Evening star., 1898-05-21

serves, cried that they were betrayed, and,
finging themselves upon our unarmed Mo-
blles, massacred them in the streets and at
the house doors. The slaughter was swift
and merciless. But who, remembering the
horrible courage of that heroic madman n ,
can pronounce one word of blame or of re-
gret for his deed? Honor to the deadr"
Harewood, razor poised, face lathered,
stared at Bourke.
Its simply CHASTITY" he said. "It brings
the whole business out more plainly doesn't
It? Laon is only a few days march from
Paris ! can't realize that people are doing
things like that while you and l sit still
and scribble rot to the journals
Il don't know that We've had such an
Tour was no foot ball game, Jim. And as
for you-you've given the Prussians
chances enough to shoot your idiotic head
off. haven't you?"
"Nonsense!" said Hardwood, returning
to his shaving. Il mean that there's a vast
difference between us and those poor devils
of soldiers out there. That citadel business
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
down the journal; It's merely the same
| crisis growing more acute hour by hour.
AS far as can make out, the Germans are
somewhere between here and Laon, the
| French fleet has done nothing, the Mobiles
are a nuisance, the National Guards are
raising h-ll in Bellevile an army is form
ing along the Loire to assist Paris and Gar
| ibaldi is coming to France That's a fair
synopsis of the whole business. AS for the
United States interfering. it's not likely;
1talys attitude is not to be counted on;
France must face the music alone"
II WISH" observed Harewcod, that the
Paris journals would exhibit less hysteria
and more common sense. They've had Bis
marck killed every week since last August;
fhnSr' M0lf
lated the Red Prince with typhus; they've
| announced the mutiny of every regiment in
the Bavarian and Saxon armies. Look at
| the way the government is blowing up
tunnels and bridges. What lunacy! They're
only hampertng their own movements, and
! it takes about a day to lay pontoons' He
put on his coat, standing up for Bourke to
brush him.
That's big cannon they've mounted
| down there" he observed, looking out Of
! the window. Come on. Cecil, breakfast
must be waiting"
As they descended The stairs Hide and
| Yolette stood at the front door looking at
| the cannon across the street.
Good morning. said Yolette, brightly.
"Messieurs. have you seen The Phophet?''
"Whien particular prophet do you mean?
I'm little in that way myself" said
Bourke. gayly, 'and I prophesy that we
are going to have a most delicious bowl of
cafe au lait In minute or two."
Anybody can prophesy that" said Hide;
Yolette means the cannon. The soldiers
have named 1t The Prophet everybody is
| talking about 1t; the morning papers say
| 1t can throw shells as large as man and
| that 1t will be terrible for the Prussians."
| oh" said Harewood. so they call it
The Prophet!" %
"All the same. said ,Yolette. 'I hope it
will not need to prophecy"
They stood a moment looking at the
great silent gun. at the squad of sailors
| who were exercising around 1t: then Yo-
lette laughed lightly and summoned them
to breakfast, leading the way with her
| arm around her sisters slender waist.
There Is an awful Creature" said Hide
| who calls himself the Mouse and who
came into the hallway early this morning
| and asked for Monsieur Hardwood"
Shouts of laughter Interrupted her,
Bourke begged Harewood to. introduce his
| friend the Mouse, and Yolette insisted on
inviting him for dinner. Even Hide laugh
| ed until Harewood, little red, explained
| who the Mouse was. -
| And you helped him to hide from the
police? exclaimed Yolette, Mortified.
| That's just like Jim,'' said Bourke. who
| had enjoyed the story keenly.
Hide said nothing. Her changing face
| was turned to Harewood.
Harewood, carelessly. Money!
NO." said Hide. with strange little
! shudder HE said, Tell him to go to the
| ''Undertakers" If he ever needs help"
1.-THE Undertakers!' gasped Yolette.
Its not what you think: it's a sort of @
| of the cLtthroats congregate." said Hare
wood much amused. Il suppose the crea-
| ture Is grateful to me for hiding him.
don't think I shall accept his invita- tion. I"
Gratitude is rare In that species,'' OBJ
served Bourke cautiously. II fancy he'd
cut your throat for franc Jim.'
| Probably he would" laughed the other
Hide listened in silence. When Bourke