The Belgian Twins

Van Hove's old rooster caught a glimpse of the waning moon through the window of the chicken-house, and crowed lustily, thinking it was the sun

d from Malines toward the little village. Soon the sound of the horses' hoofs beating upon the hardened earth throbbed through the village itsel

f-beats. Nearer they came, and nearer, and now she could hear a voice shouting. She shook her husband. "Wake

"He thinks some weasel is after the chickens ve

pillows, but his wife seiz

Weasels do not ride on horseback!

m Malines," said Father Van Hove,

nly visible, riding like the wind, and as they whirled by the houses their shout t

y dressed, and had lighted a candle. Other lights sparkled from the windows of other houses. Suddenly the bell in the church

tion. "I see no fire," she said, "but the village street is full of people running to the

gether up the road toward the village church. The bell still clanged madly from the steeple, and the vibrations seemed to shake the

d, was one of the soldiers who had brought the alarm. His two companions were already far beyond Meer, flying over the road to arouse the villages which lay farther to the east. The church

s bad news! the German army is on our borders! It is necessary for every man of military age and training to join the colors at once in cas

clothing! We are not yet at war, and our good King Albert still hopes to avert it by an armed peace, but the neutrality of Belgium is at stake, and we must be ready to protect it at any cost, and at an instant's notice. Go at once to

came in an answering shout from t

he steps of the town-hall, said farewell to his wife and children, and took his place at the head of the little group o

r heads tenderly; "we shall wake up some day. And you, my wife, do not despair! I shall soon return, no doubt! Our good King will yet save us from war. Yo

f men started forward along the yellow road, she and many more women and children of the village marched, away with them in the gray twilig

r the quiet fields when the men of Meer, followed by their wives a