The Children of France

rl," said Captain Favor. "She was a stout-hearted little woman,

y as much so, and all are filled with the same wonderful spirit of patriotism and

he lived of the wicked deeds of a company of German lancers. These lancers were roving from village to village, stealing whatever they could lay their hands on, and mistreating the wome

placed watchers on the outskirts of the village that the people mig

s were filled with fear. They closed and locked their doors, pulled down the shades and took refug

at had sent the inhabitants flying to the cellars, af

hey had confidently expected to see French soldiers ere this. Not a French soldier was in sight, so th

th her parents, where they remained for a long time, tremblingly awaiting the arrival of their enemies. Not a sound th

nd out,' volunteer

here and should discover you, all would not be well with

y sound in the street and will go no further th

upstairs, stepped quietly to the door and unbolted it,

outside. A German officer and several men pushed their w

out so close to the little girl that it seemed as if

r,' she answer

Wh

had gone so I might once

ficer l

tell us the truth. We would have c

, mon

swer all my questions, you an

you, sir. I will

e, are there any Fr

re none h

nor elsewhere i

there are any in the village or not, for I have not seen

is the

th an expression of amazement

I will prove to you that

on. It is good that you have not lied to us, child,' he said. 'It were be

there are no French soldiers here,' she chuckled. 'Perhaps there m

trees and shade, so the place looking very attractive to the tired Prussians. Their commander ordered a halt and, opening the gate that led

e little Jeanne herself. She had followed the Prussians at a distance, hoping to be able to give a signal to her friends if they might still be in the farmhouse, but, findi

beat on the door with the hilt of his saber. To his amazement the door was suddenly jerk

had been deceived, little Jeanne had not told him an untruth. She knew the French soldiers had been at the farmhouse three days before, for she had taken food to them, but she did not know of her own knowledge th

ly he had been tricked. He groaned when a volley ran

vered that the gate was locked and that they were caught, they threw

lancers a prisoner. Several had

nch soldiers, for had she not done this the French would have attacked the Prussia

d a letter from the President of the French Republic, thanking h