. = a. :.:..»»;; 3 ■ ■ MH >« MM t « »«> M *»*«WMWItlllKi> H i>l>»>l M »itM n fc » :ss8s THE WILUAM R. PERKINS LIBRARY OF DUKE UNIVERSITY Rare Books UTOPIA Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2010 witii funding from Duke University Libraries littp://www.arcliive.org/details/lostprovincesliowOOtrac By LOUIS TRACY The Final War An Historical Romance of the Near Future. With l6 full-page illustrations. Large 12°, $1.50. Paper. 16 , 75 cts. An American Emperor The Story of the Fourth Empire of France. Illus- trated. 12', $1.75. The Lost Provinces Illustrated. 12°. G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, New York and London " ' Move and I tire,' he slirieked." See page 1 08. The Lost Provinces HOW VANSITTART CAME BACK TO FRANCE BY LOUIS TRACY Autlior of "The Final War," "An American Emperor," etc. ILLUSTRATED G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS NEW YORK AND LONDON Zbc Iknickerbocker ipcess 1898 Copyright, 1898 BY G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS Ube Itnfcberboclicr prees, Dew Sorb CONTENTS. I. — A King and Two Emperors II. — Flags— British and Otherwisk III.— A Council of War IV.— Le Breton's Ride V. — How the Second Day Ended VI. — The Dead Body . VII. — No. II, Rue Pigalle VIII. — The Invention IX. — The Horse . X. — Wilhelm's Pigeons XI. — Marie XII. — The Chain of Events XIII. — Three Prison-Vans XIV.— The Flight . XV. — On the Banks of the Meuse XVI. — A Question of Generalship XVII. — England says "Hands Off" XVIII. — With the Forkign Legion XIX. — The Cottage of H.ans Schwartz XX. — Pigeons, Some Hawks, and a Telegram XXI. — The Stab in the Back XXII. — How Wilhelm Received the News XXIII.— The Quest . XXIV.— The Race . XXV.— To Gravelotte . XXVI. — Vansittart's Temptation XXVII.— Marie Acts . XXVIII.— In the Emperor's Carriage PAGE I II 25 36 48 58 68 77 86 99 110 120 133 142 153 167 180 190 202 215 22S 239 246 258 26q 277 282 289 iv Contents. CHAPTER PAGE XXIX.— A Reverse 294 XXX. — What Happened in Paris 308 XXXI. — The Revolution 321 XXXII.— Strained Relations 332 XXXIII.— The March of the Motor-Cars . . . .342 XXXIV.— The Motor-Car Battle 356 XXXV. — Jerome and Wilhelm 369 XXXVI.— RiBOu's Capture 383 XXXVII.— Elsass-Lorraine 394 XXXVIII.— A Family Matter 405 IIvLUSTRATlONS. PAGE '' Move AND I FIRE,' HE SHRIEKED " . . . Frontispiece ' ' Well, boss, afore I tackle that job I reckon on seein' you KNOCK the STUFFIN' OUT OF THE EmPEROR WiLLIAM.' " . 34 ' a fierce affray at once sprang up, growing instantly in volume as combatants from both sides packed into the narrow street " 42 'Jeanne sank upon her knees before the bed, hiding away her face like a wretch without hope " . . . -94 ' Each bearing some implement of labour and all trudging, trudging onward with the same will toward THE SAME point" 120 'Jim dismounted and divested the biggest Uhlan of his jacket and helmet" 1 74 ' The two great bodies of horse closed together with a GREAT thud THAT WAS DISTINCTLY AUDIBLE ABOVE THE CRIES of men, THE NEIGHING OF ANIMALS, AND THE CLASH f>F weapons" 210 "Oh, but M. Folliet ! ' cried Armand, ' will you lend mk a hundred francs? i have no money ' " .... 262 'She was roughly kissed several times on the mouth by a sentinel " 286 vi Illustrations. PAGE " The Emperor was waiting on Schwartz and helping him to SUCH eatables as were in the room " .... 320 " The machine gun, mounted on the left front of the lead- ing CAR, poured a torrent OF PROJECTILES INTO THE GER- man ranks " 364 " Then he bent in the saddle and scribbled a telegram to Evelyn announcing the victory 374 THE LOST PROVINCES THE LOST PROVINCES CHAPTER I A KING AND TWO EMPERORS SO history repeats itself. The war of 1870 is to be fought again, and with, I fear, the same issue." ' ' Is there no hope of a peaceful settlement ? " " How can there be peace between a robber and his victim ? Germany is resolved that France must be crushed. Crushed she will be to the utmost bounds of humiliation unless " " Unless you go back again, guv'nor, and take a hand in the game. ' ' The interruption came from Arizona Jim, who was sitting with Vansittart and Evelyn in a canoe lying motionless on a silvery lake in the heart of the Adiroudacks. For a moment no one spoke. It would seem that this privileged adherent had blurted out the millionaire's secret thought, and the possibility alarmed Evelyn. In sharper tones than was her wont she cried, after a quick glance at her husband : " Don't say such foolish things, Bates. Your master has given enough to France without adding his life to the debt of gratitude. Twenty years hence you will sug- gest that Henry should follow in the same cause. The sole object of your existence is to seek danger and trouble." The allusion to her three-year-old son softened her voice I 2 The Lost Provinces to breaking point. Her eyes glistened with tears as she looked wistfully from one to the other of her hearers. Arizona Jim was astounded at this outburst. The use of his surname conve5-ed far more reproach than mere words. He worshipped Evelyn with dog-like fidelity, and now, in mute pain, he sought, with a look, encouragement from Vansittart. But Jerome steadily watched a spiral of smoke from his cigar curling into shapelessness in the still air. So Jim essayed to defend himself, " Well, mum, there was a time when I used ter fool round lookin' for trouble. But I kinder thought that bad ole time had passed. The biggest trouble I did n't allow for, an' that is for you to