Omaha daily bee., 1898-05-22

All this was clear to Harewood as he lay
there in the dark, but it did not satisfy him
as 1t had once. Moreover, whereas few
days ago he was certain that he himself
risked nothing, now he was far from sure,
He asked himself whether he was in danger
of caring seriously for Hide, but ne could
not reply. Had he been simply curious to
know how far he could go? Had 1t been
vanity, after all, or a lower incentive?
His face grew hot with shame and self
resentment. He was mentally vindicating
Hilde-defending her against himself, but
he did not know it. He thought it was
himself that he was vindicating. This
mental protest of innocence left him calmer
and less restless, and after a little he fell
asleep. Whatever he dreamed must have
been pleasant. for the morning sun, stealing
into the loom, Illuminated his face young,
peaceful, touched with smile as innocent
as the woman he was walking with in
dreamland.
Bourke woke up, regretfully, saying,
What the deuce are you grinning about
in your sleep? Get up. Jim. I'm going to
St. Cloud to see what's in the wind. You'll
come. too, won't you?"
"Yes." said Harewood. II suppose the
trains are running yet. What's the news?"
While he was bathing and dressing Bourke
ran over the morning papers, reading aloud
the telegraphic dispatches.
"Hello-what do you think of this? When
the Germans entered Laon some crazy
| French soldier ran to the citadel and flung
| a torch into the magazine"
Read it, said Harewood, lathering his
| face for a shave.
Here it is Through the cowardice or
treachery of the governor of Laon, the duke
l>f tbo otfx NJ,
OF September, at the head Of the enemys q
Sixth cavalry division. 1t was raining
heavily. Suddenly a frightful explosion
shook the city to its foundations. The
citadel had blown up, killing more than 100
of our soldiers and $50 Prussians. This
awful catastrophe was the work of an old
| French soldier, veteran of the Crmea
and of Italy. who. not having the courage
to surrender the place to the Prussians
crept into the magazine and set fire to 1t
blowing himself and everybody there to
pieces. The duke of Mecklenbourg was
wounded. Our General Theremn was killed
The German troops. recovering themselves
cried that they were betrayed, and. fiingine
themselves upon our unarmed Mobiles. mas
sacred them in the streets and at the house
doors. The slaughter was swift and merci
less But who, remembering the horribl.
nounce one word of blame or of regret fo
his deed? Honor to the dead""
Harewood razoR poised, face lathered
stared at Bourke.n -
"It's simply CHASTITY" he said. "It brings
the whole business out more plainly. doesn'
it? Laon is only "a few days march from
Paris. l can't realize that people are doing
things like that while you and sit still and
scribble rot to the Journals"
81 don't know that we've had such an easy
time of it," said Bourke. "Mars-la-Toul
was no foot ball game, Jim. And as fol
you-you've given, the Prussians chances
enough to shoot your idiotic head OF
haven't you?" -
"Nonsense!' said Harewood, returning tt
his shaving. II mean that there's vas
difference between us and those poor devil.
Of soldiers out there. That citadel busi-
ness chills me to the marrow. Go ahead
with your newspapers, Cecil"
Bourke continued reading aloud, skim
ming through the mass of proclamations
edicts, appeals from hospitals. charities, un-
til he was tired
There's nothing new," he said, throwing
crisis growing more acute hour by hour
AS far as l can make out the Germans ars
somewhere between here and Laon. the
French feet has done nothing. the Mobiles
are nuisance. the national guards are
raising HI in Belleville an army is form
ing along the Loire to assist Paris and
Garibaldi Is coming to France. That's Z
fair synopsis of the whole business. As fol