fighting hard at the
points OF contact. we're. for the most part. wan
dering aimlessly about the roads In pursuance
OF O plan which must be wholly altered when
divisional and brigade commanders could be
reached by the flying messengers and tee-
grams now being despatched in hot haste by
Count Won Waldersee.
The two great personalities in the field. Van
oittart and Wilhelm. were distant from each
other barely Ave miles.
The man of the nervous and excitable Amer
lean temperament was quietly smoking a
cigar and slipping a cup Of hot coffee.
And the Teuton. representative of a race
noted for stolidity and sober department, was
stamping furiously in and out Of the chateau
&C Troyon. eager to mount and Rallop his horse
somewhere. but unable to decide In what
direction to GALLON.
Such was the disposition Of the forces. the
attitude OF the leaders. at the outbreak Of the
battle Of TroyoR.
CHAPTER XIV.
A QUESTION OF Gz.;ERALsEIP.
yansitturt set out with tho intention OF
crushing the German centre before the right
and left wings could close in and assist the