be vexed with me. As for danger, I 'm sorter fixed in the notion as how it ain't in our hands. Kings an' sparrows run under the same rules." " Oh, Jim, I 'm not angry with you. But you don't understand — you don't understand," and Evelyn's repressed tears forthwith became downright sobs. If her wayward mood amazed Bates, it was quite compre- hensible to Jerome, who now silently admonished the other to leave matters where they were. In very truth, the im- pulsive Texan had but placed into words the thought which for days past had thrown a shadow upon Evelyn's bright existence. Sensational statements in the press, backed by the better- informed confidential reports constantly supplied to Vansit- tart by the French Ambassador at Washington, proved beyond doubt that Germany was seeking a pretext for a rapid and irresistible attack upon her prosperous neighbour. Bis- marck's policy still prevailed in Berlin, though his domineer- ing presence was removed from the council chamber. " A strong France is a menace to Teutonic aspirations." " In European disputes the bayonet is the court of appeal." " Blessed are those who possess." These were his aphor- isms, and the hot-headed ruler of the German nation con- sidered them to be still as vital to the longevity of his empire A King and Tzvo Emperors 3 as in the troublous period when the first Chancellor pro- claimed the reign of blood and iron. France had thriven amazingly since Vansittart converted the arid Sahara into a panorama of cornlands and vineyards. The commercial prosperity of the people brought with it ex- pansion in the trade marts of the world. Germany, soured by the uselessness of her own colonial efforts, experienced the novel sensation of being heedlessly elbowed to one side by her mercurial neighbour. Frenchmen were taught reason by contentment. The Russian alliance was no longer coveted, bickerings against England became spasmodic and feeble, whilst the last man that Henri V. regarded as an antagonist was the German Emperor. France, in her dream of peace, was even forgetting the lyost Provinces ! But the King and his advisers should have read the open book supplied by the recorded utterances of their greatest enemj'. " Every state," said Bismarck, " must recognise that its security rests on its own sword." Henri did well to enrich his people, but ill to neglect the safeguards of French inde- pendence. And now that there was open alarm at the disclosure of German designs after years of secret and well- planned preparation, France was unready : heroic sacrifice might out-stay the impending doom. These were the plain facts, divested of diplomatic trappings. On the surface there was an apparently commonplace dispute concerning customs duties on German importations to the new African domain. Beneath lay the rancorous hatred of the Teuton for the Frank, intensified daily by battles fought in the counting-house, and territories won or lost in the world-wide kingdom of trade. The New York press explained the situation with point and flippancy. " Germany must fight or give up," wrote one of the chief papers. ' ' The Kaiser must either throttle France or be drummed out of power by an impoverished people famishing and mutinous. The nation is sinking be- neath ever-increasing military burdens which must be met out of a falling revenue. The alternative, to the German 4 The Lost Provinces Emperor's thinking, is simple. The rest of the world desires peace ; he must have war — and every other interest but that of the house of Hohenzollern may go hang." The London newspapers were more moderate. But even as they spoke of conciliation, they obviously dreaded the out- break of hostilities at any hour. The Times — straining after an amicable settlement — could only suggest that an inter- national committee should revise the offending tariff as a modus Vivendi for twelve months. One might, with equal futility, ask the wolf to stay his spring until the lamb had sought the shelter of the fold. No wonder, then, that Evelyn Vansittart was sad at heart in the midst of pleasant surroundings, or that her emotions were not in harmony with the joyous springtide in the hills. She knew full well that France, sore pressed, would, in the hour of extremity, appeal to the one man in whom the popu- lace placed unbounded faith. And she herself would be the first to admit that duty and honour alike offered her husband but one course of action. He must return. They must leave their Garden of Eden. It was bitter, and her soul rose in revolt against the warlike and unscrupulous Kaiser. After all, money does not bring happiness. The million- aire and the man in the street are separated only by some bricks and mortar. Their lives are very similar when viewed through the telescopes of the gods. Five minutes of quiet thought revealed the situation more clearly to Arizona Jim. When Evelyn had calmed some- what, in response to Jerome's half-jocular, half-.sympathetic raillery, Jim ventured to say : " It 's like this, mum. It '11 do no good for the guv'nor to fight, anyhow. This is a business for armies, an' big ones at that. But the French want someone to do the thinkin' for 'em. That 's more 'n half the game, an' alluz hez been ever since the days of Nebbycodnezzer. ' ' Jerome laughed outright at the extraordinary simile ; even his wife smiled as she dried her eyes. A King and Tzvo Emperors 5 " Why on earth do you drag in Nebuchadnezzar, Jim ? " cried Vansittart when he was able to speak. " 'Cos