The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-12-22
explain everything carefully

her" Larry cautioned him.
Everything, m'sieuv' the little man
promised. "Shall you return here
iater?" he asked, as Larry started to
leave him.
II do not know IL my regiment will
stop here, or if 1t will go on: so ]
must rely on you and the woman
Captain Redmond warned him. s'2e.
member--it is imperative your general
know If the attack be direct or by &
fanking movement"
Eyes, yes! Now / shall gel
the telephone" the Gallo gentleman
announced. And then he exclaimed
q'lickly, in French, "Vous avez raj
sonv'
His change to his own language, nc
less than the infection Of warning in
his voice. brought Captain Redmond
around sharply; and he saw that they
were no longer alone. 1t was the inn.
keeper. Henri Christophe. who had
come back to serve his leisurely pat.
ron.
"Ah, gentlemen! Something ia
drink?" Christophe asked them, rub
bling his hands in anticipation of the
feel of good coin in them.
"No, thank you! My friend is leay.
ing now" the Frenchman said.
But I will be back soon," Larry
promised. And with that Henri Chris.
+0Dha had tn no oOptpuf Fan
Again the indefat. gable r0-vspaper
reader returned to his fa pas
time, while Henri Christophe .cgarded
him with a mild pensiveness. The fel.
low had loafed much in his inn during
the past two days; but he had been al
together too abstemious to suit the pro
prietors notions of what was due him
from a guest And then all at once old
Henri's face turned happy once more,
at the sight of a quaint little creature
who tripped into the room and called
to him:
"Ah, father! You are home again!
What news Of the WARP"
Nothing, ma petiter' he said.
Nothing! Do not be alarmed"
"But all say the Germans are com
ing through Belgium" she told him
plaintively.
Her remark seemed to exasperate
him. What with poor business. and
the worry Of the last few daysfbr
Henri Christophe did not entirely share
the complacency of his more ~"
patrons regarding rumors tha4vsEy M
the air-what with those things wv
trouble him his patience had becoN
finespun. The good God knew that he
did not desire war to sweep over bis
fatherland. He hoped passionately that
it might escape that calamity. And
dreading it as he did, he took occasion,
whenever the possibility was men
toned, to denounce the contingency
rs being beyond reason. Somehow, be
derived comfort simply from asserting
his disbelief In such thing.
"All say IT." he repeated after her
with IN irritation which was strange
in him. $50 always it is with you
women--you exaggerate every rumor,
he cried. II tell you--your father-we
are neutral country. All the big ma
lions they have promised us that our
land is safe from invasion. 1t is near
ly hundred years since they gave us
their word and always they have kept
it."
"But still am frightened" his
daughter reafflrmed. She was, in truth,
a timid little thing-just the sort to
be thrown into twitter of excitement
over a mOuse-or war. 1t mattered
not what one might tell her to calm
her She would still be alarmed. And
now Jeanne looked UP at her father
with such fear In her great dark eyes
that he forgot his anger in his attempt
to soothe her.
"But why" he asked her more
gently. 'They did not come through
our country in 1870 in the Franco
, Prussian war. Why should they now
The Germans make much money from
US and we from them. They are our
friends. No, ma petite, thanks
to God we need fear nothing"
81 hope, father, you may be right
she said, albeit somewhat doubtful
still.
You shall see! You shall see" he
treasured her. He made his way to the
cigar counter and busted himself set.
ting things to rights there. what
worries me far more than the Ger
mans, my little one" he went on
what worries me is that we have Sc
| few Americans automobiling this sum.
i mer. Always In August there are
many; and they pay WELL"
perhaps 1t is the Germans who
keep them away" she ventured unhap.
PLY.
"Will you ceaseT' he cried angrily
always you talk of the Germans
Soon you will have me nervous like
you" he complained, as II he were rot
already that.
IL am sorry, mon PEREZ" she said in
filial repentance.
'eThere. thcrew he exclaimed, as II
ashamed that he had chided her. 81
did not mean to be cross Come! For.
get your fears and pray to your saints
I that business will be better. To think
that in August we have only that one
lady lodger"
At his remark the French SPY