The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-09
'THB LOST PROVINCES.
INV vansittart Came Back to France.
BY LOUIS TRACY.
Copyright. 1928. BY LOui' Traev.
CHAPTER XVI.
IN THE EMrERoR's cARRIAoE,"

the facts to MN
..d "Thess expeditions OF yours. Marie
~ aid IL for the best. Armand"
81 tnoW. birdie. But the very worst might
49,, come from 1t. As IL ia nothing at all
10, oome. told you the man was a rufflan."
nyoll I SUPPOSE said Marie. though It is
-.uronee-I don't know-he was not alto
..tber unklnd to me. At first he broke into a
sSrrible rage. But afterward-and. Armand.
T..w him give such q sidelong look into my
go and then at my lips: IL made me blush"
"1'ml He doesn't know who It is you be-
long to. evidently.
vou,d have done 1t. so that was one for him to
swallow"
n,dnt he even attempt to excuse himself in
snv way? Make any sort Of promiser"
NO. Not n word. When l was going to
..t him he said. BE silentr with such q frown.
Ma can frown. / can tell you. And such q
mustache. with hard tags at the end. 1t is
not a mustache; it is n weapon"
So, babbling together. they at last fell asleep
and Marie's last mnrmur was. Poor Mrs. Van
Ettart."
II was the intention Of Armand to take her
ant Of the neighborhood by early morning.
NNr there was no NOuuJ tliub CibhOE ~ uhNhO vi
sunrlse some hostile movements would be-
Rin. and that long before midday the whole To-
ealIty yould,be rolled in war.
But he had ian intense curiosity TO see at
last the beginning OF actual fighting and
hupR on in Gravelotte till the sun was high
and the clocks pointed to g. At that late hour
there was still, however. no sign Of anything
IN the way Of blows
yansittart was riding slowly about half q
mile out OF Gravelotte in ompan with some
eight or ten persons. His eyes were hollow
md his face all faded: but with a GER
tain toughness characteristic Of him he had
stuck to his guns. In his heart. however. as
he rode there was nothing else than black and
blank despair. He was merely doing his duty.
His life was in ruins about him.
Armand. wandering and lettering here with
Marie before their departure, saw and ap-
preached him.
What" said Vansittart. assuming a woful
bntheness. is this Good-by. them And Mis-
tress Marie is running from the fire and
smoke? Well. good voyaGel And thanks,
thanks. endless thank for your presence here.
Are you of to PARISH"
Il am going to join NJ. Folliet at Oermont."
said Armand.
"Ahl" sighed vansittart. and turned his face
sway.
At this point they heard an unexpected
sound behind them. a trundling sound, and,
looking round. they saw near to them coming
from the direction of Gravelotte a gun carriage
drswn by two horses. but without any gun on
It. Instead there vas a massive cubical bon
"a strange object to the conservative eyes OF
the old campaiRners.
Stay" said Vansittart. is not this-yes. It
i-your engine OF flannel? I ordered one to be
sent for experimental use. By niRhtfall, mon
stur. all Europe will know that the victory Of
this day was due to the genius Of Armand
Dupres."
He said 1t with a visible touch Of enthusiasm,
and even ArmandAs eye frightened.
If it does its work. Mr.. Vansittart"-he
said.
1T will do its work. monsieur. Il has been
tested and I have kilograms Of its absolute
efficiency from the manufacturing firms and
the War Office. If 1 have not discussed the
matter with you since you have been here-if
! have seemed ungrateful-you must put it
down to my-my-trouble." His voice broke
and he added. Liam not fit for anything"
Wiz heissen euch hoffenl' said Armand.
80 says the German poet" p,
Well then. I will 'hope'-if I can. But
what Is that?"
He pointed across the field.
That was a body Of horsemen, some thir.
~ Germans coming toward him from the d.
rection Of Metz. Uplifted among them there
duttered on the morning breeze q white flag
Of truce They weresescorted by a French Of
fcer.
They came forward at a rather slow pace.
hr the reason that one Of their number-a
snort. squat man. with a fat neck-was on foot.
no was In f~ront..of all. and his dress was Pc
euiar. 1t was a black robe reaching to his
Ieet, and on his head was a skull cap.
Then after a minutes breathless surprise,
tansittart. rising in his stirrup. could see that
IN the midst Of the horsemen was an open
carriage. and that leaning back in the car |
nage was a woman.
In the name Of God. what is it?" he cried. |
MS lace lighted with wildly inquisityie scru-
tiny;
a. a tbon heart was humping against his ribs
l.nInaae ttt99n approached. approached in a 81
SansttsaaritG'sa e vas a. absolute. A ~minute-tw9I
SSay viii aory he dronped It to the ground,
~ aS the same instant had leaped to the
! sEerI him he he IfHl eW n m the a tSs ger Of 6Iood was
hShl99dher minute Evelyn was sobbing on his
,b seS new hiding place on the German side Of
ihs GaOSsene was known to some men high In
S Nh uSsIman counsels. During the night Will
o orH mad discovered il and sent a messenger |
"EILn ~ her immediate conveyance to Metz. |
thihnh whole party, Marie holding Eyelyn's |
T nv nIandd.in the carriage. proceeded to the |
ths S,al uor. The carriage was blazoned with
S SI rSSai arms OF Hohenzollern. II was VIII |
Thas own private landau. Il
wa y man dressed in the long black robe |
an SLatI dottlieb Ritterburg. When Vansit- |
Srnrr nSa y, come near him he had seen that |
EscJLH ths mans neck was a rope. and on the |
Nv shull cap, which was OF the shane worn |
kks,SsnaddeInned criminals in Saxony. had been
~ u bult OF white ma mar hearing fhagn 1
"9ns il red ink: ~ ~
A.in Inc S sam VVRnnsittart; with the Emperor Will
hal hnonr later, after Wihelm's messengers
Vfb than leRsted; they returned. They took
Littsy tneH KAtterburg. and n letter from Van
IRE VaunmSg 4 specimen Of Armand's engine OF
RNts ,hanslttart in the letter declined to hang |
be Siag n ' though he admitted that he should |
pfoSar 10 hear that he had been shot by the
WIIlou ernlaD military authorities.
n bv a ,h1se ,"ourtesies were being INDUCED i
he = tme leaders, Gen. Kreuznach was lead |
lfioss m r. 81 MON men from D~iedenhofen
IN A. me Mpselle. Within three hour the
hep ~ gl me french army was turned. and
tayaG rs " mnrInuring that Vansittart had he
dbIs france IN order to secure the release
CHAPTER XVIII. |
M A REVERSE.
EyssITTSSn late at night, Jerome awoke to find
euiv bending over him. it was with DIM
~ a ne realized his AlIrrn1nHinaG He thnt,uhN /