he thought he could live on grass, an' it kep' him goin' for seven bloomin' years." The conceit put them in better humour. They were about to resume their interrupted fishing when Jerome caught sight of Harland walking towards them, down the hill on which stood their summer residence. They watched him in silence until he reached the verge of the lake. Then he put his hands to his mouth and shouted : " Cablegram for Evelyn." " A cablegram for me ! " repeated Evelyn, in astonish- ment. " From whom, I w^onder ? Paddle in at once, Jerry. Surely there is nothing amiss with mother, or aunt. I had a letter only yesterday. Why does n't Dick call out its con- tents ? ' ' Had she been on shore she certainly would have examined the printed envelope to see if it gave any indica- tions of the nature of the interior message. She did not wait to land before she cried : " Whom is it from, Dick ? " " From the Queen of France." " What is it about? " " It will best convey its own message. Thinking it was from home I opened it. It is written in the private code used by the King, Liancourt, and Jerome, so I have trans- lated it and here is a fair copy." Evelyn took the manuscript, and read it aloud : "Dear and True Friend,— The expected has bappeued this time. Germany has forced a pretext for war upon us. Acting under the specific instructions of the Kaiser, a German gunboat accompanied a trading vessel to Gabes, and attempted to land a cargo of goods in defiance of our customs regulations. The ofiBcials invoked the aid of the captain of one of our warships on duty at the port, and he ordered the Germans to desist. This they refused to do unless compelled by force, whereupon our officer fired a blank cartridge by way of warn- ing. It was sufficient, but there cannot be the slightest doubt that this paltry incident will be made a cause of war. We are, God 6 The Lost Provinces knows, ill prepared for a campaign, though we have strained every nerve to strengthen our resources since our enemy's cruel design became apparent. We are alone in this quarrel. We cannot expect England to interfere, and Russian friendship has suddenly become frozen. Oh, my dear Evelyn, do not you desert us ! I ask you to spare your husband to aid us in this terrible crisis. I know not what to urge in behalf of my request, but the need of my beloved France impels me to prefer it, if necessary on my knees. The King or Lian- court would have cabled to Mr. Vansittart, but I told them to leave the appeal to me, for I am assured that the decision will rest with you. I cannot think that you will deny me. With Mr. Vansittart direct- ing affairs, my people will be hopeful. In his absence, they will march to death, brave but despairing. "Your afflicted "HONORINE." When the familiar name left her lips, Evelyn turned, and hid her face against her husband's shoulder. Jerome put his arm round her : ' ' It has come sooner than we thought, old girl, ' ' was the best he could find to say. Dick Harland dug his hands into his pockets, and looked at them fixedly, but Arizona Jim felt that he required sus- tenance, so he took a surreptitious bite at a plug of tobacco. At last, Evelyn regained her self-control. She said quite firmly : ' ' Does the decision rest with me, Jerry ? ' ' "Yes." " Then we start for France at the earliest moment." "We?" ' ' Yes, we ; I refuse to remain behind. If you go without me I will follow by the next steamer." " My dear girl, there is the boy to think of." " He will be well looked after during our absence. My place is with you." " So be it, sweetheart. This war will make an old man of me, so we will age together. Dick, wire to New York and ask when the Seafarer can sail for Europe. ' ' A King and Tivo Emperors 7 " And at the same time I will answer the Queen." Evelyn was grit right through. The day was Tuesday, early in May. An hour later they learned that the Seafarer would be ready for sea at two o'clock on Thursday afternoon. " Then Thursday afternoon at two o'clock we sail," cried Jerome, cheerily. " Now, Dick, I have been making a few plans already. How can I best purchase, for the speediest shipment, twenty thousand strong, well- conditioned horses ? They must be up to weight and sound in wind and limb. Anything over fifteen hands and between five and eight years old will meet my requirements." The difference in sun time between the Adirondack region in New York State and the capital city of the German Em- pire is about seven hours. At the precise hour, therefore, when the momentous question of Vansittart's return to France was decided, it was alread)^ night in Berlin. In a room of the Imperial palace that stands on the famous boulevard, Unter den Linden, was gathered a notable con- clave. The Emperor — impulsive, exuberant, brave to rash- ness, and daring in thought — sat at the head of the council table. With him were the chief officers of the army and the responsible Ministers of State. There was nothing of doubt or hesitation in the Kaiser's words, nor did his manner belie him. He had chosen this chamber for the conference, be- cause here, if anywhere in that royal abode, dwelt the spirit of his renowned grandfather. From that historical corner window, the great founder of the modern German Empire had looked to the last upon his faithful people and his beloved army. The old warrior king believed in himself and in his mis- sion. " A HohenzoUern," he said, " should not only be the first citizen of his land, but its first soldier