The Wonder of War on Land

th homewards, the boy's spirit thrilled with a keen eagerness for the future. To his very finger-tips he

ation. He was still partly deaf from the shock of the shell-burst and to his memory was continually

uttered to himself, "to be put out of everyt

which seemed to be bursting over his head, loomed up to Horace as far more lamentab

osely followed the windings of the stream. The shells, Horace thought, would scarcely reach him there. The boy's mind, however, was not running o

h

paper, which rapidly deepened and angered into a high d

sh

when he had been with the master. In a flash the

run in his veins, Horace threw himself down on the soft ground. The shell seemed to be coming straight for where he lay. Th

-a f

len on the other

to leap to his feet and run on

Horace, half aloud, "but I

nized it, but the cool, moist earth of the forest was very welcome. His

l buzzed in

n the little valley of the river itself. Stones and earth flew in every direction. The

tness was the regaining of control or a certain numbness of the senses. Gradually he realized that

ficial Ph

Ogre Of T

tzer, well camoufla

n of the boy. If four shells had missed

ion resumed its course, like a wire when electric contact is made, and Horace, er

Dust was still sifting through the trees and the tearing radius of the st

rit of confidence, H

got those messages to deliver. A chap can't stop

ptism of fire, had learned the first great lesson of the

erful lightness and ease possessed him, a joy, an exaltation. Life took on new values. He had fought out

aracter. Horace paused before throwing himself on the ground for safety, for the sound

t could not

ntil it was directly overhead, and Horace, looking up,

lar strokes which failed to sustain the body, and down, dow

t the bird sprang upwards from the ground, dealt him a blow in the face with its powerf

undergrowth after the bird. The huge creatur

e guns of Fort Embourg

nd, when he saw his opponent, th

black eagle from th

his a personification

the war; he, Horace, would make the first p

face, for he knew that the eagle's method of attack would be an endeavor to peck his eyes out. In the faint

lipped of

thin reach, suddenly Horace threw himself forward, holding his coat

ding cloth. Horace, dragged over the ground by his captive's struggl

hold of the neck, I found I couldn't choke it because of the layers of cloth. All my squeezing didn't seem

in pinning the fierce beak and talons into the coat and tying the sleeves together in such wise that the bird was tightly nippe

of Fort Embourg gave the outlines of the village houses a

alk to Liége in the twilight? Not, surely not the same day, only three hours before! Thre

ad been under fire, a bearer of war tidings, ready to fight for Belgium. He had learned, besides, the soldier's fat

ifying the parents o

elf. It was one of his greatest sorrows that his father spent only half his time in Belgium, where he represented the inte

ge, Horace met Croquier, the

he said, "is that it seems to hav

r stopp

the lef

ought for

swered, "I t

ho

s grip, and, in the light from

ck burned. He caught th

me. Maubin at once!"

sted Horace,

uttered in his excitement. "She sees unseen things. S

half-dragge

fectious. Besides, Horace remembe

dow was open and the lamplight, shining through, fell on her spare figure. Few p

essage," she said, peering into

Horace Monroe,"

n your shoulders," she declaimed, "disast

d, hesitatingly, surprised and a little

ejaculated the hunchback,

oblong of light shed by the lamp

down at the bird, which, pinned under

long and

t last, "hungry and exhausted, van

d," put in Croquier, but

to the boy but staring fixedly at th

the boy began, with a blunt d

"as yet. But he

is repetition of th

cham

t the lad would su

by a splinter of shell, and-"

e queried

he will be totall

f evil satisfaction. It never took its eyes from t

d has gone to his death, and you, an Am

e stiffened, as t

rm in a grip so powerful that he h

ery word," wa

ly the rumble of the cannonade and the irregular cras

oice, "for the Fates to show on the first day of the

blinded, but not as one that has lost courage or is mortally hurt. France will suffer, even unto death, but her spirit will be undefeated t

ed breath. To him, every word

the aid of Belgium, Madame?

