Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-06-27
CHAPTER XXI.
Just Before the Explosion.

AouuCeu arrival OIL Sir noel upoH IAC
scene gave the major still another set
back.
1t seemed as though he were fated
never to get those words of command
|, beyond the portals of his lips.
And he knew Sir Noel. too, knew
that the foreign surgeon was in high
favor with the commandant, even as
he had been with Marshal MacMahon
before the latters state Of health COM
PEELED him to relinquish the command
to successor
What business had this Englishman
here anyhow-no one had invited him,
and it was none of his affair that the
military authorities of the French
stronghold on the Moselle chose to
make an arrest.
Was Sir Noel alone?
Paul could not hear the expected
swish of garments such as might be-
tray the coming of those who repre-
scented the gentler sex. but this was
not to be wondered at in the least,
since the German guns kept up pref
ty constant growing away off beyond
the forts, and the explosion of shells
grew more and more frequent in the
streets, occasioning considerable ex-
element among the crowds.
At the same time some intuitive
sense told him she was coming, this
girl in whom his whole soul was
wrapped up.
Hildegarde did not understand fully
what message the white-faced nun
brought Sir Noel in the hospital, but
she caught a name, Paul's, and under
life, and had sent for the bluff. oblig-
ing Englishman to come to the rescue
without delay.
When she saw him start forth per-
haps she feared, poor girl, that the
man she loved had been manned by
one of the exploding bombs and lay
upon the street with shattered limbs,
his life passing away.
Indeed, at such a time it was easy
enough to imagine anything in the
way OIL horrors.
Unable to withstand the eager desire
to be of some assistance to Paul in
his hour of need, she had started after
them.
change her ideas as to what had hap
pened.
So that when she reached the open
doorway and glancing into the lighted
room with eyes filled with expectations
OF seeing horrors, the first object upon
which they rested was Paul, standing
there apparently in a fair state of
health, the shock to her nerves was
severe indeed.
Doubtless the presence of the SOL
diers would explain the situation clear
ly enough, especially when she saw
the bellicose attitude of the major.
Sir Noel had partly lost his breath
in his dash from the hospital and the
succeeding hasty climb of a flight of
stairs. Doubtless he managed to gather
enough breath to address the major
and ask what it all meant, and the
gentlemanly character of his request
again touched the major in his weak
spot, politeness.
He begged to assure monsieur that
he was only present in the discharge
of his duty, having received informa-
ton of the most positive kind that
the etage was shelter for nest of
German spies, who had long been send
ing information as to the weakness
of the brave defenders of Metz in the
line of provisions-sending these trait
orous reports by some secret under
ground wire or the use of carrier
pigeons trained for the purpose.
"Of course, they will have hear
ing?"
The major cast a furtive glance at
the One Who Must Be Obeyed, and the
quick signal which the countess made
gave him his clue.
Certainly. monsieur. In the morn
ing, if they are able, they shall appear
before the military drum head court,
convened for just such purposes as
this by our commander, and the truth
will either liberate or send them to the
Court of Execution
Paul noted that there was clause
in his declaration, which somehow he
could not avoid emphasizing, clause
OF considerable Importance, since he
believed the majors design was that
they should never live to reach the
prison.
"sir Noel, step this way, please he
said.
It was at this critical iuncture that
O. movement at the doorway drew the
attention of the countess, and she be-
came aware for the first time of Hide
garde's presence.
The sight sent the hot blood leaping
in bounds through her veins-nothing
must be allowed to stand in the way
now-the presence of this German
beauty who had won what she had
sued in vain to possess, was Fremont
ton of coming disaster, unless she
could push the major into the breach.
Meanwhile Paul confided to the Eng
lishmau his suspicious as to the fate
he supposed had been mapped out for
him while on the way to prison.
Onca Sir Noel grasped the idea the
danger was far less threatening than
before, for he could possibly invent
some way Of defeating the evil designs
Of the plotters.
Hildegarde now knew all.
!. She had recognized the disguised
countess with contempt and scorn in
her eyes, and the presence of the stall