Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-13
THE DAY OF WRATH
STORY OF 1914
A STORY OF 1914
By Louis Tracy

sides Of the Meuse. and ever in the same
direction Two long hospital trains came
from the southwest. and paroy knew what
that meant Another long train of closed
wagons, heavily laden, as painting engine
testified, pcrplcXcd him, however. lie spoke
Of 1t to Macrt2 the three being on the road
IN company as they climbed the hill to
Heron, and the carter promptly sought in
formation from farmer.
The man eyed them carefully. Where
are YOU from?' he demanded in true
Flemish
What has that to do with it?" grnned
Maert2' in the same patois.
The questioner was satisfied He jerked
a thumb toward the French frontier. Dead
uns"' he said. They re killing Germans
lik" flies down yonder. They can't bury
them-havent time-so they tie the corpses
together singing four on pole for easy
handling, ship them to Germany and chuck
them into furnaces"
80" guffawed Macrtz. the swine know
whore they are going then :"
To Dalroys secret amazement, Irene who
understood each word laughed with the
others Campaigning had not COarsened.
hut 1t had undeniably hardened her nature.
A month ago she would have shpddered al
sight of these dun trucks. with their CHASTITY
freight Now. so long as they only con-
taned Germans, she surveyed them with
interest
Allowing forty bodies to one wagon"
she said there are more than a thousand
men in that train alone"
The farmer spat approval I've been
busy, and have missed some but that's the
tenth lot which has gone east this morn
ing" he remarked cheerfully.
rs the road to Niveles fairly open?"
Dalroy vcnturcd to inquire
"One never knows. Anyhow, always give
N1 11u Nrftt I,gtt
doubtful travel by night"
This counsel was well meant In the
silent bitterness Of hours yet to come. Dali
roy recalled IT, and wished he had profited
by It.
Roughly speaking, they had set out on
fifty miles tramp, which the mon could
have tackled I'm two days, or less. But
the presence Of Irene lowered the scale.
and Dalroy apportioned matters so that
twelve miles daily formed their program,
with as the CntrcprCnurs say, power to in
crease or Curtail Thus. that first after
noon, the date being September ., they
pulled up at GemhlouX quite a small place
finding supper and beds in a farm beyond
the village.
Next day they pushed ahead through
Niveles, and entered the forest Of Sognias
that undulatiug woodland on which Well
ington depended for the protection Of n
dangerous flank during the unavoidable re-
treat to the coast If Napoleon had beaten
the British army at Waterloo.
Dalroy explained the Iron Dukes strategy
to Irene as they paced road which pro-
vides an ideal walking tour.
THAT a general was not worth his salt
who did not secure the track OF his army
il defeated was one Of his fixed principles"
he said "He would never depart from It,
and his dispositions at Waterloo were based
on IT, In fact his solictudc in that respect
nearly caused a row between him and
Blucher."
let me see" unused the girl aloud THE
Germans have never fought the British in
modern times until this war;
That is correct
And how far away is Mons?"
Dalroy smiled at the thought which had
evidently occurred to her.
I'VE are now just halfway between Mons
ana Waterloo Each is about ten miles
distant"
| Germans and Russians against the French
Now we have Joined the BeEians French
and Russians against the Germans. II
| sounds like counting in a game of crib
! bage A hundred years from today our
combination may be with the Belgians,
| Germans and French against the Russians" ."
you mustn't even hint treason against
| our present Allies" he laughed
r 'NVhat are Allies? OF what avail are
| treaties? You men have mismanaged things
| woefuly. It is high time women took a
| awful! ! do verify believe you are a
| suffragette.'
81 am During what periods has Eng
| land been greatest? In the reigns Of Eliza
beth and Victoria"
| why leave out poor Queen Anne?"
"She was a very excellent woman. As
| soon as she came 10 the throne she de-
| clared her resolution not to follow the eX-
| ample Of her predecessors in making use
! of a few OF her subjects to oppress the
| rest The common people don't err In their
| estimate of rulers, and they knew what
they we're about in christening her Good
| Queen Anne"
| Now I'm sure"
| sure Of what?"
you have never told me what you were
doing I'm Berlin"
You haven't asked me- she broke in,
Did It matter? i"
| Irene's intuition warned her that this
| harmless chatter had swung round with
| lightning rapidity 20 a personal issue. Sad
| 10 relate, shea had not washed her face OF
hands for eleven days, so a blush gold nc
tales. but she interrupted again erather
nervously, What is It you are sure of?'
tCopyrght. Edward J, Clode)
| fCONTINyTTE,iD TOMORROVV)