and rested her hand heavily upon the wind

upernatural, although his heedless American nature disregarded su

an spok

tive Kaiser with his withered pinion. See that it does not e

ack, in a deep solemn vo

the school, and, perhaps, brag a little of his exploit. Suppose Croquier should let the bird escape! Then

," said the woman, "it is not for you. T

hunchback's voice was ra

d and held o

grip, catching the boy's hand wi

and!" the bo

fingers. They were bruised as though

," said Horace, "if y

d the hunchback. His tones became

of her chalk-white face; in the twisted shoulder and large head of the powerful hunchback; in the evil glitter of the eagle's amber eyes which, despite

Horace, uncomfortable in the tensio

hazarded, "ab

r head slight

had a su

h me to tell his folks

anged on the instant. From the personification of

d thing for you to do, is it not? I will co

I-I-" he broke off, with a lump in his throat

tell them, as gently as I can, and you will

of "The

ge Irres

he first few months driving the Germans

s voice was full

d long an

ring sad news in Belgium," she said. Then, turnin

the hunchback in reply and d

ery house. One woman was kneeling at the foot of the great wooden cross which stood in the ma

e click of the latch, as the gate closed behind Horace, had been heard. The door opened and the burly figure of Deschamps' father stood outlined. He welcomed the master's wife with hea

m, Madame?" the ma

ther w

es," s

ll know how

amps' lips

e asked anxiously,

, Madame," said t

urt! He

ed, "the doctor said that h

r's wife

ever before," she said softly. "He is

struggled f

s cri

d, Madame,"

p and steadied herself w

boy! Blind

guns beat their menace mor

in a low voice, "that he bid you remember

e?" broke i

eur, at the house

m. Tell me exactl

bursting shell, of the splinter which struck the boy's forehead and of the removal to the doctor's h

p. Moreover, he expected that all his adventures would have to be recounted anew at home

sound of the guns rapped at his brain and the night air was heavy with the pulsing of evil destiny. He stumbled with weari

ult of the shells bursting on Fort Embourg, a mile away, brought all back to his remembrance. Besides, through the morning haze, which bore promise of a sul

but his aunt was utterly unable to realize the significance of the breaking-out of war. Having lived nearly all her life in the United States, she was unable to grasp the serious importance of European alliances. Moreover, she possessed to the full a certain

guns," she said, "that's always done for effect. But the

ef in the policy of "fixing things up" whic

master told us. He thinks it's going to be a bi

The world has got much too civilized for people to

heart, in spite of her brusque ways, she belonged to that class of Americans which is honestly convinced that ev

schoolmaster had gone

, Au

maid s

's old enough not to get romantic. Wh

xplaining further, for he knew that his aunt would reg

n do much study with all the noise those forts are making. I should have thought

"suppose the Germans

what ab

s and steal everything

ans. They weren't much different from any other kind of humans I ever saw. Burn

his cap and l

nt bombardment. Groups of villagers and peasants loitered aimlessly abo

o caught the e

answered, "I

chuckled with

said, "and we'll have the Ka

he bird?" a

oquier's got it. He won'

ht before. During the night an excessively strong cage had been made of twisted strips of wrought iron. It would have resisted an elephant's

of a man who had been transfigured. The savage petulance, born of misfortune, had been replaced by an equally savage determination, born of confidence

d to capture this bird. Bird! It is an evil spirit. I have never seen a bird

asked t

. I kept my fingers crooked for action, though. I did not close my eyes for more than ten seconds. There was a crac

t can'

chance, my fingers were round its throat in a second. I had hard

I closed my eyes, to tempt it, and when I opened them again, beak and talon had riven the frame apart and the body was raspin

t his hands with

n in the village could

was still sore and bruised from the grip

y brother, t

et up at once and light the fire in

ermans here

,' I said, 'yo

ed him the bird and told him

want me to d

ch would defy the beak and talon of Jupiter's eagle that

ade to hold this evil thing a prisoner. There is no bolt or screw in the cage, every bar

