Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-01-23

misguided but harmless people; that
/ showed it in my face is certain, for
the Countess looked up at me and
said, smilingly: You must not look at
us so sorrowfllly, Monsieur Scarlet.
1t is we who pity you."
And / replied, Madame, you are
generous" and took my place among
them and ate and drank with them
in silence, listening to the breeze in
the elms. i
/ turned to DIR. belmont. M
with the German armies rnassing
behind the forest borders yonder, it
is unsafe for the government to leave
you here at La Trappe, doctor. You
are too neutral"
"You mean the government fears
treason?" demanded the doctor, grow
T ing red.
"Yes," l said, eff you insist"
The Countess had turned to me in
amazement.
treason" she repeated, in an un-
steady voice. "Is it treason for a
small community to live quietly here
in the Alsatian hills. barming nobody,
asking nothing save freedom of
thought? Treason! Monsieur, the
word has an ugly ring to me. I am
a soldiers daughter!"
There was something touchingly
| illogical in the last words-this young
apostle of peace naively displaying her
| oradanfiaIs &c thnuoh tho xoaro x,,rd
soldier" covered everything.
Because l have learned that the
boundaries of nations are not the
| frontiers Of human hearts, am / a
traitor? Because know no country
but the world no speech but the uni
versal speech that one reads in a
brothers eyes, because know no bar
riers, no boundaries, no limits to hui
man brotherhood, am / traitor?"
The young Countess had risen in
| her earnestness and had laid one slen-
der, sun-tanned hand upon the table.
WARP" she said. What is this
war to us? The Emperor? What is
he to us? We who have set watch
on the worlds outer ramparts, guard
ing the white banner of universal
brotherhood. What is this war to
us!"
do you mean to say that you care
nothing for your own birthland?" I
demanded, sharply.
Il love. the world-all of it-every
inch-and If France is part of the
world, so is this Prussia that we are
teaching our poor peasants to hate"
Madame" said l, "the women of
France today think differently. Our
Creator did not make love of country
trite virtue, but a passion, and set
it in our bodies along with our other
passions. If in you it is absent, that
concerns pathology, not the police!"
| She had turned trifie pale; now
she sank back into her chair, looking
at me with those troubled gray eyes
in which Heaven itself had set truth
and loyalty.
Come" said Bazard, in a rage
choked voice, "let it end here, Mon.
sieur Scarlett. If the government
sends you here as spy and an off,
cial, pray remember that you are not
also sent as missionary"
My ears began to burn "That is
true" said, looking at the Countess,
whose face had become expression1ess.
81 ask your pardon for what l have
said and for what am about
to do"
There was silence Then, in low
voice, placed them under formal ar.
rest, one by one. touching each lightly
on the shoulder as prescribed by the
code. And when came to the Count.
ess, she rose, without embarrassment
moved my lips and stretched out
my arm. barely touching her. She
was my prisoner.
| Il must ask you to prepare for q
journey" I said. you have youl
own horses, of course?"
/ Without answering, DR.. belmont
walked away towards the stables; Pro
fessor Tayernier followed him, head
bent.
I'VE shall want very little," said the
4 Countess, calmly, to Mademoiselle Ell
ven. .'Will you pack up what We
need? And you, Monsieur Bazard, will
il you be good enough to go to Trois
Feuilles and hire old Brauers car
riagew
Madame" said /, before I afi1
the government seals to the doors O.
your house I must ask you to conduc
me to the roof of the east wing"
She bent her head in acquiescence,
followed her up the terrace into /;
stone hall where the dark Flemisl
pictures stared back at me and m.
spurred heels jingled in the silence
Up, up, and still up, winding arount
a Gothic spiral, then through a pas