Amador ledger., 1906-05-25
SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.

James Adams, European representa-
FbUe for american manufacturers and
graduate of West Point, is in Paris al
Fhe outbreak of the great aUdr betWeen
France and Germany. He engages in
b balloon reconnaissance for the
French and barely escapes capture. be,
ing Sioept into northern France, q0here
he is a0recked in the grounds of the
chateau LGgu1,dy. He is rescued by
Fhe daughter of the Count Lagundy,
Aimee, aoith aOhom he falls in lore.
Phe Germans ddUance; Adams defends
kinlee from insult at the hands of
|IrieSmaan, Colonel of Cavdlry. Adams
|oinS the HUSSGrS, under Lot0enberg, an
Pld friend, and later assists in an am
push of the French. Word reaches him
Ft camp that Aimee is again in the
bands of GrieSmGn. With FleiSch-
PlGas1a, a gigantic sergeant of the EN-
PeroT'S bOdyguGrd, he inlpreSSeS an
automobile and goes to her rescue. In
terrific saOord fight he kills Griesman
Fnd ta0o others, and proceeds qoith
Limee to the home of her cousin at
Bethel.
Chapter VI.
For two delicious days I remained at
Bethel with Aimee. Then early in the
|fternoon Fleischmann brought up the
|ig car we set out for camp, for OBJ
fious reasons taking a direct road that
|id not pass the Chateau Lagunay.
Reaching the outskirts of the camp we
|pund host of war balloons inflated and
|eady for ascent. Others were already
barring above us, and looking far to the
|buth we saw the French balloons, high in
|ir, observing the German movements
IS we went farther south (for the camp
'overed an area some ten miles square)
Fe found that large part of the army
lad moved. 1t was evident that events
Fere approaching crisis.
At headquarters l sent in my name to
he Emperor, Fleischmann pacing up and
|own outside in a fever of apprehension,
pr he dreaded his sovereign's wrath. AS
pr myself, certain of my ability to make
Rt1sfactory explanation l waited calmly.
Ehen l was finally ushered into the au-
'ust presence 1 saluted and related my
Eory. The Emperor waved his hand as
hough to dismiss me. But 1 persisted;
|nd when 1 finally drew from my pocket
he documents 1 had taken from Cries
Pan's pocket, and told him of Grevoir
|riesman's supposed interpreter, his ex-
Eession changed. He ran over the papers
|urrfedly; letters from a prominent
French officer; brief notes of the German
fheme of invasion; data concerning the
|erman forces; and realizingl that Cries
an was really in league with1the enemy
Il forgave me, though it wasswith.a "a curt
Pmment upon my abrupt departure from
Pc camp, and caution that u Conduct
fyself more circumspectly in the fGt1Tes
told him that alone was Responsible
Pr Fleischmann's leave without permiSA
|on-that / had really abducted lthe big
frgeant against his will. A little, smile
ckered over his face at this.C IThen-ha
Pbered again. -
|"You will rejoin Lowenberg,"- -heTsafdIif
|sm1sSlng me. There is work for you
/ the right wing. We will be:in- action
|eischmann can redeem yourselves >atlthe
Pu both"
When we had patiently endured Lowen-
|ra1d for. US, learning that orders were |
Ft for my arresD we discussed the plan |
the advance; I learned that the enc
~ was assembled in force between our
imp and the Marne River. The first |
intact had occurred the day before. when |
i German brigade of armored automo-
|es undertook to reconnoiter to the |
/ |uth: The French had sent out a similar |
|igade for the same purpose, and they |
let near a small village. The two forces |
| me together in mad charge. The steel |
|nleai proWs of the great cars rammed |
high speed, crashing into and over one |
Pother and finishing in a tangle of |
Feckage from which but one German |
|achine had emerged in condition to re- |
| IN to camp. An assault with such a |
|rce upon cavalry or infantry would be |
Fesist1ble; but upon an enemy of its own |
|nd it meant mutual annihilation 1t was |
striking. example of the unfitness of |
/ |ch machines for general warfare.
AT dark we were ready for the advance
Pving under cover of night to avoid the |
E-seeing eyes of the airships.
IA brief statement of the military situa-
pm seems necessary in order that the |
|ader may understand the nature of our |
ldertaking. AS has been stated, the |
Fench occupied the Marine River, from |
halonS- -sur-Marne to Bar-le-Duc Be- |
Feen these towns the south hank of tho |
|hrne rises sharply from the water to a |