with me to the curé, Pierre

?" queried H

to the church we went. The curé was there already, praying at t

I said to him, 'it has been made to hold

at the eagle an

never heard of anything made by God or man which was the worse for a ble

gone willingly enough, I had put it into the wire frame without difficulty, but when I tried to put it into the cage that the good priest had blessed, a thousand fu

ou?" interrupted t

feathers," the hunchback answered, his hard face softening into a smile. "Together we for

ooked at

eem symbolic of the crippled left arm of the Kaiser.[7] Perhaps it may be a prophecy. P

ck nodded p

hat she will say over the fact that the curé had to

about to answer, the "last bell" pealed from

ier s

r going to Liége!" he crie

ll tell you about it after school," and das

to the depth, but when it is reached, and especially when no adult is present, it is a force

carcely how to begin. Horace, rising in his seat, told the school the master's message and spoke o

o the spirit of boy-honor,

it slunk into his book. It is not good to awake the

the boys wandered in their attention and many shuffled restlessly, but the sense that each one was on honor kept

ce found his aunt

yor came to tell me to go away, either to Brussels o

y, Aunt Abigail?" th

d tossed ba

a dozen times over. I told him that the United States wasn't looking for trouble, but was perfect

of horrible atrocities if they broke through Liége. I told him that just as I didn't think the Germans were fool

queried the boy, regretting that

ght I was, and I didn't tell him he was a fool, but he c

the master's words and the grain of truth in his aunt's ideas,

think they will, then it's time a war came along for somebody to beat sense into their heads. Not that that has anything to do with it. I told your father I'd be here when he ca

imes, when his schoolfellows made fun of America's boastfulness and bluff, for he knew that many of their criticisms were just. At the same time, he knew, too, that t

re leaving to-nig

ood in, others wanted to carry their house, yes, their gardens, too, I reckon, on their backs. Such weepin

Horace, "I

; "I'd hate to see any nephew

their lives. Every horse in the village or on the farms around was hitched to the largest vehicle that it could draw, while many walked, carrying their goods. It was the first installment of that host of misery which, for the next month, crowded Belgium from Liége to the sea. All night the bombardmen

citizens would eat under their own flag for many a weary year. Horace was just finishing his meal when

The Germans

he officer in command summoned the mayor of the village and informed him that the village was in German hands. He ordere

yclists and then the ground shook under the short slow

-the march of the German invading army. These troops had not seen action. As yet, they were not a fighting army, they were advancing into the pl

the steady onward motion, the brain dizzied with the ponderous human force of it all. These were not a part of Von Emmich's advance divisions, which were busily engaged in the effort to reduce Liége, but divisions of the gre

of "The

h German

pp steel, shell-proof, carrying 120 men and two

cartridge belts, thoughts of death in their hearts, they passed, all dressed in the earthly iron-gray which betokene

burning the frames already wearied by the march from garrisons in Germany, the sun waiting to turn the slai

en with buckets of drinking water into which the men dipped their aluminum cups. Temporary field post-offices were established so that mes

heads and beards shaved under the spiked helmets, bearing the look of bestial stolidi

shoes wore out on the road, he dropped out of rank, mounted the running

irers of 2.6-inch caliber, easy to man-handle in action, firing 15 shots a m

n was the .96NA, corresponding closely to the British 15-pounder which had been discarded, save for the Territorial Army. It could not be compared

were far in advance of those of any other army. They were modern, formidable and admirably handled. This 5.9-inch h

ws for excavating trenches, field hospitals, field motor repair shops, field forges and field kitchens of every sort. Behind these, again, came motor busses for the officers of the staff, whom Horace could see studying their road maps within, and high-powered automobil

d to search and occupy the village. Few resisted, but

general confusion, and left. Swiftly the woman reached from the outside through the open window, struck a ma

