Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-28

table as if for support; but dropped ere he
reached it.
He also did not move A tense silence
reigned in the room that had, five seconds
ago, rung with tumult.
GENERAL Won BREISACH, alone,
paced his room uneasily. He was just
trlf1e troubled by the thought that he had
gwen shelter to party of francs-tireurs.
If he had obtained any useful information
by the act, it would have been different
matter; but he had not. He would have to
report the affair, and at headquarters they
might see it in a different light.
He looked out of the window and reckoned
that the dawn was very near. No doubt the
francs-tireurs had taken themselves off.
Count Dagobert was not to be caught nap
ping. Yes, they had gone, right enough, he
said to himself; and if they had not, then
the more fools they.
Dagobert and his seven children, ex-
hausted by long nights and days of want
and fighting, slept on the floor of the salon,
the great stone hearth covered with dead
embers, with a profound slumber that felt
no presence of danger.
And within fifteen minutes the dawn that
was creeping up from the other side of the
world would pencil the east with gray line.
"All francs tireurs, not being in the code
of war, are to be shot when caught So
ran the official demand.
In the courtyard, in the darkness, three
officers Of the Generals staff had called
platoon. They whispered to one another;
they kept looking up at the black armament.
These officers had sat down at table last
night with the detested Frenchmen. One
of them remarked to another, in a low tone,
as if afraid to wake somebody:
0'Tha General dare not
"If the time has expired-no,' answered
the other.
EOUCHARD uttered long and shudder-
: ing sigh. He opened his eyes. Where
was he? Death was freezing the remnants
Of his consciousness, and his poor, tortured
ideas swan in haze Of pain and shadow.
Realization gradually freed itself.
"Ah, my poor companions!' He whis-
pered the sentence. "God forgive me! l
have done for them, that is certain
Was he capable of a final effort9 If he
could only reach them
He turned upon one side. More he could
not do. He saw the Prussian staring at him
in wild, deathlike expression.
@Ah, my poor friends!7 repeated Fouchard
again.
The German heard, and understood He
looked toward the door and shook his head.
ave owe it to them," said Fouchard in a
husky whisper. 1--WE shall sleep better if"
1T is too late
"Ah You would, if you could"
EYES,
",rhe pistols, then! Quick! for the love
of God'
Tresckow exerted supreme effort and
got upon his feet. Half leaning against the
wall, on which the palm Of his hand left
bloody marks, he edged his way to the table.
His fingers convulsively clutched one of the
loaded pistols, and without raising it he
pressed the trigger. The report rang like a
clap Of thunder through the room.
COUNT DAGOBERT stirred and awoke.
The pistolshot was shout Of battle.
In his dreams came many such sounds Was
this one of them? Tresckow leaned with
his body upon the tables edge, slipping away
into night.
@C'est magnifque" painted Fouchard, with
shining eyes. ave ought to have been
friends, my hero"
Still slipping into the dark, the Prussian
CROPPED for the other pistol. He heard the
Frenchman's words which seemed to come
from an unreasonable distance. Dying as
he was, they knocked at his heart
Count Dagobert lay down again. Surely
the warning shot had occurred only in a
dream! Was there not one OF his men out