Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-26
THE DAY OF WRATH
be identified.
A STORY OF 1914
BY Louis Tracy

describes as the false dawn but, false or
true, the new day was at hand He was
on the verge Of advising Irene TO seek
shelter In some remote hovel which their
guide could surely recommend when fate
took control of affairs.
Maertz had now pulled up IN obedience to
an unusually threatening order from
Uhlan officer whose horse had been in
commoded in passing. Above the clatter of
hoofs and accouterments Dalroy's trained
ear had detected the sounds of a heavy
and continuous cannonade toward the
southwest
How far are we from vise?" he asked
the driver.
The man pointed with his whip you see
that black knob over there?" he said.
Yes"
That's clump of trees Just above the
Meuse. Wise lies below It,"
But how far?"
mot more than two kllometers"
Two kilometers About a mile and a
half Dalroy was tortured by indecision.
shall we be there by daybreak?"
with luck. I don't know what's been
happening here. These damned Germans
are swarming all over the place. They must
be making for the bridge"
What bridge?"
The bridge across the Meuse Of course.
Don't you know these parts?'
Not very we'll"
L
doors and stop there" growled the driver,
chirping his team into motion again.
Dalroy's doubts were stilled. Better leave
this rustic philosopher TO work out their
common salvation
a few hundred yards ahead the road
hifurcated. One branch led TO Wise, the
other to Argentoau Here was stationed a
picket, evidently intended as a guide for
the cavalry.
Most fortunately Dalroy read Alright the
Intention Of an officer who came for,ya I'd
with an electric torch. Lie as fiat as YOU
can ne whispered to Irene. IT they find
us, pretend TO be asleep"
Hi, you" cried the officer to Maertz.
where the devil do you think you're go-
ing?"
ITO Joos's mill at Wise" said the grun
Walloon.
What's in the cart7"
"Amachtg Where from9"
"Aachen"
You Just pull ahead into that road
there. I'll attend 10 you and your oats in a
minute or two"
But can't push on?"
The officer called to a soldier "See that
this fellow halts twenty yards up the road
he said. IF he stirs then, put your bay-
onet through him. These Belgian swine
doht seem TO understand that they are
Germans now and must obey orders
HS olilSSl' OI course, spoke in German.
the Walloon In the mixture of Flemish and
Low Dutch which forms the patois of the
district. But each could follow the others
meaning and the quaking listeners in the
middle OF the wagon had no difficulty at All
peril. N0"
Maertz was swearing softly to hlmseIf
they heard him address a question TO the
sentry when the wagon stopped again
Why won't your officer let us 90 to Wise ?"
he growled
Sleeps head do as you're told or a
will be bad, for you" was the reply.
The words were hardly out of the sol.
dier's mouth before a string Of motor
lorTies, heavy vehicles with very powerful
engines, thundered up from the rear The
leaders passed without difficulty, as there
was plenty OF room. But their broad fla;
tires sucked up clouds of dust and the
moon had sunk behind a wooded height
one of the hindermost transports, taking
too wide bend crashed into the wagon
The startled horses plunged, pulled Maertz
off his perch, and dragged the wagon into
a deep ditch II fell on it's side and Dali
roy and his companion were thrown into a
field amid a swirl of laden sacks, some of
which burst.
Dalroy was unhurt, and he could only
hope that the girl also had escaped injury.
Ere he rose he clasped her around the
neck and clspped a hand over her mouth
lest she should scream. Not a word :" he
breathed into her ear. "Can you mana sc
to crawl on all-fours straight on by the side
Of the hedge? Never mind thorns or net
ties It's our only chance"
Remain here" he murmured TN 60