Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-29


hog into the Meuse. He annoys me-"
Meanwhile. ono Of the younger officers.
strapping Westphalian, lurched toward
Irene. She did not try to avoid him. think
ing perhaps, that a passive attitude was
advisable. lie caught her by tho wrist and
guffawed to his companions, Didn't
offer 10 bet you fellows that Busch never
made n mistake about n woman Who'd
have dreamed OF finding beauty like this
one in rotten old mil?'
Tho Bavarians had collected their rifles
and sidearms and were going out Bullenly.
Each Of tho officers carried a sword and
revolver.
Irene saw that Dalroy had risen in his
corner. She wrenched herself free How
am | to prepare supper for you gentlemen
II you bother me in this way?" she de-
manded tartly
Behave yourself, Fritz" pufred the major.
rs that your idea Of keeping your word3
Mama. IL she is discreet. will go TO bed,
and tho young ones will eat with us.--open
that case Of wine, orderly. I'm thirsty
The girls will have a drink, too Cooking
IS warm worlt--lIalo! What the devil
Kaporal, didn't you hear my order?'
Dalroy grabbed Joos who was lvid with
rage. Tho two girls were safe for the
hour and must endure the leering or -FOUR
tipsy scoundrels A row at the moment
would be the widest folly
March !" be said grufTly "The oberleut-
nant doesn't want US hero"
"Le brave Beige knows when 20 clear
out" grinned one OF tho younger men,
giving Dalroy an odiously suggestive wink
Somehow the fact that Dalroy took COM
mand abated the women's terror; even the
intractable Joos yielded. Soon the two
were in the yard with tho dispossessed Ba-
varians, these latter being in tho worst
Of temper, as they had now 70 search for
both bed and supper They strode away
] wifi nNf1f o. hA 10 a. N a.
sumed prisoners.
Joos, like most men Of choleric disposi-
tion, was useless in n crisis OF this sort.
| lie glbbered with rage. He wanted TO at
tack the intruders at once with a ptchfork.
Dalroy shook him to quiet his tongue,
You must listen to me-" he said sternly.
The old mans eyes cleaned up into his,
| In tho half-llght of the cleaning they had
the sheen OF polished gold. Monsieur"
| he whimpered, save my little girl! Save
| her, 1 imDlore you. You English are lions
| in battle You are big and strong. TIL
| help Between us we can stick the four or
| them"
Dalroy shook him again stop talking,
| and listen," he growled wrathfuly. mot
| another word here Come this way!' lie
| drew tho miller into empty stable,
whence tho kitchen door and the window
were in view. Now" he muttered, gather
your wits. and answer my questions Have
| too awkward for fight in a room
"I had nothing but muzzle-loadlng gun.
| monsieur. / gave It up on the advice OF
the burgomaster. They've killed him."
VERY we'll. Remain here on guard. TIL
| go and fetch rife and bayonet. Nothing
| will happen to the women till these brutes
have eaten. and have more wine in them.
Don't you understand? The younger men
| have made a hellish compact with their
senior. You heard that. didn't your"
Yes yes, monsieur. who could fail to
| know what they meant? Surely the good
| God sent you to Wise today!
promise, now No interference till
return, even though the women are fright
| ened You'll only lose your life TO no pur-
| pose. I'll not be long away"
| "I promise. But, monsieur, pour Iamour
de Deu, let me stick that fat Busch !"
Daroy was in such fume to secure a
| reliable arm that he rather neglected the
| precautions OF soldier moving through
| tho enemy's country. 1t was still possible
| to see clearly for some distance ahead. AL
| though the right bank OF the Meuse that
| night was overrun with the Kaisers troops
| along a front of nearly twenty miles, the
ravine with its gurglng rivulet, was one
| of those peaceful oases which will occur
| in the center of the most congested battle
| field. Now that the crash of the guns had
| passed sullenly to a distance, white-taied
| rabbits scurried across the path some stray
| SNeeD, uGlNen from lIe uplduuS ny lllS udy y
! tumut, gathered in group and looked in
| quiringly at the intruder; a weasel, stalk.
! ing a selected rabbit as is his pratical way,
! elected to abandon the chase and leap for
| tree.
These very signs showed that none other
! had breasted the slope recently, so Dalroy
! strobe out somewhat carelessly. Neverthe-
| less, he was endowed with no small meas
| ure of that sixth sense which every shitarl
| must possess who would hunt either his fell
| low men or the beast Of the jungle. He was
| passing a dense clump Of brambleS and
| briars when man sprang at him. lie had
trained himself to act promptly In such
| circumstances, and had decided long ago
| that TO remain on the same ground or even
! try to retreat, was courting disaster. His
| plan was to jump sideways, and, II practic-
! able. little nearer assailant. The
! Sabots rendered him less nlmble than usual.
but the dodge quite disconnected an awk-
ward opponent. The vicious downward
| sweep of O heavy cudgel just missed his
eft shoulder, and he got homo with the
right in a half-arm jab which sent tho re-
cipient sprawling and nearly into the
stream.
Dalroy made after him. seized the fallen
stick and recognized-Jan Maertz! How
| now" he said wrathfully, "are you, too a
PrusJlan?"
Jan raised hand to ward off the ex-
pected blow, "Caputg he cried. I'm done
You must be the devil! But may the Lord
help my poor master and mistress, and the
little Leontine :"
"That is my wish also. sleeps head!
What evil have done, then, that you should
want to brain me at sight?"
They're after you--the Germans. They
mean TO catch you, dead or alive. A lieu
tenant of the Guard pulled me away from
in front Of a flring-party, and gave me my
life on condition that ran you down"
Here was an extraordinary development.
1t was vitality important that Dalroy should
get to know the exact meaning Of the Wal
looms disiointed utterances, yet how could
he wait and question the man while the
Prussian sutans were feasting In the mill?
Dalroy stopped over Maertz who had
risen to his knees, and caught him by the
shoulder Jan Maertz" he said, do you
hope to marry Leontine Joos? If so, Heaven
has just prevented you from committing
n great crime, She, and her mother, and
the iady who came with me from AK, are
in the mill with four German officers a set
of foul drunken brutes who will stop at no
excess I'm going now to get a rife. You
make quietly for the stable opposite the
kitchen door, You will find Joos there He
will explain. Tell me, are you for Belgium
or Germany in this war?"
The Walloon might be siow-witted but