and defender." In the closing days of his nonogenarian life, William I. would never discard his uniform. His only pleasure was to watch 8 The Lost Provinces the daily march of the Guards down the broad avenue of the litne trees. A few hours before the end came, he declared with dignity that he had " no time to be tired," when some faithful attendant suggested a rest from the routine duties of the day. The restless activity of William I. was reborn in his am- bitious and domineering grandson. But a faith in the one had changed into a mania in the other. " Germany free and united " had transmuted itself into " Germany supreme and world-compelling." This council of war lords had assembled to make the vain- glorious dream a sordid fact. Someone had suggested a further sounding of the views held by the great Powers. " Great Powers ! " cried the Emperor. " Great Weak- nesses, rather ! Which of them will stir ship or soldier to aid France ? No. The quarrel will be left to us, in the hope that the struggle will weaken both. Already Austria and Italy have taken care to declare their neutrality, and from Petersburg!! I hear that Russia is resolute in keeping aloof. England will not interfere. A hint that Egypt and the Transvaal shall be her portion of the spoil will render her complaisant — until I tell her that triumphant Germany has assumed the rights of conquered France on the Nile. But enough : we are resolved. When will the three army corps be mobilised, General von Waldersee ? " The officer addressed, the Chief of the Staff, instantly replied : " We can commence to throw one hundred and fifty thou- sand men across the frontier on Thursday night at nine o'clock, your Majesty." ' ' Why at night ? Is there no fear of uncertainty or con- fusion ? ' ' " None, sire, for us ; much for the enemy." " Then I lead the first regiment of the centre column ! " " That must not be." It was Prince Hohenlohe, the Im- perial Chancellor, who spoke so emphatically. A King and Two Emperors 9 " How ! Must not ! These are hardly fitting words to me." " Possibly, sire, but I cannot school my tongue to conceal my thoughts. Your Majesty's impetuosity and carelessness of danger are too well known to me that I should lend my voice to a proceeding which might risk your person in a frontier affray at the very inception of our enterprise. ' ' Emboldened by the Chancellor's outspokenness, several officers concurred with him. " Well, well," and the Emperor turned to a map with an air of annoyance. " You are right, I suppose. But mark me. Not always will I j-ield to these grandmotherly pre- cautions. I had thought it would inspirit the troops to know that their leader led from the front and not from the rear. ' ' " The project is worthy of your Majesty, but the gain is not to be measured against the possible loss. ' ' Who, then, w^ill act as my personal representative ? The Emperor's deputy, at least, must be the first soldier to set foot on French soil." " Surely no man's name can contend the right with mine." All eyes turned upon the new speaker. Colonel von Moltke, nephew of the renowned strategist, who manoeuvred the German armies with such faultless skill during the war of 1870. "And none shall," cried the Kaiser, enthusiastically. " Yours be the honour to lead the column. Colonel, and Friday's sun shall .see you major-general." Prince Hohenlohe's cold accents broke in upon the buzz of comment evoked by the Emperor's stirring phra.se." " When will your Majesty declare war ? " " Ah ! I had forgotten. Telegraph to our Ambassador in Paris that he is to demand his passports on Thursday evening." " Rut he will not be able to cross the frontier before the outposts are met and all trains are stopped." lo The Lost Provinces ^' Himmel ! he can come through Brussels." So it will be seen that, whilst the King of France left affairs of vast importance to his Roj-al Consort, the Emperor of Germany also launched his thunderbolt by deputy. The other Emperor, Vansittart, was the only one who actually travelled to the front at that fateful hour on Thursday. CHAPTER II FLAGS — BRITISH AND OTHERWISE THE three German army corps entered France simul- taneously at different points. One line of march, from Metz by way of Gravelotte, Mars-la-Tour, and Fresnes-en-Woevre, followed the historic route of the last war. Here the French had set up a formid- able barrier of men and guns, backed by the splendid fortress of Verdun. The second attack had also been foreseen. The concen- tration of Bavarians at Thionville, or Diedenhofen, as it is rechristened by the Germans, caused the French Staff to expect and prepare for an immediate junction of the two corps in French territory. In the result they were not mistaken. But the third was unpleasantly new. Vast quantities of troops were gathered at both Strasburg and Mulhausen. From each of these centres the natural advance across the frontier was, in one case, by Snarburg, north of the Vosges mountains, towards Luneville and Nancy; in the other, through Alt Munsterol toward strongly fortified Belfort. In either event the French would have opposed a bold front to the invaders. General Daubisson, who in his capacity as Governor of Paris was Commander-in-chief under the supreme control of the King, was chagrined rather than alarmed when he found that the southern Ger- man column had secretly detrained at Markirch, and was able to push cavalry vedettes through the heart of the Vosges as far as Farize, almost without striking