The San Francisco call., 1904-04-17

70 fall into his hands? All, Colonel"
The Prussian commander waved him
away.
Send Captain Baumgarten to me at
once" said he.
The officer who answered the sum-
mons was a man of middle age, heavy
jawed. blue eyed. with a curving yell
low mustache and a brick-red face
which turned to an ivory white where
his helmet had sheltered IT, AS a SOL
der he was slow, but reliable and
brave. The colonel could trust him
where a more dashing officer might be
in danger.
You Will proceed to Chateau Noir to-
night, captain" said he "A guide has
been provided. You will arrest the
Count and bring him back. If there is
an attempt at rescue, shoot him at
once"
"How many men shall 1 take. colo
nel?"
We'll. we are surrounded by spies,
and our only chance is to pounce upon
him before he knows that we are on
the way. A large force will attract at
tention- On the other hand, you must
not risk being cut off,
Il might march north, colonel, as if
TO join General Goeben. Then 1 could
turn down this road which I see upon
your map, and get to Chateau Noir be-
fore they could hear of us. In that
case, with twenty men"
Very good, captain. 1 hope to see
you with your prisoner tomorrow
morning.
It was a cold December night when
Captain Baumgarten marched out of
Les Andelys with his twenty Poseners
and took the main road to the north
west. Two miles out he turned suden-
ly down a narrow, deeply rutted track.
and made swiftly for his man. A thin,
cold rain was falling, swishing among
the tall poplar trees and rustling in the
fields on either side The captain
walked first with Moser, a veteran SER
geant, beside him. The sergeants wrist
was fastened to that of the French
peasant, and it had been whispered in
his ear that in case OF an ambush the
first bullet fired would be through his
head. Behind them the twenty infan-
trymen ploded along through the dark
ness, with their faces sunk to the rain
and their boots squeaking in the soft,
wet clay.
1t was nearly when they left Les
Andelys. At 1880 their guide stopped
at a place where two high pillars.
crowned with some heraldic stone
work, fianked a huge iron gate. The
black chateau lay in front of them.
The moon had shone out between two
rainclouds, and threw the old house
into silver and shadow. 1t was shaped
like an L. with a low arched door in
front, and lines of smalT windows like
the open ports of man of war. Above
was dark roof breaking at the cor
ners into little round overhanging tur-
rets, the whole lying silent in the
moonshine, with a drift of ragged
clouds blackening the heavens behind
it. A single light cleaned in one of the
lower windows.
The captain whispered his orders TO
his men. Some were to creep to the
front door, some to the back. Some
were to watch the east and some the
west. He and the sergeant stole on
tptoe to the lighted window.
1t was small room into which they
looked, very meanly furnished. An ell
derly man in the dress Of menial was
reading a tattered paper by the light
Of a guttering candle. He leaned back
in his wooden chair with his feet upon
box, while a bottle of white wine
stood with a half-illed tumbler upon
stool beside him. The sergeant
thrust his needle gun through the
glass, and the man sprang to his feet
with a shrek. ~
silence, for your lifel The house is
surrounded and you cannot escape.
Come around and open the door or we
win show you no mercy when we come
in"
For Gods sake. don't shoot, I VIII
open it, I will open itl' He rushed
from the room with his paper stilI
crumpled up in his hand. An instant