Evening star., 1917-11-11
s.ss s.


mans love to say. colossal. The end
thusfasm was colossal. too. Ai1-lA%
Chapelle might have been celebrating
a great national festival. It seemed
in the throes of war. Tho populaoe,
the officers. even the heavy-Jowle4
peasants who formed the majority Of
the regiments then hurrying to the
front. seemed to be Intoxicated with
joy. Dalroy was surprised at drst Id
was not prepared for tho savage sxul.
tation with which German mi!itarism
leaped to its long-dreamed-of task OF
conQuering Europe.
Irene Beresford, momentari1y more
alive than he to the exigencies OF thoiH
position. bought a common shawl at q
shop in a side street and threw away
She was an excellent actress. The
woman who served her had not the re,
motest notion that this bright eyed girl
belonged to tho hated English race.
The incident brought back Dalroys
vagrom thoughts from German meths
DDS OF making war to the serious bust.
ness which was his own particular con.
cern. The shop was only a couple Of
doors removed from the Franzstrasss;
he waited for Irene at the corner, buy.
Ing some cheap cigars and a box OF to-
bacco at a tobacconists kiosk. He
still retained the lantern, which lent
a touch of character The carriage.
cleaners breeches were wide and loose
at the ankles and concealed his boots,
Between the sabots and his own heels
he had added some inches to his height.
SO he could look easily over the heads
of the crowd: he was watching the
passing Of a battery of artillery when
an open automobile was jerked to q.
standstill directly in front of him. In
the car was seated Won Halwig
That sprig OF Prussian nobility waa
in mighty hurry, but even he dared
not interfere too actively with troops
in motion. so. to pass tho time as 10
were. he rolled his eyes in anger at tho
crowd on the pavement.
1t was just possible that Irene might
appear fnopportunely. so Dalroy Joined
her and led her to the opposite side OF
the cross street, where a wagon and
horses hid her from the guardsman'a
sharp eyes
took the wanderers under her wing.
A short, thfck-set walIoon had
emptied a glass OF schnapps at the
counter of small drinking bar. which
opened onto the street, and was bids
ding the landlady forewell.
Il must be on he said. It have to
be In Wise by daybreak. This cursed
war has kept me hero a whole day.
Who is fighting who. I'd like to knows
Nise! gunawed man seated at
the bar. You'll never get there. The
army won't let you pass"
That's the army's affair, not mine,.
was the typically Flemish answer. and
the other came out, mounted the wagon.
chtrped to his horses. and made away.
Dalroy was able to note the name
on small board affixed to the side Of
the vehicle: Henri Joos miller. vise."
That fellow lives in Belgium" he
Whispered to Irene, who had draped the
shawl over her head and neck, and now
carried the jacket rolled into bundles
He Is just the sort Of dogged county,
man who will tackle and overcome All
obstacles. l fancy he Is carrying oats
to mill. and will be known to the
frontier officials. Shall We bargain with
him for a lift?"
1T sounds the very thing" agreed
the girl.
In their eagerness. neither took the
precaution Of buying something to eat.
They overlook the wagon before It
passed the market. The driver was
ready to earn q few francs, or marks
he did not care which-by conveying q
couple Of passengers to the placid little
town OF whose mere existence the wide
1914.
And SO II came to pass that Dalroy
and his protege passed out of Aix-la.
cause the driver. spurred to an effort
of the imagination by promise Of
largesse, described Irene to the Gus.
toms men as Henri Joos' niece, and
Dalroy as one deputed by the railway
to see that a belated consignment Of
oats was duly delivered to the miller.
Neither rural Germany nor rural
Belgium was yet really at war. The
monstrous shadow had darkened the
chancelleries. but it was hardly per.
ceptfble to the common people. More.
over. how could red-fanged war affect
a remote place like Wise? The notion
was nonsensicaL Even Dalroy allowed
himself to assure his companion that
there was now a reasonable prospect
OF reaching Belgian soil without incur
ring real danger. Yet. in truth. he
was taking her to an inferno of which
the like 10 scarce known to history.
The gate which opened at the customs
barrier gave access apparently to Q
good road leading through an undulat-
ing country. In sober truth. 1t led to
an earthly hell.