a blow. 1 2 The Lost Provinces On the Friday morning the eyes of the world were bent on Paris and Berlin. The two cities comported themselves according to their moods, Paris yelping with excitement, the German capital throbbing with earnestness. The King of France bore himself brav-ely before his people. In the comparative secrecy of the rebuilded Tuileries he showed alone the agonised apprehension that possessed him. His one thought was that Vansittart would arrive too late. ' ' We were at least warned soon enough to have prevented this misfortune," he cried. " Why did we not bring him here a fortnight ago ? ' ' " Your Majesty forgets," said Liancourt, " that Mr. Van- sittart believed, as we did, that Germany would not commit this outrage upon humanit}- without even plausible excu.se," " Yes, yes," murmured Henri, " but the best of explana- tions will not disguise the fact. One short week of his counsel and presence would have achieved so much. One short week too soon, rather than too late ! " " Your Majesty cannot believe that the annies of France will be beaten from the field within a week ? " " I^iancourt," and the King turned to his faithful minister with keen emotion in his face, " let us not deceive each other. You know, better than I, perhaps, what our enemies can accomplish, even in that brief period. It is for my brave soldiers, unread)^ ill-equipped, worse fed, that I grieve. You and I, my friend, can die at their head, but what will that avail France ! France, my country — so happy, so prosper- ous, so little deserving this wretched fate ! ' ' Iviancourt could only urge the King to abandon useless regrets and do all within his power to repair defects. He realised, in their full bitterness, the truth of Henri's words. In the palace near the lindens, William II., who, for all his dash and waywardness, is a methodical German, had re- tired to rest and slept soundly after the telegrams arrived announcing the departure of the three columns. He rose early, fresh and vigorous, ready to proceed to the front as Flags — British and Other^vise 13 soon as he learned that the left bank of the Meuse was in possession of his troops. General von Gossler waited upon him the moment he appeared. " 'T is fitting," cried the Kaiser, " that on this, of all days, I should be greeted by the War Minister. What news. Von Gossler ? ' ' " Excellent, sire. The fight is in the enemy's country. We have seized the desired positions, the armies are con- solidating, and probably the first battle will be in progress by the time your Majesty reaches the frontier." Yet the General's visage was not as cheerful as his intelli- gence, and the Emperor's quick eye noted the discrepancy. " Is aught amiss then ? " " In one respect I have tidings that your Majesty will re- gret to ' ' ' ' Quick. What has happened ? ' ' " Colonel von Moltke was shot by the French picket as he drove them over the Woevre bridge. ' ' " Shot. Wounded you mean, I trust." " No, sire. Shot through the brain." " The only place to hit a Moltke ! Yet I would have given much that this had not occurred." " Yes. I fear that the men will regard it as an evil omen." " Omen ! There is no such word in the drill-book. And if there were, what better omen than that a Moltke should be the first to give his life for the Fatherland ? ' ' ' ' I hope the army will view it in that light, but ' ' " Pish ! You grow superstitious, General. What say the papers about the war ? ' ' The Emperor, who was more deeply moved than he cared to admit, picked up a copy of the Zeitimg, and turned to the columns of foreign intelligence. The first paragraph that met his eyes caused him to utter an exclamation that had better be left in the maze of syllables that make up the German language. 14 The Lost Provinces Vansittart, when he first quitted the States to found an empire in France, had escaped the notice of the American press. Even he could not accompHsh this feat twice. Every New York paper turned the X-ray intelligence of a skilled reporter upon the Seafarer and her inmates when it became known that she was getting ready for a voyage. Hence Renter's correspondent was able to cable the following message : "New York, Thursday. — Shortly before it became known that Germany had declared war against France, Mr. and Mrs. Vansittart and suite sailed for Europe on board their yacht, the Seafarer. The famous millionaire's sympathies for France — indeed he remains a naturalised French citizen — coupled with the fact that the yacht's destination was kept a secret, render it practically certain that he is bound for Havre, or Cherbourg. He left his summer home in the Adirondacks most unexpectedly. Information concerning his inten- tions is absolutely refused at his New York estate office. In any case he cannot cross the Atlantic under eight days, as the Seafarer is a sixteen-knot boat." General von Gossler wondered what had so disturbed his royal master, but he was not long left in doubt. Turning upon him with a face of fury, Wilhelm roared : " Why was I not told of this sooner ? " " Of w-w-what, sire ? " " Of the departure of this Yankee adventurer, blockhead. Send Vice- Admiral Hollmann here at once. Quick, if you would retain your portfolio. ' ' Utterly at a loss to know what this storm portended, the General rushed from the room, and the Kaiser strode to and fro in a towering rage. He had not forgotten the way in which Vansittart, when President of the French, had played political poker with him. He