Evening star., 1898-09-03

Saso ne nSy give you. stay moment.
Vansittart scribbled on leaf from his
notebook.
"Meuse, two miles southwest from Troyon.
IAN well here. Hope to engage enemy IN
force at am.
Il want you to proceed to verdun and
see that sortie is successful no matter
what the cost
Leave trustworthy officer at Bar le-Duc
to control and direct rapid movement Of all
available troops to this point. Full dirsc-
tons will be given to brigadiers as they
arrive here
Send explicit instructions TO commander
of troops opposite Troyon to cross at all
hazards at In. ard incline to the south
east, IN order to Join me about 6:30 am.
Il will personally communicate with gen.
eral at st. Mihiel when l want him.
Pontoons useful, but not imperatively
necessary, the river can be forded by
cavalry and infantry.
JEROME K vANSITTART."
Jim did not head straight to Bar-la-Duc.
but rode down the river bank. The crack
Ing of whips, the cries of drivers. the fierce
yelling of excited stah officers, told him
that the road to headquarters was a raging
torrent OF maddsned horsefiesh and cursing
men. The ardor of an advance is surpassed
only by the panic of rout.
LIE Breton clattered up tingling with in
6ignation at the latest bnngie of the inteih-
gence department-in France, too. What
would have happened If the affair took
pace in German territory? The military
maps would doubtless mark a canal as "a
good road, available for siege guns
In his excitement h, checked his charger
so impetuously that he shot onto the ami
mails neck.
This Is monstrous," he cried, climbing
back to the saddle.
Jerome misunderstood him. TT Is novel.
rot to say dangerous he said, with
laugh Matters were going well now and
| he was confident again.
Il mean," exclaimed the impulsive cav
airy leader, that the absence of pontoons
might have caused needless delay"
THAT error has been rectified,' said the
millionaire, cheerily. What have you
done?'
Driven back the enemy and sent Mont
saloy in pursuit.
"A good commencement. Come with me
and organize general advance" The two
rode off to the front. after Jerome had
given clear instructions for the disposition
of the second division The first number
ing 10000 infantry, 5000 cavalry and 40
guns, was now on the German side Of the
Meuse.
When they reached the first bit of rising
ground and were well away from the tur-
moil of the crossing, the sound of heavy
firing came from the direction of verdun.
The sortie was already In progress j.
Fate willed it that at 2:3O am. the differ
ent sections Of the vast German host began
the movement that was to eliminate in the
IL L V
Fifteen minutes later came the first init
nation of the unlooked-for French attack.
The emperor and his staff dismissed the
alarm trivial matter.
"A too Jealous sentry firing at a stray
cow. commented Won Waldersee.
Who commands at that point?' said the
kaiser.
Colonel Breitstein of the 18th Hano-
verians. He wants excuse to enable
him to say that he led the first regiment
over the Meuse."
Possibly What is It now?"
An aid-de-camp had entered uncere-
moniously, carrying a telegram.
The emperor scanned 1t. French attack
serious Have lodged strong force on right
bank from Pierrefitte Breitsten heavily
engaged. Am hurrying up supports with
two batteries.
"vON HOFER. Major General"
This is strange. What can 1t mean?"
William ii resented any interference with
his plans.
Probably a reconnaissance. Paris is
noyed at Daubisson's inactivity. 1t is well.
Won Hofer can easily hold them. Our at
tack will develop with the greater ease"
Il hope so. Yet wish this coincidence
were not so marked
AS they conversed the minutes passed
And each minute was worth an hour for
the German columns were moving with ma
chine-like exactitude in the wrong direc-
ton. Like the hands of a clock, they could
now go forward, but If called upon to re-
verse what would be the result?
Another aid burst into the royal presence,
breathless, with second message from
Won Hofer.
Position desperate. Breitstein and 18th
cut up. Twelve guns captured. French
division crossing with extraordinary rapid
ity. Am Offering desperate resistance, but
hopeleS5ly outnumbered.
And third, from the chief of the Troy
on column: Commander of the 11th Bri-
gade reports river held by artillery and
infantry Great difficulty and delay will be
a II, m
fantry regiments have forded the Meuse,
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 crossing Meuse when de-
layed by strong assault from Verdun. Com
PEELED to suspend original movement in
order to meet this development Everything
points to a serious battle forthwith.
''KhEUZNACH."
''Kreuznach is right, Won Waldersee,"
roared the emperor. Quick! Recall every
division. Suspend the advance Quick! /
tell you, for heavens sake! Vansittart has
left Paris
Impossible. your majesty" the chief of
the staff knew something of the arrange
ments made by his imperial masters serv-
ants In the French capital.
Nothing is impossibleI This is his doing
Daubisson would never dare attempt 1t. Oh,
hurry, hurry"
Those few moments had sufficed to change
William II's mood from dignified general
ship into half-hysterical frenzy. He rallied
at the fate which so cruelty blighted his
best-conceived project. He cursed Vansit-
tart and his own staff with admirable i'm
part1ality, 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 something.
He had perforc rce 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 cf sum
mer. The weather promised to be bright
and pleasant-ample sunshine tempered by
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 north
west betobeEed the preliminary stage of a
serious and extensive battle in that direc-
ton. From the whole line of the Meuse
came the desultory boom of field ordnance
and the crackle of rife fire. while a grow
ing volume of sustained conflict southwest
of Troyon showed that strong blow was
teing struck at the very heart of the Ger
man position.
Nearly a million of armed men were In
motion. The lesser moiety of these, she
French: were steadily pushing their way
toward the German center, while their
opponents, though numerically superior.