Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-03
CHAPTER VII-(ContInued)

TIME wisdom Of preventing excited con
i versation was shown by the fact that the
five people hudded together on the shaV-
ings were soon asleep. There was noun
ing strange in this Humanity wheh sur sur
feited with emotion, becomes calm' almost
nhIepmatIc Were II otherwise, after
week of war soldiers would not be sane
men, but manlacs ,.
Dalroy resolved to sleep for two hours
About ii o'clock he got up, went qule''y 10
the door and found Maertz seated on ule
ground. his back propped against the wall
and his head sunk on his breast As
consequence he was snoring melodiousIy'
He woke quickly enough when the Eng
lishman's hand was clapped over ms mouth
and held there until his torpid wits we're
sufficiently clear that he should UNDERSTAND
the stern words muttered in his ear.
"Pardon, monsieur" he said shame
focedIv. "I thought there was no harm in
sitting down l listened to the guns and
began counting them. | counted one nun
dred and ninety-nine Shots l think' ana
then ,, -,
And then you risked SIX hNes' Leon
tines among them -
Monsieur, I have no excuse
.rYet YOU have been a soldier, sup
pose? And you gabble OF serving your
country" -,-.., .,
Dalroy pretended an anger he did not
reaIIv feel He wanted this stolid Walloon
10 remain awake now, at any rate, so turned
away with an ejaculation Of contempt
Maertz rose He endured an eloquent
silence for nearly a minute. Then he muir
mured Monsieur, I shall not offend a
second time. Counting guns is worse than
watching sheep jumping fence
rho moon had risen, revealing cleared
snace in front Of the hut. dozen yards
away d thin fringe OF brushwood and small
trees marked the edge Of the quarry, while
.aNh
the left A slight breeze had called into
heIng the myriad tongues Of the wood, and
Dalrov realized that the unceasing cannon
ade ioined TO the rustltng OF the leaves,
would drown any sound OF an approaching
enemy until It was too late TO retreat, He
lnew that Won Halwig, not TO mention
the military authorities at Wise, would
snare no effort to hunt out and destroy the
man who had dared to hout the might OF
Germany, so he was far from satisfied with
the apparent safety OF even this secluded
refuge. -
"IIaye you piece of string In your
nockets?" he demanded gruffiy.
Trust a carter to carry string, strong
stun warranted to mend temporarily a
broken strap. Maertz gave him guam
tity.
tInued, Keep a close watch till return.
when YOU hear any movement or see any
one saw clearly Wise II IL is l. I shall
answer Tiege' Do you understand"
perfectly, monsieur. A challenge and a
countersign"
Dalroy believed the man might be trusted
now, Taking the rife, he made of along the
nath. treadlng as softly as the cumbrous
sabots would permit. He was tempted TO
90 barefooted but dreaded the lameness
which might result from a thorn or a
sharp rock
Al a suitable place, halfway down the
steep path by the side of the quarry, he
tied a pistol TO a stout sapling, and, having
fastened a cord TO the trigger, arranged II
in such fashion that II much catch the feet
of any one coming that way. The weapon
was at full cock, and In all likelihood the
unwary passer-by would get bullet in
his body.
n was dark under the trees, of course
hut the moon was momentarily increasing
It's light, and the way was not hard TO find
He memoriZed each awkward turn and twist
in case he had to retreat in a hurry. Once
the lower level was reached there was nc
difnculty, and. with due precautions, he
gained the shelter OF a hedge close to the
main road.
The stream OF troops still continued. Few
| things could be more ominous than this
| unending torrent OF armed men. By how
many similar roads. he wondered, was
| Germany pouring her legions into tiny
Beigium2 Was she forcing the French from,
| tier IN the same remorseless way? And
/ what Of Russiaf When he left Berlin IN,
| talk was only Of marching agalnst the two