wanted no more " raising " at his hands, and had cooled somewhat by the time the Secretary for the Navy raced back with the flurried Von Gossler. Flags — British a7id Otherwise 15 " Admiral," he shouted, " there are four well-defined routes across the Atlantic ? ' ' " Yes, sire." ' ' Read this. Order a fast cruiser to proceed along each route and bring this man Vansittart, with or without his ship, to Hamburg. The commission of each captain depends upon the success of one of them. They must start forthwith and avoid conflicts with French vessels at any cost. Do you follow me ? ' ' " I have no doubt I will fully comprehend your Majesty's commands when I have read the news which has caused your Majesty's agitation," answered the imperturbable sailor. ' ' Agitation ! I am not agitated ; only emphatic. ' ' Never- theless the Emperor regretted that he had betrayed such deep feeling before his subordinates. He condescended to explain himself more coherently. It was thus that Jerome's departure was heralded in the hostile camps. Twelve hours after the Seafarer passed the Sandy Hook lightship and turned her smart figure-head eastward, four fast and well-armed German cruisers sailed from Hamburg and Bremerhaven intent upon her capture or destruction. The Stars and Stripes fluttered in the breeze over the tafiF- rail as the gallant little ship plunged steadily onwards through the long Atlantic rollers. Renter's correspondent was not mistaken in describing her as a sixteen-knot ship. Her small size (2000 tons) and her owner's desire to be able to voyage in her anywhere precluded a higher engine-power. To drive her at twenty knots through a heavy sea would be not only dangerous, but destructive of all comfort to those on board, this speed being with difficulty maintained by an ocean colossus five or six times her tonnage. The part}' accommodated themselves with varying emo- tions to the vagaries of the continent of seas w^hich constitute the North Atlantic. On the third day out, although on a 1 6 The Lost Provinces southerly course, they phinged into the heel of a fog that had swept down from the Newfoundland Banks. But to Evelyn the chilly mist was refreshing, and she walked the deck leaning on her husband's arm with a sense of exhilara- tion at the vastness of their enterprise. Her first feeling of resentment had passed. They were now committed, for good or evil, to the fortunes of France, and her keen sense of justice rebelled against the wanton cruelty of the Germans in seeking to cripple their great neighbour in the hour of progress and prosperity. She noted, too, with quiet pride that Jerome had regained his old-time bearing of command and self-reliance. Even emperors stagnate in disuse. Vansittart had, to her e3'es, grown taller since he quitted lake-fishing for the great game of empire. During his brief halt in New York he had done much. Not every man can contrive to expend twenty-five millions sterling in half that number of hours, but he had done this, to the huge benefit of France, as will be seen hereafter. Now he spent most of his time in reading the records of the war of '70-71, together with much poring over maps and jotting down of memoranda. This evening Evelyn pro- tested against so much preoccupation, and carried him off for a constitutional before dinner. During their walk they noticed Arizona Jim leaning against a ventilator away for- ward, gazing fixedly into the wall of fog. Jim was wrapped in a brown study, and looked so serious that tliej^ both laughed. " What are you thinking about so deeply, Jim ? " inquired the millionaire. Bates started, " I was thinkin', boss, that things air tolerable thick ahead." " Here, do you mean ? " " Nit, s'long as we keep tootin' the foghorn I guess we 're all right, if the other feller does the same, ' ' Flags — British and Otherwise 1 7 " In France, then ? " " Yes, guv' nor, that 's the locality. You won't find no Injun signs on rocks to help fix this business." " Why, Jim, you are the one man in the world I should not suspect of doubting the future. Have you lost faith in me ? ' ' " No, guv'nor. Not I. Nary a bit. What you sez goes. But you '11 have to kill off a blamed lot of Germans." Evelyn clutched Jerome's arm more tightly. Bates had an unpleasant knack of revealing the truth without any cir- cumlocution. For the first time she realised that the con- quest of men meant carnage — that her husband might be called upon to direct red and horrible war. Next morning, whilst Evelyn was pouring out a third cup of coffee for Jerome and Dick, the captain of the Seajaret hurriedly entered the saloon. " There 's a British man-of-war about three miles ahead on the port bow, sir, and she has signalled us to stop," he said. ' ' To stop ? An English ship ? Are you quite sure she is English ? ' ' cried Jerome. " Quite certain, sir. She is the fast cruiser Hawke. I know her well by sight. What shall we do ? " " Obey the signal by all means. What 's up now, I wonder ? ' ' They went on deck and scrutinised the handsome warship, for the overnight fog had wholly disappeared, and the fine vessel supplied a human interest to the vast panorama of blue rolling sea and sunlit sky. The Hawke, first-class cruiser, 7350 tons, of 12,000 horse-power, and carrying twelve guns, was evidently in earnest. She slightly altered her course in order to come nearer, and when half a mile ahead, slowed down to lower a boat. An officer took his seat in the stern sheets, and the steady pull