Omaha daily bee., 1898-07-31
Ashes of Empire.
BY ROBERT W. CHAMBERS.

/ Mouse. "what are you doing?" he cried,
struggling; 'let go!"
Come on said the Mouse amiably. 'let
us get around this hou~se-so-where the
woman can't see us. 1t might brighten
her."
what do you mean?" stammered
S%tauffer, wrenching himself free and turn
ing toward the road again.
Watt" said the Mouse, barring his way.
~ want to tell you something amusing. DO
you remember giving me a German gold
piece to march with you and your carbineers
on the Hotel de Vile? Bon! You said it
was for plumber. You lied; it was for NJ.
Bismarck"
Stauffer took a step backward and drew
a revolver; the Mouse cleared the space
between them at a single bound; there was
a shrek, a furry Of snow.
The Mouse stepped back, wiping his red
knife on his trousers.
"Now go and sell the Nanterre FORT he
sneered.
stauffer, stabbed through and through,
rolled in the snow, trying to rise.
G and sell Paris. Hurry or you'll be
late,' said the Mouse. moving Off. The
miserable wounded wretch dragged himself
after him, calling for mercy, moaning and
sobbing, praying he might not be left to
freeze in the snow. lie followed Inc
Mouse on his hands and knees, his a~gonized
face raised. The Mouse hesitated, watch
ing the writhing creature askance. Then
he went back and destroyed him.
When he came up with Hide again, he
said nothing. She neither looked at him
nor spoke to him, for already, over the
snowy plain. her strained eyes were fixed
on a low hill that rose black and solitary
from the ~spotless level, the Nanterre fort.
The Mouse saw it, too.
bringing smoke draped the battlements,
:. where, from an angle hidden on the hill
side, a mortar fired slowly. Other guns,
concealed by the rocks in the rear of the
. fort, sent the smoke whirling up over the
citadel, obscuring the flag flying there until
, a current of wind revealed it again.
On they went, on, on, and still on. The
, fort seemed no nearer. They crossed 9
dismantled railroad track covered with
snow. The Mouse slipped on the twisted
i, rails and rose swearing.
!, The sun beat dow on the expanse of ice
and snow; the reflection was intolerable
Once, far out on the plain, something dark
!, appeared. The Mouse knew what it was
and he halted, shaking from head to foot
= But the squad Of uhlans either did mo-
see him., or else feared a shot from the
4 gatherings on the glasis Of the fort, fol
q they disappeared after a while, followed by
the hearty curses Of the Mouse.
About noon, when the fort seemed within
{ stones throw, a picket hailed them from 6
n hillock to the left.
e volunteer nurse and attendant" bawled
e the Mouse in answer to the
t Twenty minutes later they were climbing
e an icy road that wound up the hillside
r Dense thickets screened it; squads of ar
ltillerymen in armless sheepskin coats passed
them, scarcely noticing. The road tool
d abrupt angles; each angle was covered b,
r a cannon. Gatlings and mitrailleusel
r glimmered behind parapets jutting from thu
j, rock; long field pieces peered through abati
i. work on every side. Two great iron gate
were passed, the sentries falling back AM
saluting the red cross on Hides sleeve
Then they turned into a level street, paved
decorated with lamps, running between
solid walls of masonry. Another iron gat'
admitted them to a square, also paved, an,
faced in with barracks, of gray stone, badl.
shattered.
"You can cross the parade" said the ar
tilleryman on guard, pointing with hi
saber. THE Prussians only lombard US a
night"
Follow said the Mouse briefly, an,
Hide followed across the parade, wher
squads of soldiers were repairing the bar
racks, through a narrow alley, deep sc
between towering ramparts, into anothe
court, down flight after flight of broa
stone steps, then into an arcade, diml
lighted by lanterns and crowded with sol
diers, moving about aimlessly. Just abov
them a cannon Numbered, shaking tn
ground under their feet.
We're almost there said the Mouse
peering at Hides bloodless face.
He pushed open a door In the wall;
lantern lighted the darkness. There wer
some beds there, half obscured. Aroun
one a screen was pulled.
THAT'S not 1.-THE isn't dying muttere
the Mouse; 81 think he's in that othe
bed"
Then he raised a whining voice.
"Monsieur!"
In the half light a head stirred on a PILLOW
was raised-then came a cry, "Hilde!"
And Hide fell beside the bed and laid h
tired head in Harewood's arms.