The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-24
ASHES OF EMPIRE.
~ ROBERT W, CHAMBERS.
,o,r,r.oAs 1893. b. Robert y. 0oaS'r')
CHAPTER XVI.

HAA nTAfnNNllt hNNANN w.
pnv t-om .bc ,ort OF Vanves. and plunged into
.sst exploding with frightful force. A
b " later the ominous duaver OF another
.a. heard from the Porte Rouge. The
suo ". n.o,actie seemcd 10 hang above the rue
,yS... rroying larger and larger as II neared
erect Suddenly II exploded. sweeping
~ .aotons with a hail OF iron fragments.
~ chImneys and tiles. and showering
AZ. street with shattered states.
IA voman ran shriekinR along the side
III hsr gray hair dripping with blood. A can
S.noor On the ramparts lay writhing beside the
1ynUbot The artillerymen recovered from
,hoir omazement and swung the great gun
sar,hvest CLAP OF thunder shook the bas-
Snns n white cloud. over spreading, wrapped
enc Prophet. But again came the terrifying
,hriek OF a shell. nearer. nearer-thenth the street
srombled with It's impact and the houses rocked
and reeled to their lounu"''ohs US '"e Hhophe"
t~hundercd its reply
Tho forts Of the south we're flaming and blaz-
T.. from every embrasure; tho batteries. the
"aaorh.a the southern bastions Of the fortif1ca-
a. voro covered with smoke; but still into
tho oitv nlunced the Prnssian shells, blowing
houscs 10 ruins. setting fire to roofs. exploding
a, tho streets. on the sidewalks, on bridges and
nuors. squares and boulevards. hurting death
.rd destruction to the four quarters OF the city.
rbrce little children crossing tho Rue Malalse
roro blown TO atoms; n woman running for
,ho,ter To the Prince Murat barracks was dis
ombovelled in the rue d'Ypres. A convent was
,.,ruck repeatedly two shells entered q hospital
md tore the helpless wounded to shreds. an
n,her Killed q poor American student In his
room In the rue de Seine. Faster and
castor came the shells; night added to
tbe horror NJ the scene: the darkness
a. 1T 49, ao1,ao - ,,rntr hNnana
Tho uproar ot the forts. the scream and hiss OF
shoIls the deafening explosions OF the cannon
blended in n tumult indescribably frightful.
Az moments, in the brief lulls of the uproar.
tbo iron knclling Of the tocsin was heard. the
fainter booming Of drums calling to arms. the
distant rush OF artillery, galloping pellmell to
The hnstions.
In the rue serpente. Hide and Yolette
rrauched, half dead with terror. A shell had
FALLEN at the corner OF the street and had torn a
tsfe TO pieces. Bourke had been ava since
harly noon, and Yolette's fright and anxiety for
him drove Hide to forget her own fear.
In that dark. narrow street, with its rows OF
ancient houses. women and children. frantic,
ehrieking. dishevellcd, ran hither and thither
10 escape the shells. Some shouted. THE
pther side OF the riverl Save yourselvesl"
Others ran back into the tall crumbling houses
10 COVER on III Wi l-ChUCu NJ VI CIdNll ltO
the cellars.
We must 10 10 the cellar" repeated Hide
with white lips. "Yoette. everybody il going
10 the cellar"
II cannot-I will not stir until he comes
back" whispered Yolette. Go to the cellar II
you wish"
Shell after shell, meaning. whistiing. few
nigh overhead. The air hummed with the
uuaver. the windows vibrated. There came a
terrific report from the corner Of the street; a
house bulged outward. falling slowly amid the
crash and crackle Of wooden beams. Aheap Of
plaster choked the street: some woodwork
afre' lighted up the mass Of lime and bricks,
under which something writhed feebly--a man.
perhaps.
Red Riding Hood knelt clinging to Hides
skirt IN an agony Of fright. The rht'd was still
in her night gown. anL her little limbs, mum b
with cold. Quiyered.
Somebody on the stairs cried out. 1.-THE root
Is on fire." Another rushed screaming to the
cellar.
Gomez" murmured Hide. "we cannot stay.
Yolette-we shall be burned five stay-o. come.
eomel"
Not to the cellari" cried Yolette. what are
you doing-the house will burn over your
They were on the stairs now. Hide dragging
the child by the hand. Yolette following and
trying to make herself heard in the din.
Don't go into the street," she cried again.
We can't stay In the house," painted Hide.
desperately.
Go backl Go backl" shouted a crowd Of
Poldiers. who came stampeding through the
Ptreet and poured into the houses. The cell
Z lars are safe. Go to the cellarsl'
They pushed past the doorway. motioninR
Hide to follow. She shrank against the door
nngf hplIiN~ Nt-hk g. $50 .-l d. H.
Hood.
The street outside was ruddy with the glare
OF burning houses: the shells streamed high
overhead toward the Pantheon now. falling be-
Sond the rue S~erpente, some in the boulevard
bt. Michel, some on the Sorbonne. many on the
val de Grace and a few even in the river. The
lire OF the Prussian guns shifted capriciously:
pow the Montparnasse. quarter was covered
WIN prtolectiles. now the Luxembourg. now
Streamed thickest toward the hospitals, the
ha n iafI1;; the churches, palaces n great pub
As the shells ceased falling in the rue Ser
beate, the people crept from the cellars. the
so!liers Of the Garde Mobile slunk of N a
sins thsiF hand H!fp mac& Sa@e B BP Ss e Of F9 sfu flEhSz
SaXTahts prowled through the street. half bold.
nh unnldi peering into doorways. hanging
fnSnIttinsn eioWrecKed houses. showing. prylng.
One q these rufians entered the hallway
S,aS-s LlNtc htJDu' anu SthTteQ 10 abcenu -Un6
stairs. but, evidently considering the shabby
house not worth his attention, turned and
hIoUSUa hesltatlngly in the full glare OF a burning
.1 Nile. Hide" whispered Red Riding Hood.
LOOK! LookH" At the same moment the vag-
SUNhu saw Hide and shrank back against the
Nal ~ was the Mouse. Hide spranR to the
shaky STAIRS and seized the Mouse by his ragged
bSeSei That startled young ruflan suffered
EtihseiI 70 be dragged up the stairs and into the
tthue apartment. now brightly illuminated by
s ss1 names from the burning house. on the COR
neF IoIette and Red Riding Hood followed.
p ,rh now. muttered Hide, breathless, tell me
7 SSmere ne lsf What have you done with him p
smS SHoQd before the Mouse with flashing eyes
NV ttIle lists clenched. repeating harshly
,h t1u sWore to me that you would be with him.
s sin YOU ~ would keep him from harml You
} eIamk 9pt OF the house with that promise to me
N ~ l iet You S0-l promised to say nothing
I'LL 2thers. What have you lone with him2N
Eashos peeh shot," gasped the Mouse. he
nhot" whispered Hide.
came n issh q DEAD" Growled the Mouse. 81
ma 4 y = nhd III. Bourke, but when ! went to the
'""'T pres You all had decamped."
t,rs 4.eh he continued, with a bringing Res.
mad n started to lolk-and quite by accident
NJ" tt'stnoiseIl., l met some trlends-but l was
ST n S,Gfais!hg" ne whiled, glancing f~urtively
N'NHNN n NH Inn UHlIH al n 49, w.