Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-11-25
~ss s.

wise. II was . narrow, deep-rutted,
winding way-a shallow trench out
into the soil by many generations OF
long interregnum between the solid
pavement of Rome and the broken
rubble of macadam covered Europe
with a network of such roads. An un-
checked growth Of briera bramblss
and every species Of prolific weed made
this particular track an ideal hiding
place.
Gathering the party under the two
irregular lines of pollard oaks which
marked the otherwise hardly discern.
ible hedRerows, Joos explained that, 1t
a point nearly half q lille distant, the
lane Joined the main road which winds
along the right bank Of the Mouse.
That 10 our only real dificuity-fhs
crossing of the road" he said. Tt 10
sure to be full of Germans: but X We
watch our chance We should contrive
to scurry from one side to the other
without being seen"
Such confidence was unquestfoneb1y
cheering. Even Dalroy, though he put
a somewhat skepticai question. did not
really doubt that the old man was
adopting what might, In the circum-
stances, prove the best plan.
What happens when we do reach the
other side. Monsieur Joosf~ he In
ouired
Then we enter a disused quarry In
the depths of a wood. The Mouse nearly
surrounds the wood. and there IL bare
~ 1ooha iof toWpath between tho
rivers edge and a steep cliff. The
quarry forms the landward face, a. one
may say. and among the trees II .
woodman's hut 1 shall be surprised II
we find any Germans there"
From your description 1t seems to DO
a suitable post for strong picket
No. monsieur. The slope falls away
from the river, while the opposite bank
is fiat and open. have been a soldier
In my time. and I understand these
things. 1t would be all right for OBJ
servation purposes II these pigs hadn't
Argenteau; but saw their cursed
Uhlans on the left bank many hours
ago"
Lead on. friend" said Dalroy. sim
ply. when we come within a hun
bred meters of the main road let me do
the scouting. TIL tell you when and
how to advance"
rs monsieur a soldier. them"
IAN officer. perhapss" i
"Ah: a thousand pardons IL pre-
sumed to lecture you. Yet / am cer-
Il have never doubted you. Monsieur
Joos. Do you know what time the
moon rises?"
Late. Eleven o'clock at the ear
An the better. If you are sure Of
II could find it blindfolded So could
Leontine- She goes there to pick bil.
berries"
The homely phrase was unconsciously
dramatic. From the hiehroad came
the raucous singing of German SOL
diers. the fa1setto Of drunkards with
an ear for music. In the distance
heavy artillery was growing, and high
explosive shells were bursting with a
violence that seemed to rend the sky
Over an area of many miles to the
west the sharp tapping of musketry
and the staccato splutter of machine
guns told OF hundreds of Thousands OF
men engaged in a fierce struggle for
supremacy. On every hand the horison
was red with the glare of burning
houses. The thought of a village gfr7
picking bi'berries In a land so SCARED
by war and rapfne produced an effect
at once striking and fantastic. II was
as though a ray of pure white light
cano.
Dalroy advised the women to take or
their linen aprons. and Nine. Joos to
remove as well a Golf of the same ma
teriaL He unfastened and threw away
the stump of the bayonet Then they
moved on in Indian file, the miller
leading.
definite quality Of blackness doomed
above the ,ow-lyfng shroud Of mist
which at night in still weather always
marks the course Of a great river.
The wood" whispered Joos. we
are near the road now"
(To Be Continued Next Sunday.l