The Maids of Paradise

SON

o La Trappe that morning. I knew him, although now he was wearing neither robe nor

e kne

ountess for an instant with an interrogative expression; t

lice," said the Countess, in a clear voice, ending with

of Military Police, and I cannot begin to te

ing tones. "It, however, inconveniences me a great deal to cross the frontier to-

of your crossing the front

ey were almost stone white in the lamp-light-whi

to be exiled

e not,"

t under

him slightly on the shoulder. He did not move a muscle, yet, be

on-resistance to violen

ring around the pale pupil of his

ted, "and, monsieur, I must ask you to step back f

posure, then glanced at the table-drawer which he had jerked open. A revo

revolver and turned an asto

ere?" asked Buckhu

an and his government that you are ready to face every charge again

smile. "The government only asks

the faintest glimmer of white teeth showed for an

an here?" he said. "Oh

tands in the tribune of the Chateau Rouge and promise

ly, "I cannot be th

ack from that

pardon," he

to peace, a revolver is an anachronism. So I think-if you move I will shoot

said B

ou attempt to upset that lamp you will make a sad mistak

m and my pistol-hand swinging, I f

too, for he reached out to the stone balustrade and gu

y, I saw Dr. Delmont standing, big, bushy head

rriage from Trois-Feuilles was also there, a stumpy Alsatian peasant on the box.

up with a bitter laugh. "So they found you, too? Well, Buckhurst, this is

glancing at the bottles and

sted soil," said th

y pistol on my hip, and looked around at my p

ot to claim comradeship with Mr. Buckhu

awer a little stick about fiv

be some sample of fertilizer containing concentrated nitroge

face chang

Mr. Buckhurs

as s

w this bit of stuff at your

ove, but over his face there crept a dreadful pallor, which even th

Oberlohe, Hanover.' The silicious earth with which nitro-glycer

ed my stick of dynamite. It burned quietly with a brilliant flame, an

litical criminal and a maker of explosives that the 54 government has sent me here to arrest him ...

he solid metal.... "A thief," I continued, "who strips the diamonds from crucifixes,... as this has been stripped,... an

dry sob and covered his face with his thin hands. The young Countess stood m

the Countess shook her off and

p, my faith and trust and support. And now I say to you,

t the end of his rope had come. Then he slowly

show again; for an instant I thought he meant to strike her. Then the sudden double beat of horses' hoofs broke ou

," I remarked to Dr. Delmont; at the same moment I stepped ou

r and another, and a dozen harsh voice

oared Delmont; "the

cried, as an Uhlan wheeled his horse straight throug

er of an elm; Sylvia Elven and Tavernier follow

taken from Buckhurst. But the invalid had already fired at a horseman, a

to shoot Buckhurst, a

g his rider at my feet. I can see him yet sprawling there on the lawn, a lank, red-

ng their hoarse "Hourra! Hourra! Preussen!"-white-and-black pennons

hurst sat. The Uhlan's horse reared and plunged, carrying him away at a frightful pace, and I do not know whether I hit him or n

to the terrace, and after me galloped one of those incomparable cossack riders-an Uhla

ace and the poor brute reared straight up and fell backward, rolling over and over

d Delmont, from below. "Give up,

the Countess and Sylvia; Tavernier was kneeling beside Bazard's body; two Uhlans were raising their stunned

alled an officer. "We

endarmes. If I could only gain time and save Buckhurst. He was there in the ca

ui ou non?" shouted the off

" I cried, and ra

s. As I gained the doorway they shot at me, but I only fled the faster, sprin

refinger flat on the blade of my sabre and shortened my arm for a thrust-then there came a blinding flash, a

his sabre to finish me; also I saw a yellow-and-

rom the lawn. "Cursed pig, you'd sabre your own grandmother!

eister," said a soldier,

n't,"

l, and a Frenchman, and nine long lives! He

thought it was to be s

officer, turning on his men. "One to three-and si

he officer, "don't pull him that way. Now, young hel

arried me to the lawn. One of the men

tly, "I had a prisoner here; he

carriage. "Nobody here but two women

g you and your friend there! Civilians who fire on troops are treated that way. But I won't. Your foolish companion lies yonder with a lance through

sacred from insult?" a

f! Loisel! Send those impudent civilians into th

y me, offering his services, but the troopers hustl

e, Herr Rittmeister?" said a c

mustache: "Always around-always everywhere. Th

, Herr Rit

ppert in the wagon yonder. Get straw-you, Brauer, bring stra

ol, Herr R

officer, soberly. "Uhlans

and bore me away in the darkn

gallop of my gendarmes, not that I cared

in the carriage, "ask the Countess de Vass

young gentleman who desires to make his adieux. Permit me, madame-he

rlett?" came an unsteady

e. Can you

have nothing to forgive. Are you

know," I

ted: "Stop that bell! Shoot every civilian in the house!" But the Uhlans, who rushed up th

grew brighter; somebody had thrown wood into the i

e enraged Rittmeister, shaking his fi

rode up to the peasant, Brauer, who, frightened

nstett through the foot-hills?" he demanded

swer enough; the Rittmeister glared

his country

mons

our way through the

N

ly; the beacon shot up in a whirl

her to set the whole country yapping at our heels! Loisel, put her in beside the

othing save the clamo

tess; she tried to draw back, but he pushed her brutally into th

re! Here you, Jacques Bonhomme, drive carefully or I'll hang you higher than the Strasbourg clock. Are t

t times; at times, too, I could hear the two wounded Uhlans groaning in the wagon behind me, t

d the agony grew so intense that I bit my lip thr

ng 61 the road to La Trappe. It might have been the fancy of an intermittent delirium; it may have been my delayed gendarmes-I never knew. And the carr

ver, and little, bluish stars peeping down. At times I recognized the mounted men around me as Prussian Uhlans, and weakly wondered by what deviltry they ha

riage had stopped; I could not see the lancers, but presently I heard them all talking in loud, angry voices. There appeared to be some hou

ang that man to his barn gate! Pig of an assas

to scream wi

se!" bellowed

ndow-glass; presently a dull red light grew out of the

to flame; against the raging 62 furnace of a house on fire I saw the figure of a man, inky black, hanging from the hig

ed him in his night-shirt-and the last I heard was that awful screamin

I was bathed to the mouth in cold, sweet water

rriage bumped across the stones, water washed and slopped over the carriage floor. To right and left, Prussia

could see a line of cannon, wallowing through the water, shadowy artillerymen clinging to forge and caisson, mo

riage s

?" came a low voic

ve a little of that

entirely without power to move bel

. After I had my fill she bathed my face, passing her wet ha

FT, PRUSSIAN LAN