Evening star., 1917-12-09


caught Dalroy a glancing blow IN Inc
back and sent him sprawling.
Some of the troopers, seeing two OF
their men prone, were pulling up when
a gruh voice cried, "Achtung. Wen
clear out these swine later"
Irene. who saw all that had passed
with an extraordinary vividness, was
the only one who understood why the
order which undoubtedly saved nve
lives was given. A stout stan officer.
wearing blue uniform with red fac
ings. rode with the uhlans. and she
was certain that he was in state or
abject terror. His funk was probably
explained by an irregular volley lower
down the street. though. in the event.
the shooting proved to be that of his
own men. Two miles away, at Solayn,
these same uhlans had been badly bit
ten by Belgian patrol. and the rat
man, prospecting the Namur road with
n cavalry escort, wanted no more un-
pleasant surprises that evening. Os-
tensihly. OF course, he was anxious to
report to a brigade headquarters at
Huv. AT any rate. the phlans swept on.
They were gone when Dalroy re-
gained his feet. riderless horse was
clattering after them: another with a
broken leg was vainly trying to rise.
Close at hand lay two uhlans. one dead
and one insensible. Joos and Leontine
were bending over the dying woman in
the cart. making frantic efforts to
stanch the blood yelling forth from
mouth and breast. The lance had
pierced her lungs. but she was con-
scious for a minute or so. and actually
smiled the farewell she could not ut
ter.
Maertz was swearing horribly, with
the incoherence of man just aroused
from drunken sleep. Irene moved a
few steps to meet Dalroy. Her face
was marble white. her eyes strangely
dilated.
Are you hurt" she asked.
No, And you?"
untouched. thanks to you. But those
brutes have killed poor Nine Joos"
The wounded uhlar was stretched
between them. He stirred convulsively.
and groaned. Dalroy looked at the
sword which he still held. He resist ed
great temptation, and sprang over
say something when a ghastly object
staggered past 1t was the man who
received the saber cut, which had
gashed his shoulder deeply.
''Oh. mon Dieu.' he screamed. "Oh,
mon Dieu"
He may have been making for some
hurrow. They never knew. He walled
that frenzied appeal as he shambled on
think OF nothing else but the last cry
Of despairing humanity to the All
Powerful.
Owing to the flight of the cavalry,
Dalroy imagined that some body of
allied troops. Belgian or French. was
advancing from Namur, so he did not
obey his first impulse. which was to
enter the nearest house and endeavor
TO get away through the gardens or
other Enclosures In rear.
He glanced at the hapless body on
the cart. and saw by the eyes that life
had departed. Leontine was sobbing
his senses. was striving to calm her.
But zoos remained silent: he held his
wife's limp hand. and it was as though
he awaited some reassuring clasp
which should tell him that she still
lived
Dalroy had no words to console the
bereaved old man. He turned aside.
and mist obscured his vision for a
little while. Then he heard the wound
ed German hiccoughing, and he looked
again at the sword. because this was
the assa ssin who had foully murdered
a gentle, kind-hearted and inoffensive
woman. But he could not demean him
self by becoming an executioner
sent with his victim to the bar of
Eternal Justice. the Englishman de-
cided to leave him to the avengers
coming through the town.
The shooting drew nearer number
of women and children. with a few
men. appeared. They were running
and screaming. The first batch fed
past: but an elderly dame. spent with
seconds when she saw the group near the
dog team.
Henri Joos!" she gasped And
Leontine! What. in heavens name.
are you doing here"
1t was Nine. Stauwaert, the Andenne
cousin with whom they hoped to find
sanctuary.
The miller gazed at her in a curious
got?" he said. I'VE were coming to
YOU. But they have wounded Lfse.
See. Here she is"
Nine. Stauwaert looked at the corpse
.l,2 \
first. Then she burst out Historically,
shes dead. Henri. They've killed her,
They're killing all of US. They pulled
Aiphonse out OF the house and sta bbed
him with bayonet. Thev're firing
through the openings into the cellars
and into tie ground-foor rooms of
every house. If they see a face at a
bedroom window they shoot. Two
Germans. so drunk that they could
hardly stand. shot at me as ran All,
dear Cod"
She swayed and sank in a faint. The
mying crowd Increased in numbers.
Some one shouted, Fools, Be off, for
your lives! Make for the ouarries"
Dalroy decided to take this unknown
friends advice. The terrified people of
Andenne had. at least, some definite
goal In view. whereas he had none. He
lifted Nine. Stauwaert and placed her
beside the dead body on the cart.
Come" he said to Maertx, get the
dogs into trot. Leontine, look after
YOUR rather, and don't lose sight of
u.s."
He grasped Irene by the arm. The
tiny vehicle was fiat and narrow. and
ne was 80 intent on preventing the un-
conscious woman from falling on into
the road that he did not miss Joos and
his daughter until Irene called on
Maertz to stop. Where are the 9th
ers?" she cried. I'VE must not desert
Them
In the midst of scattered mob ca me
rd
at all. He was smiling horribly. In
his hand he held a large pocket knife
open 1T was ell 1 had" he explained
calmly But Margot said Lise was
dead. SO it did his business"
I'm glad SAID Dalroy 1T was
your privilege. But you must run
now. for Leontine's sake, as she will
not leave You. and the Germans NAV be
on us at any moment"
Luckily. the stream of people sweryed
INTO byroad: the "Quarries" of which
some man had spoken opened up in the
hillside close at hand. On top were
woods. and cart-track led that way at
sharp gradient. Dalroy assisted the
dogs by pushing the cart. and they
reached the summit. Pausing there
while Irene and the weeping Ieontine
endeayored to revive Nine Stauwaert
TO whom they must look for some sort
or guidance as to their next move. he
went to the lip of the excavation. and
surveyed the scene
Dusk was creeping over the pictur-
esaue valley. but the light still sur
need to reveal distances. The railway
station. with all the houses in the vi
E.H