dered his men to put out the fire

ou do that

s defiled by a German

want to show his hand. Germany wanted first to seize the telegraph lines and me

ed when the army had passed and the news was spread abroad that a

nt, they're sure to

they

and Stripes which she h

egulations or military rules. If any German tries to break in under Old Glory, he'll

s death three years before, Horace had disputed this highly inaccurat

flag," he said, "but

maid f

etorted. "Well, if the whole lot of them were drawn up in front of my house

aunt had grit. The passage of the Germa

ay you feel about it, there's no need f

e no trouble," quoth she, and went back to wash her breakfast dishes as noncha

ck at the door, she went and looked ou

he had been in the country, had only learned

Engl

cer demanded in that tongue

lish flag?" she

the house," said the off

gail. "This is an American house!"

ut the result was that the search-party passed on. The telegraph lines were not y

parents. As the morning wore on, however, a few of the boys came straggling in. Jacques Oopsdiel, the bell-ringer, the youngest boy in the school, was one of those who had remained.

us figure darkened

the officer of the sear

, as head boy, now that Deschamps was n

your sch

Li

defense of the forts but thought that such a statement

schoolmaster who i

eplied Horace, a

rd on the placard. With a German oath he tore it off, threw it on the floor and ground it und

TSC

id. "That is y

Holland ways, slipped off his chair. Without a word to any one, in absolute disregard of

n his high-pitched childish voice, "that no one was

ence that followed he

the civilian population until the invasion was actually accomplished. So, swearing vengeance on the school in general and on Jacques in pa

the question to expect that the school could settle down to work after such intrusion. Jacques was the hero of

jeers and allusions greeted them, for as yet the people of Beaufays did not realize what malice the Germans brooded. The erection of a field hospital not far from the borders of the village increased the friction, for there the Germans saw

aptive Kaiser" percolated, yet, though every house was searched over and over again, no trace of the crippled eagle could be found. Each day the restraint upon the soldiers grew slacker and deeds gre

tion was posted on the

er having declared their peaceful intention

ief has ordered the whole town to be burned an

, so that citizens of Liége may realize the fate with w

l Commandi

Bu

rime they would in Beaufays. The Germans, checked before Liége and held up to the world's scorn by a ha

that the hysteria of blood had changed the bodies inside those iron-gray uniforms

one dreadful night, "they are maddened m

ed in Beaufays received orders that they were to march westward the next day, but,

tting acts so vile that they cannot be told. They came, at last, to the house of Mme. Maubin. Remembering her defiance, the officer i

ed her house

inned comp

soldiers for their work of "frightfulness," they set fire to the house, men with fixed bayonets be

as she was being burned alive, and, b

ed hotter by the flaming houses of the village. The wild delirium of license gleamed in the eyes o

ying the black eagle which had been sought so long. At the sight of the iron cage a shout of rage went up. The officer would have ordered hi

m, men!"

nd all of them blind with blood an

he church the fugitive

was empty save for the figure of the curé standing at the altar. They searched for the

ng a gold cross on the church wall above the pulp

ounded throug

é said,

he Church, dies, and dies

n-the first German words ever

gazed at the dimly-lit figure of the priest, standing in the chance

l, with a rude oath, laid both hands o

quick repor

ng the cross, then slowly his body sank, collapsed, crumple

and leaped over the altar rail. The curé made no resistance an

ried the officer, stam

looked

ot for his Church than for h

out!" came

stood the great wooden cross. They dragged the cur

aw the curé, with the blood flowing over his white vestments,

ught hold of the lad and trie

lash and put his teeth

onet passed through the child's body

the sky gr

arty took up

ir

before the sound died away, a vivid flash threw the scene into fierce relief,

d saw the German officer leap upwards, writh

e of the curé, which had remained for a moment supported by the

TNO

a deformed left wing fluttered down in an exhausted state into the han

3.9-inch and a 5.1-inch field-gun, wit