Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1917-09-28
CHAPTER xlli.-continued.
A peasant, half-mad, has stopped at
the inn to warn It's people that the
enemy is approaching.

the inn to warn it's people that the
enemy lie approaching.
"Hurt?" he cried. Hurt? You
don't know 'em. They came
into my house and, nasty as you
please, wanted food, My old woman
scared then, and one of 'em took hold
of her by the arm. Maybe he didn't
mean anything; but she didn't under
stand, and she threw a dpper of cold
water in his face like any decent wom-
an woodland they shot her. They
shot her for that! Civilian assaulting
an officer, they called it. l was
ont in the fields. The neighbors came
and told me. And / hurried home to
find her dead-hcr that hadn't done
nothing-dead! And / leaned
out of the window-and l shot two of
'em-and then l ran. How / ran!
And they didn't get me-and they
won't get mev The half-crazed peas
ant rushed of then, shouting to right
and left, wherever he saw head stuck
out of window, or a figure In door
way, "The Germans are comingl The
Germans are coming.' And after
him poured the scurrying mob, all cry
ing the same dread warning.
Charlie Brown was getting all the
color the most ambitious reporter
could have coveted. He turned a So
Der face to old Christophe.
This is going to be bad, old manp'
he said.
Its like some hideous nightmare"
Ethel exclaimed.
Eyes, madame-and this Is but the
beginning" Christophe informed her
gravely.
Charlie Brown remembered then
that Madame de Lorde, as she wished
to be known, still fingered there. And
he did not like the thought of her fac
ing that oncoming German horde.
'If you'll go to your room, I'll come
to you IL you want me-if there's any
need" he said.
"Yes-yes! And oh! these poor, poor
peoplev she cried.
Hadn't you better close the doors?"
Charlie asked the innkeeper.
why, m'sieu. I shall only have to
open them" Christophe replied. II am
not afraid, msieu."
II wish / had your nerve" Charlie
told him. "All this has certainly got
my goat. It's the limit"
Christophe, by a quick. sibilant
sound, enjoined caution.
"Msieu, they are here!' he warned
him.
He had scarcely spoken when the
hrst Of the gray-clad invaders was mo-
mentarily framed in the open window.
He rode bicycle-that forerunner of
destruction. And fine, clean-looking
youngster he was, one of the pick of
the kaiser's first-line troops. Cool,
alert, businesslike, he pedaled deliber-
ately on as if unconscious of the black
looks that met his coming. And as he
passed the inn he turned his sunburned
face SO that be might seize a quick
but comprehensive glance at its inte-
rior Cumbered with full fighting kit,
as he was, he showed none Of the ia
tigue that had all but overcome Charlie
Brown before he arrived at the Lion
dor. On the contrary, he looked at
MS a prizefighter. trained to the min
ute. And behind him rode another as
like him as. second pea out of the
same pod.
Charlie Brown gazed at them breath
iessly. He was conscious of mighty
admiration for those two infinitesimal
cogs in the great erman military ma
chine. And he said to Christophe in
an awed whisper:
Gosh! They're not afraid, are they?
Anyone might pot them from a win
dow" The thing might happen any
moment.
Perhaps they are not afraid because
they know If they are killed they will
be well avenged" Christophe an
swered. And then he said, Really.
m'sieu, do not speak English. l ask
you to go. 1t may be easier for me.
Please, m'sieu, quicklyr'
The American reluctantly left the
window. lie did not want to miss q