The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1902-03-14

bc5leged.
Everywhere the German arms had
been victorious.
Paul Rhinelander had alrcdy seen
much OF wars horrors. and AL that
was martial In his nature had been
stirred by the scenes OF excitement
that had come his way.
There had been news OF Hoffman.
The man was traitor TO his coun'
try-madness had seized upon him.
and making use OF tho fact that his
maternal grandparents were Alsations,
hence French subjects. he had gone
over TO the enemy. bag and baggage.
Paul heard this with grim satisiac.
ton. Paul. who knew 20 a certainty
that this change OF heart had been
wrought through the witchory OF that
beautiful and magnetic creature, the
countess. and that Conrad was her
latest victim.
All unknown TO Rhinelander. events
were under full Roadway and driving
swiftly toward a most dramatic eli.
max. at which altar his fate must be
decided.
IL was an October evening.
The mutter and growl OF heavy
siege guns. that for hours had been
sending their projectiles into the
forts defending the citadel OF Metz,
had by degrees died away. and night
was spreading her mantle of rest over
the tragic scene MacMahons great
army was hemmed In moro securely
than ever.
This October night was destined to
be forever marked by a white stone
in the annals OF Paul's romantic life
history-ere the morning star shone
upon Metz he would have passed
through another experience that must
have decided influence upon his
whole future.
He was saunterinE about after com.
ing from the field hospital. when he
met by chance an aide OF the general
in command at this post.
From him he heard news that clec.
trihed him; news that indicated so
daring n night assault on the fortress
that Paul hardly believed IL TO be
true. Immediately he sought an au.
dience with the commander TO beg for
indulgence and the coveted opportun.
ity OF seeing whatever OF action there
might prove TO be in the assault
Rhinelander had seen much OF ser.
vice. but his desire to have some sort
OF share in everything that came 10
pass led him TO join the forces Sc
lected for this hazardous task. He
was I'm the van. OF course-men Of
I his stamp usually find some means OF
reaching the front rank when the bat.
tie is In progress.
When the French opened fire IL
seemed as though the whole outer
works blazed with the fury OF We.
suvius.
Chassepot and mltrallleuse mingled
| taeir bark until IL became n thunder.
GUS roar-men shouted and cheere1
while above IL all could be heard the
/ hollow rattle OF the fiat Bavarian
drums.
To Paul the music was a hideous
nightmare. but he could appreciate the
/ fact that II served 20 animate and
enthuse these Bayarlans just as the
pibroch thrills the Highlnnder-mus-
/ Giles grew as stiff as iron. teeth
snapped close together. eyes were set
In that steady stare that tells OF In.
/ domitablc will power-and into the
| jaws OF death they went.
They were row ut the foot OF the
apparently impregnable fortress
The fire above was just as furious.
\ but most OF the missiles oyershot the
mark. and had they chosen TO wait.
a chance for breathing spell now Of.
/ fered itself. However. they went up
/ over the walls like the Wild channels OF
the Swiss Alps. those little Bayarlans
did.
men they must have appeared little
short OF devils Matched out OF the In.
fernal fires that blazed all around.
Once In the Qualifications they came
into hand-to-hand conflict with the
French. and then the fiercest kind OF
warfare was inauguratod.
The Bayarians might have had held
the fort had they been quickly rein.
forced. but II was not the policy OF the
German generals to bring on bat.
tie. since starvation must decide the
/ question speedily enough.
Their object had been attained 10
teaching the French that after all
their position was not so imprognablc
as they might have believed.
And hence the signal of recall
sounded.
Surrounded by struggling forms on.
/ gagged In a desperate death grapple.
with fires and the blaze OF still boom.
ing cannon lighting up the scene as
with the glow OF internal oonfagra-
tions. the spectacle OF Paul engaged
with a French swordsman was one
nt for the delcctation OF the gods. and
Mars himself must have been fully
satisfied with such an heroic picture.
! Then came the recall. Paul re-