The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-11-06

]
thunder of the guns in the dark.
! = few moments later clock in the
| hallway struck nine times. At the
same instant a deadened cannon-shot
echoed the clamor of the clock 1t
was the last shot of the battle And
when the dull reverberations had died
away Alsace was a lost province, Mac
| Mahon's army was in full retreat
| leaving on the three battle-fields OF
| Worth, Reichshoffen, and Froschwei
| Ter sixteen thousand dead, wounded
and missing soldiers of France
About seven o'clock that morning
gaunt, leather-faced Prussian officer
| immaculate in his somber uniform, en-.
tered the room without knocking.
Monsieur, have the honor to hand
| you a copy of regulations. | am the
| provost marshal; all complaints should
| itants of Morsbronn will be made to
| day. You will have the goodness to
declare yourseN-and you also, mad
anne. There being other buildings bet
ter fitted, no soldiers will be quartered
in this house"
The officer evidently mistOok me for
| the owner of the house and not a
prisoner A blanket hid my hussar
trousers and boots; he could only see
my ragged shirt
And now, madame" he continued
"as monsieur appears to need the
services OF a physician, | shall send
him French doctor, brought in this
morning from the Chateau of la
| Trappe"
He turned his grim, infexible face
to the Countess and bowed then he
bowed to me. swung squarely on his
heel and walked TO the door.
Admit the French doctor" he said
to the soldier on guard, and marched
out his curved saber banging behind
his spurred heels
1T must be DR.. belmont" | said,
looking at the Countess as there came
low knock at the door,
She rose unsteady from her chair;
somebody entered the room behind
me and | turned, calling out, Wei
come, doctor"
Thank you" replied the calm voice
Of John Buckhurst at my elbow.
The Countess shrank aside as Buck
hurst coolly passed before her, turned
his slim back TO the embers OF the
fire, and fixed his eyes on me-those
pale, slow eyes, passionless as death
MY friend" he observed In Eng
lish, do you think you will know me
again when you have finished your
scrutiny"
The Countess, face averted, passed
behind my chair.
Wait" said Buckhurst; and turn
ing directly to me, he added: You
were mistaken for a hussar at La
Trappe; you were mistaken here for
a hussar as long as the squad holding
this house remained in Morsbronn, A
few moments ago the provost mistook
you for a civilian" He looked across
at the Countess, who already stood
with her hand on the door-knob.
If you disturb me- he said, Il have
only to tell the provost the truth
Members of Imperial Police caught
without proper uniform inside German
lines are shot, seance tenante."
The Countess stood perfectly still a
moment, then came straight to me.
Madame" said Buckhurst, in his
peculiarly soft and persuasive voice
81 am not here to betray this gentle
man: ] am not here even to justify
myself | came here to make repara
ton, TO ask your forgiveness, madame
for the wrong | have done YOU and
to deliver myself, if necessary. into
the hands of the proper French au
thorities in expiation Of my misguided
zeal"
81 do not exactly understand" said
I, how you can expiate crime here.
81 can at least make retribution," he
said. turning the paper box over and
over between his fiat fingers
Have you brought me the diamonds
which belong to the state?" inquired
amused
Yes" he said, and to my astonish
ment he drew a small leather pouch
from his pocket and laid it on my
/ blanket-covered knees. How many
diamonds were there?" he asked
"One hundred and three" | replied
incredulously, and opened the leather
pouch. Inside was bag of chamois
skin. This stretched wide and emp
tied
Scores of little balls Of tissue paper
rolled out on the blanket over my
knees; | opened one; it contained a
diamond; | opened another, another
and another; diamonds lay blazing or
my blanket, whole handful, glitter
/ ing in undimmed splendor