Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1911-03-30
WCE-GOvERNOR
NJ OF METZ liz
By Michael Porter


=
The iaier at Metz was an old SOL
der, a sergeant of tried bravery, yet
his face was gray aud his huge ring
of keys clinked family with his
trembling as he delivered the mes
sage.
The governor of Metz was a vet
eran, too; man of iron upon whom
this terrible siege by the Germans
had so far made no impression. Now
the corded brown hand on his desk
closed convulsively. But he asked
quietly enough:
GLOW do you know, sergeaDtY
1--WE can hear them, excellency. 1t
was past midnight when Jean of the
dungeon guard came running and
said he could hear the tap-tap-tap of
their picks. | went with him to a
distant corridor where the political
prisoners are confined. There l lis
tened. The blows came distinctly,
but the exact direction / could not
determine. This much | know.
They are but short distance out
side our walls"
"The prisoners ?"
"They know nothing Of the tun-
nelers, and are wild with fear"
The governor of Metz rose from
his chair. 81 will go with you" he
said.
The sergeant led the way with his
lantern through low passages which
branched continually into the dark
ness. Occasionally they passed a
sentry, who drew himself up and
saluted when he saw the grim face
of the governor. At last they
reached damp, dark alley beneath
the very lip of the Notifications.
Awaiting them was the vice-gov-
ernor, General Moran, fair-haired,
handsome young man, surrounded
by a group of white-faced soldiers.
They saluted in grave silence.
The governor did not need to ask
why they strained their ears to lis
ten. When his footsteps and those
of the jailer had ceased to echo he
heard the sounds that fell like a
death knell on their hearts-the
steady, irregular blows of excavating
tools, so masked by the echoing cor
ridors that he could not tell whether
they came from in front or behind,
or, indeed, from beneath their very
feet.
Discipline within the fortress
crumpled like an old coat. The news
of the tap-tapping spread like wild
fire. Men rushed from the bomb
proofs to be cut down miserably in
the open by the storm of shells from
the German guns. Throughout the
miles of tunnel ran a thrill Of terror,
for the exact location where the
blow would be struck could not be
determined.
The governor fought bravely to
overcome the plans Of the enemy
and restore confidence among his
men. He started score of counter
tunnels within sound of the mys-
FERROUS tapping; he sent out regi-
ments in every direction to engage
the enemy hand to hand. But, in
exorable as death, the noise con-
tinued, day and night.
At the end of three days his
nerves were worn to shreds and his
splendid army, which had borne the
horrors of a disastrous campaign
and a long siege as well, was little
better than a hysterical mob. AS he
sat at his desk in the winter dusk,
head on his chest, he realized that
if the tunnel of the Germans were
carried through he would lose not
only his well-won reputation, but
probably life itself.
He looked up with a start as the
door swung open. Before his chief
stood General Moran, his comedy
face alight with excitement and
hope.
'Excellency," cried the viee-gov-
ernor, waving all ceremony, "the
political prisoner, Fraulein Won
Sterne, wishes to see you. She de-
clares she can thwart the plans of
those who are tunnelingp
''Bring her." said the governor,
briefly.