Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-27


strength. TO guide her into Holland unless ;
that is. these German beasts are attacking
the Dutch too"
For a brief space there was silence. Dal-
rop looked hxedly at Jocs. trying to read !
Irene Beresfords fate in those black glow
ing eyes. The womenfolk we're won al
ready but well he knew that In this Bel
gian nook the patriarchal principle that
man Is lord and master in his own house
would find unquestioned acceptance He
was aware that lrenes gaze was riveted on
him In a strangely magnetic way II was
one thing that he should say calmly, so /
picked up a milking stool and killed both Of
them but quite another that Irene should
visualize in the light Of her rare intell-
Eence the epic force OF the tragedy enacted
while she lay unconscious in the depths Of a
hedgerow. Dalroy could tell. Heaven knowa
how. that her very soul was peering Al him.
In that tense moment ne knew that he was
her man forever. But-surgit anlarl
aliqud wave Of bitterness wclled up
from heart TO brain because Of the convic-
tion that II he would indeed be her true
| knight he must leave her within tho next
few seconds Yet his resolution did not
waver Not once did his glance swerye
from Joos's wizened face
1t was the miller himself who first broke
the spell cast on the curiously assorted
group by Daroy's story, He stretched out
hand and took the pail This is fresh
milk" he said. examining the drcEs.
Yes MIXED the COW The POOR animal
was in pain, and my friend and J wanted
! the milk"
You MIXED the cow-before?"
NO. After"
Grand Dieu; you're English. without
doubt"
| Joos turned the pail upside down, aprrais-
| Ing It critically YES" he said. ITS one
| ~ Dupont's remember her buying II.
/ She gave him fifty Nios Of potatoes for H.
! She stuck him, he said Half tho potatoes
/ were black rare hand at bargain, the
| Ncuve Jaquinot. And she's dead you tell
me-. \ hayonet thrust
Madame Joos burst into hystorical sob
| hinE. Her husband whi~-,ed round on her
! with that singular alertncss Of movement
| which was one Of his most marked char
acteristics
Peace wife :" he snapped Isn't that
what we're all coming to? what matter to
| Dupont now whether the potatoes were
| black or sound?"
palroy guessed that Dupont was the
! ironmonEer of Wise He was gaining a
glimpse too. Of the lndomitahle soul Of
| Belgium Though i'chnE for information.
he checked the impulse, because time
| pressed horribly
Well" he said will you do what you
| car for the lady? The Germans have
spared you. You have fed them. They may
| treat YOU deCentv. I'll make IT worth
while. have plenty Of money"
Irene stood up Monsieur" she said,
and her voice was sweet as the song Of a
robin, it is idle TO speak Of saving one
! without the other. Where Monsieur Dalroy
goes I 60. II he dies. I die"
For the first time since entering the mill
Daroy dared to look al her. In the sharp,
, crisp light Of advancing day her blue eyes
held a tint Of violet Tear-drors glistened
! in the long ashes hut she smiled wistfully,
as though pleading for forgiveness
THAT is sheer nonsense" he cried In
| English. making miserable failure Of the
anger he tried to assume. You ought 10 he
reasonably safe here. BY insisting on re-
| naming with me you deliberately sacrifice
both our lives That is ! mean" he added
hastily. aware Of slip you prevent me,
too from taking the chance Of escape that
offers"
II that we're 50 would not thrust my
self on YOU" she answered. But I know
the Germans. I know how they mean To
wage war. They make no secret of il.
They intend to strike terror into every
heart at the outset. They are not men,
but super-brutes. You saw Won Halwig at
Berlin, and again at AiX-la Chapelle. II
titled Prussian can change his superficial
manners--not his nature, which remains
invariably hestial--to that extent in a day,
before he has even the excuse Of actual
war. what will the same man become when
reused TO fury by resistance? But we must
not talk English. She turned TO Toos,
Tell us. then. monsieur" she said grave
! ana serious as fallaS Athena questioning
| Perseus, have not the PrusSians already
ravaged and destroyed Nise?"
The old mans face suddenly lost its
bronze, and became nary white. His
features grew convused. He resembled one
of those grotesque masks carved by
Japanese artists to simulate a demon.
Curse them go he shrilled Curse them in
life and In death--man woman and child
What has Belgium done that she should be
harred by pack Of wolves? Who can
hat E1u rVsf11 g1FAn
Joos was aboil with vitriolic passion,
There was no knowing how long this TRADE
might have gone on had not a speCkled
hen stalked firmly in through the open door
| with obvious and settled intent 70 break
fast on crumbs
"Ciel'" cackled the orator. not fowl
was fed overnight 80
In real life as on the stage, comedy and
tragedy oft go hand in hand. But the
speckled hen deserved a good meal Her
entrance undoubtedly stemmed the food
tide Of her owners patriotic wrath, and
thus enabled the five people in the kitchen
to overhear hoarse cry from the roadway;
Hi, there. drummer Esel whittier Goest
| thou? This is .TOos's mill"
Quick, Leontine!' cried Joos, "To the
second loft with them! Sharp. now''
In this unexpected crisis Dalroy could
neither protest nor refuse 10 accompany the
girl who led him and Irene up a back
stair and through a well-stored granary 10 a
ladder which communicated with a strap
door
"I1l bring you some rofee aud eggs as
soon as | can" she whispered. Draw up
the ladder, and close the door It's not
bad up there. There's a window but take
care you aren't seen. Maybe she added
TREMENDOUSLY you are safer than We now"
Courage, madenoiselle ." he said. God
is still in heaven, and all will be well with
the world"
please. monsieur. what became Of Jan
| Maert2?" she inquired tmidly.
I'm not quite certain, but | think he fell
clear Of the wagon The Germans should
not have ill-treated him. The collision was
not his fault
The girl sobbed, and left them, Probably
the gruh Walloon was her lover.
Irene climbed first Dalroy followed,
raised the ladder nHselessy and lowered
the trap, His brow was scanned with fore
boding, as despite his desire 10 leave
his companion in the care Of the
milIer's household, he had an in
stinctive feeling that he was acting unwise-
ly. Moreover, like every free man, he pre-
ferred 10 seek the open when in peril. Now
he felt himself Gagged.
Therefore he was amazed when Irene
laughed softly. How readily you trans