of eight strong-armed blue-jackets soon brought him alongside the Seafarer. Within hailing distance he cried : " Is Mr. Vansittart aboard ? " 1 8 The Lost Provifices " Yes," replied Jerome ; " I am he." " I am very glad I have fallen in with j'ou. I wish to speak with you privately." Suiting the action to the words, he quickly climbed the rope ladder which had been lowered, and gained the deck of the Seafarer. With smiling courtesy he introduced himself: "I am Captain des Voeux Hamilton, of H.M.S. Haivke, which you see there. I have information of great importance for you. Shall we go to the saloon ? ' ' Jerome led the way, saying : " My wife and brother-in-law may accompany us ? " " Assuredly, Mr. Vansittart." Once out of earshot of others, the officer explained his strange appearance in mid -Atlantic. He began with a question. " Do you know that war has broken out between Germany and France ? ' ' Evelyn uttered an involuntary exclamation. Even Van- sittart was staggered by the suddenness of the announce- ment. " Surely matters have not reached that stage already ? " he exclaimed. " There can be no doubt about it. The German armies commenced an invasion of France on Thursday night. I left Portsmouth at noon on Friday, and several slight affairs had already taken place on the frontier, whilst in militarj'- circles it was generally believed that the first pitched battle would take place yesterday, Sunday, somewhere in the neighbourhood of Mars-la-Tour." Jerome was powerfully moved, but his anger at this catas- trophe only manifested itself by a tightening of the lips as he said : " This is indeed grave news for me. Captain Hamilton." " I tear my next item will be even more unpleasant, in so far as it affects you personally. Our Foreign Office is natur- Flags — British and Otherwise 19 ally keeping a ver}- close watch on all naval movements at this moment. A trustworthy Hamburg correspondent warned Whitehall, by secret telegraphic code, that four Ger- man cruisers put out to sea, in a great hurry, early on Friday. He learned by some means that their object was to catch you and prevent you, at all hazards, from landing in France. Your yacht is an American ship, but defence- less, and you are reported to be a French citizen. Nice diplomatic dififerences can, however, be adjusted months hence, and even large personal indemnities paid. Mean- while, you would be accommodated with a residence in some remote German castle. I think you follow me. You have friends in Whitehall, Mr. Vansittart, so here I am." " Captain Hamilton," said the millionaire, warmly, " I am immensely indebted to the British Government, and to you personally. But tell me. At sea I am helpless. The Sea- farer is not a fast boat. I may presumably expect capture at any moment." " Hardly. The Hawke can slip away from anything the Germans have got, and we had, say, a couple of hours' start from Portsmouth. But one of the quartette will certainly fall in with you this afternoon or evening." " Are they entitled to board my yacht and seize her ? " " They are not. But I know what I or you would do under similar circumstances — leave others to settle the rights of the case, eh, Mr. Vansittart? " The Anglo-Saxon is very much alike on both sides of the Atlantic. They all, even Evelyn, grinned in concert. ' ' What are your orders, Captain ? ' ' said Jerome, after a pause. " My orders are to find you, and assist you." " Without qualifications ? " "Absolutely !" " In the absence of an American man-of-war I am justified in asking your protection under circumstances that savour of piracy." 20 The Lost Provinces " Well, you see it is this way. I can stand by you, and help you if appealed to, but — again regarding events from the German point of view — a single shell would probably settle your business during the argument." Dick Harland now broke in. ** It strikes me that the Seafarer is hardly a safe place within the meaning of the act." " What act ? " said Kvelyn, innocently. The question rai.sed a laugh. Their absurd position was comically serious. Then a light broke upon Vansittart. " Would it inconvenience you too much. Captain Hamil- ton, if I were to ask you to find quarters for a small house- hold of five on board your ship during the next few days ? " " When I get the request in writing," said the sailor, with dry humour, " you will come with me to quarters already prepared." Then, with a smile, he turned to Evelyn. " You will not find a cruiser quite so comfortable as this magnificent vessel, Mrs. Vansittart, but my officers and myself will be delighted to entertain you. ' ' " I cannot express my gratitude," began Jerome. " No need, sir. But time presses." A bustle of stewards, some agonised moments for a French maid, a few instructions to the captain of the Seafarer, and the whole party were seated in the Hazvke' s gig, which bounded willingly towards the warship. All that morning and afternoon there was much jubilant activity on board the Hawke. ' ' Strike me stiff", ' ' said a sturdy Jackie who was hoisting ammunition from the forward magazine. " I did n't play for a shindy this trip, but you never knows j-er luck." " If things goes right to-day we '11 have a fair old beano. Bill," growled his mate, hoarse with the effect of nearly swallowing a quid when he caught the gunnery lieutenant's eye fixed on a suspicious lump in the side of his cheek, Arizona Jim sighed as he listened. A six-chambered re- Flazs — BritisJi and OtJiej'ivise 21 v> volver