The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1913-10-17

up the vanished blinds.
How dreadful the cannonade II
growing" she said. "Wait! dom
think OF moving! I will push yor
close to the window, where you car
see."
Lying Their, watching the slow
shadows crawling out over the side
walk, l had been for some minutes
thinking of my friend Mr.. Buckhurst
when l heard the young Countess stir,
ring in the room behind me.
you are not going TO be a cripple?'
she said, as turned my head.
"0h no, indeed" said l.
Nor die?" she added, seriously.
"How could a man die with an angel
straight from heaven to guard him!
Pardon. l am only grateful, not imper.
tinent." l looked at her humbly, and
she looked at me without the slightest
expression.
Are you English, Monster Scar.
lett?" she asked quietly.
American, madame"
"And yet you take service under an
emperor"
a have taken harder service than
that"
"0f necessity"
yes, madame"
She was silent.
would it amuse you to hear what
have been?" l said, smiling.
THAT is not the word" she said,
quietly. ITO hear of hardship helps
one to understand the world"
Suddenly a she'll fell into the court.
yard opposite, bursting Immediately
In a cloud Of gravel which rained
against our turret like hail.
Stunned for an instant, the Countess
stood there %motionless, her face turned
towards the window. 1 struggled 10
sit upright.
Where is the safest place for us
to stay?' she asked. Her voice was
perfectly steady.
In the cellar. I beg you to go at
once"
Bang! A shell blew up in a shower
Of states and knocked a chimney into
a heap of bricks.
DO you insist on staying by that
ioop-hole?" she asked, without a culver
in her voice.
Yes, l do" said L Will you go
to the %cellar?"
No" she said, shortly.
saw her walk toward the rear of
the room, hesitate, sink down by the
edge of the bed and lay her face in
the pillow.
Shells rained fast on Morsbronn;
nearer and nearer beloved the guns;
the plaster ceiling above my head
cracked and fell in thin flakes, filling
the Don with an acrid, smarting
dust. Down the street a dull sound
grew into a steady roar; the Turcos
dropped pick and shovel and seized
their rifles.
"Garde! Garde a vous!" rang their
startled bugles; the tumult increased
to a swelling uproar, shouting. cheer
ing, the crash Of shutters and Of glass,
and
The Prussians!" beloved the cap
tain. "Turcos-charge!"
His voice was lost; a yelling mass
OF soldiery burst into view; spiked
helmets and bayonets glittering
through the smoke, the Turcos wer
whirled about like brilliant butterflies
IN a tornado; the fusillade swelled to
a stupefying din, exploding in one
terrible crash; and, wrapped in light
ming, the Prussian onset passed.
From the stairs below cane the
sound of a ~voiceless struggle, the
trample and painting and clicking of
steel, till Of a sudden a voice burst
out into a dreadful screaming. A shot
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES shot-then
the stairs outside shook under the
rush Of mounting men.
AS the door burst open | felt a
touch on my arm; the Countess de
Vassart stood erect and pale, one slen.
der, protecting hand resting lightly on
my shoulder; a lieutenant of Prussiap
Infantry confronted us.
I do not have you thrown into the
street" he said to me, in excellent
French, because there has been no
firing from the windows in this vii.
lage. Otherwise-other measures. Re
at ease, madame, / shall not harm
your invalid"
Underline window strident Prussian
bugles were blowing a harsh sum.
mons; the young officer stepped to the
loop-hole and looked out, then hastily
removed his helmet and thrust his
blond head through the smoky amer.
ture. March those prisoners in be-
low!" he shouted down.
A moment later came a trample of
feet on the landing outside, the door
was flung open, and three prisoners
were brutally pushed into the room
/ tried to turn and look at them.
they stood In the dusk near the bed.
out could only make out that one
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