Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-02

the impenetrable gloom. had converted
the hut into a beacon.
'Misericorde." he muttered. They
are burning our provisions, and may
set the forest ablaZe!"
And that is what actually happened.
The vegetation was dry, as no rain
had fallen for many day. The shaw.
ings and store of logs in the hut
burned like finder, promptly creating
a raging furnace wholly beyond the
control of the unthinking dolts who
started it. The breeze which had
sprung up earlier became roaring
tornado among the trees. and some
acres of woodland were soon in flames.
The light of that fire was seen over an
area of hundreds of miles. Spectators
in Holland wrongly attributed 1t to
the burning of Wise, which was. how
ever. only an Intelligent anticipation
of events. because the delightful old
town was completely destroyed week
later in revenge for the defeats in
and ST. Trond during the first ADVANCE
on Antwerp.
Once embarked on a somewhat peril
Gus descent. the fugitives gave eyes or
thought to naught else. Jules, the
pioneer quoted by Leontine, who was
the owner of the hut and maker of
sabots. had rough-hewed a sort of
stairway out of a narrow cleft in the
nerve and sure of foot, the passa ge
was dangerous enough, but to zoos and
his wife 1t offered real hazard. How
ever they were allowed no time for
guiding her father, and Maertz next.
telling Nine. zoos where to put her
feet. while Dalroy grasped her broad
shoulders and gave an occasional eye
to Irene. they all reached the level
towpath without the least accident.
Irene. by the way, carried the rifle, SO
that Dalroy should have both hands at
liberty.
Without moments delay he took
the weapon and readjusted the maya
zine. which he had removed for the
climb. Bidding the others follow at
such a distance that they would not
lose sight of him. yet be able to retire
If he found the way disputed by SOL
diers. he set off in the direction of Ar
genteau.
In his opinion the next ten minutes
would decide whether or not they had
even remote chance of winning
through to a place Of comparative
safety. He had made up his own mind
what to do if he met any Germans. He
would advise the Joos family and
Maertz to hide in the cleft they had
lust descended. while he would take to
the Mouse with 1rene-provided, that
is. she agreed to dare the long swim
by night Happily there was no need
to adopt this counsel of despair. The
fire. instead of assisting the banking
party the western side, only de-
layed them. Sheer curiosity as to what
was happening in the wood drew all
eyes there rather than to the river
bank. so the three men and three
women passed along the towpath I'M
seen and unchallenged.
After half-mile of rapid progress
Dairoy judged that they We're safe for
the time. and allowed Nine. ZOOS to
take much-needed rest. Though
breathless and nearly spent. she, like
the others. found an irresistible fas-
cination in the scene lighted by the
burning trees. The whole countryside
was resplendent in crimson and silver
because tbe Landscape was now stepped
in moonshine, and the deep glow of
the fire was most perceptible in the
patches where ordinarily there would
he black shadows. The Mouse resem-
bled a river OF blood. the movement of
its sluggish current suggesting the
onward roll of some fluid denser than
water Old Joos. whose tongue was
seldom at rest, used that very smile
Those cursed Prussians have made
Belgium a SHAMELESS he added bitter
~ Look at our river. 1t isn't our
dear. muddy Meuse. It's a stream in
the Internal regions"
Yes. gasped his wife. And lister
10 those guns. Henri, They beat a
so-t Of roulade. like drums N hell"
This stout Walloon matron had never
heard of Milton. Her ears were not
tuned to the music of ParuasSus. She
would have gazed in mild wonder at
one who told of noises loud and ruin
Gus.
When Hrllona storms
with all her battering engines, bent 10 raze
some capital city.
But in her distress of body and soul
she had coined a phrase which two, at
least. of her hearers would never for
get The siege of Liege did, indeed,
roar and rumble with the din of a de-
mon .ac orchestra. Its c'amor mounted
10 the armament. 1t was as though
the neither fiends. following Moloch' s
advice. were striving.
Arm with hell flames and fury. all AT once.
Ger heavens high towers TO force resistless way.
Dalroy himself yielded to the spell
OF the moment. Here was red war such
as the soldier dreams of. His warrior
spirit did not quail. He longed only
for the hour. II ever the privilege was
vouchsafed. when he would stand
shoulder to shoulder with the men of
his own race, and watch with unfiinch-