The Golden Bough

ttled on tree and hedgerow; from a distance, faintly diminishing, the tinkle

a quick, sharp staccato note near at hand, a crackle as of brittle things breaking and a large tho

e road where the man paused a moment looking at the afterglow in the west and then set off with long steps to the south. He wore what had once been a uniform of the Légionnaire, but rough contacts and hard usage had eliminated all distinguishing marks, and a coating of dust and stain had further disguised him. It

crouched listening. Fear had made him cautious, but his necessity knew no law, so he rose at last, went onward more rapidly into the gath

when he reached the shadows of the trees, he found his way impeded by a high stone wall, which thrust suddenly upon him out of the darkness. A wall! A monastery? Or a barracks perhaps, full of the hated gray uniforms guarding the frontier! He paused a moment, deliberating, but conscious of mor

r branches of which extended over the coping of the wall. At the foot of the tree he paused again, looking upward curiously, for upon the leaves of the tree he saw the reflection of yellow lights which seemed to be moving within the enclosure. Climbing noiselessly he drew himself to the level of the coping of the wall, and peered over. Through t

ers, so he crawled out along a heavy branch of the tree which extended

to the ground. Danger had made him skillful, but he was aware of the thud of his heavy boots in the soft loam and crouched cautiously behind the thicket, ready for the slightest movement of alarm in the figure by the lantern. After a moment in which

k figure which had carried the lantern. The eyes of the Légionnaire, now grown accustomed to the glow of the light, made sure that the figure had not moved, nor was aware of his silent and furtive approach. Two plans of action suggested

stone steps where the crackle of a twig beneath his foot with a sudden and startling clearness revealed his presence. He was aware of the dark figure above him springing to its feet and turning with a

in a language he did not understand and

ulein," he

and seemed to search his figure more intently. And then in F

trace of accent, the brown ghost smiled eagerly. "Ah, Mademoi

she took a pace toward him and extended her cloaked arms

you want?" "I am hungry, Mademoisell

n, as though identifying him, retur

soldier, a

ve. And then more deliberately as his gaze sought her face, "Ma

d w

y way to Switzerland," he smiled. "You see, I am fran

t know that you were already fifteen

pression of bewilderment and surpri

nd!" he ga

in the night," added the girl. "Y

elle. If I'd known that I'd passed the border, I shouldn't have intruded. But I was hung

she said nothing and only stood frowning tow

f you wish it, I can retire by the way I came." He shrugged

oftly. "It is your right to ask asylum of us. But

onve

nd, dedicated to solitude, and--and----" she

in which even the pangs of hunger and weariness were forgotten. From the top step she towered above him, her dark robe hanging with a majestic stateliness which somehow belied the testimony of the curly reddish brown hair and the red lips which had already been perilously near

ll promise me not to----" She turned and looked toward the mound. "

se anything,

t, smiling in a friendly way, and then she

etter suited to a tennis match or a game of golf than to this mooning by lamp light, with shadows in eyes which were only meant for joy and laughter. What was her nationality? Not French, though

ost. Obeying the injunction of the girl not to move, he sank to the stone step. When she returned, she found him with his head bent forward upon his knees, alread

ul," said

ension, but the sight of the bread, meat

on," he began,

ing forward toward the dish and

t and drink. T

like a famished wolf. He finished what was on the platter and all of the milk before he spoke

ng you more?

ry good, Mademoiselle. I d

re you've h

ye

e last time

. I didn't dare to leave

travel

t know how far. They had me worki

ou esc

houses, on account of the dogs. Some of us may think Germany will go to the dogs, but I'm sure of one thing and that is that all the dogs in the world have gone to Germany. And they never sleep. I went miles out of my way to avoid t

y sorry

sincerity of her tone or t

. I thought that people had stopped be

ible to be

felt more amiable in my life. But t

ns treated

ed and

you have?

u do now that you are across the

nd civilia

d t

ghed j

nd rejoin my regiment. Parbleu! There are some t

ed begging along the roads of the village. And the dirt and the ragged beard that covered his face had done nothing to dispel the illusion. But she saw now how far she

Frenchman,

oiselle, a

you've fought l

han two

living i

could not stand what happened in Belg

speak F

ift for languages. But I'm not of much account otherwise

I? You'd be surprised to see how

doubt it,

and as she raised her chin, the cowl slipped from her head again disclosi

and glanced at her with more a

t a girl, a

ughed

you thin

wly. "You seemed something betwee

and then with more soberness, "I don't wonder you were

nd did not r

" he said, "Your hospitality

that you w

t natural that I should like to

le enough beside what you have suffered for

u--

ssian

h-

imes in which we live. It is the aim of my life to

ht, Mademoi

han yours. It is to tha

too much. She picked up the dish and bowl and took an irresolu

mes. Say nothing. Let me tell your story

he house, the tall figure of a man, with shoulders bent and eager eyes which, like thos