was a trivial thing beside a six-inch rapid-firing gun. For the only time in his life he envied his fellow-men. At three bells in the first dog watch, or, in shore phrase, 5.30 P.M., the Seafarer^ having ignored previous signals, was compelled to shut off steam in obedience to a gun fired across her bows by the German belted cruiser Das Rheinland, 6500 tons, ten guns, commanded temporarily by \^ice- Admiral von Grudenau. The order was imperative, and the matter at issue important, as the distinguished officer himself, escorted by an armed boat's crew, pulled off towards the Seafarer, and the watchers from the Hawke could easily distinguish an animated colloquy in progress on her deck between Von Grudenau and the Yankee .skipper. It soon ended. The German did not return to his own vessel, but rapidly approached the Hawke. He was received with cere- monious courte.sj\ After compliments, as they say in the East, he explained : " My imperial master, the German Emperor, being at war with France, demands the person of a French subject, one Monsieur Jerome K. Vansittart, who, I am informed, is on board this ship, which flies the flag of Great Britain, a neutral nation." He spoke as a man incensed at being set back in the moment of success. " I beg to refer your imperial master, the German Em- peror, to my royal mistress, the Queen of England," was Captain Hamilton's suave reply. " This, sir, is a subterfuge, and 5'ou know it," cried the Vice- Admiral, pale with suppressed anger. " I emphatically demand the delivery to my custody of this gentleman whom I see standing here." " And I as emphatically refuse to comply with your demand." " On what grounds, sir ? " " Firstly, because Mr. Vansittart, his wife, and brother-in- law are the honoured guests of H.M.S. Haxcke, and conse- quently of the British Government. Secondly, because you 2 2 The Lost Provinces fail to adduce proof that Mr. Vansittart is a French citizen. Thirdly, if he were, and on board this ship, it would, under the circumstances, require the whole German navy to take him off it." " Bully for j'ou, Cap," murmured Jim Bates, who stood close behind the British officer. Captain Hamilton, electri- fied at such a remark on his own quarter-deck, turned half angrily to the speaker, but a glance at Jim softened his expression. The German was ready to burst with rage. Full well he knew that he had been tricked b}- a specious artifice arising from wholly' unexpected conditions. Yet he dared not, and would not, return to Bremerhaven without attempting to serve his country in this ticklish affair. Why not strive, at the sacrifice of his life, to rid Germany of one potent enemy. He involuntarily made a half-step forward, whilst his right arm crossed to his sword, but Captain Hamilton and another officer sprang in front of him, and Arizona Jim's hand fell to his hip. There are times when a six-shooter is more convenient than even a six-inch gun. The incident passed so quickly that it might have been imaginary were it not accentuated by Evelyn's slight cry of alarm. Von Grudenau, with a rigid bow, said : " Further con- versation is useless. I must obey my orders. With your permission, sir, I will return to my vessel." As he spoke his eyes wandered along the lines of the Hawke. He could not fail to see that she was in fighting trim. Captain Hamilton followed his glance and smiled. " Will you not do me the honour of prolonging yo\xx visit and inspecting the ship ? She will bear scrutiny, I can assure you." The other politely waved the offer aside. " I have no option but to try what force can do," he said. " Any course you may see fit to adopt will afford me equal pleasure. But this is not a personal matter, sir. I am in Flags — British and Otherwise 23 duty bound to tell you that your ship is over-matched. You are rashly risking a useful vessel and the lives of your crew in striving to carr)' out 3'our unreasonable instructions." Again Von Grudenau bowed, and without further speech quitted the Hazuke. Not until he was well clear of her did he notice that the British man-of-war was now interpo.sed between the Seafarer and Das Rheinland. Captain Hamilton at once turned to Jerome. " Mr. Van- sittart, all non-combatants must be taken to safer quarters." The millionaire had expected some such request. ' ' Well, ' ' he said, " if I turn my back on the Germans this time it is only that I may have a better look at them afterwards. ' ' The Seafarer now made off as fast as her screw could re- volve. By the time Von Grudenau reached his own ship she was out of practical range, and the Hawke was slowly moving ahead. The frame of the fine cruiser seemed to throb with suppressed excitement. There was almost enough electricity in the bodies of officers and men to polarise her compasses. The British commander was not mistaken as to the enemy's intent. There was no nonsense about firing preliminary shells as range-finders. Trusting to possible forgetful ness, the first German projectile fairly struck the companion-way near which Vansittart had stood. Iron splinters and shat- tered woodwork kicked up a rare commotion in the locality, but Hamilton's nice calculation of Von Grudenau's objectiv^e was equally successful in averting loss of life or limb among his officers and men. Thereafter — for two minutes that seemed like hours — the listeners in an oil-lit cabin, near the engine-room, heard a series of violent explosions, erratic snorts of steam, a din of electric bells, and an indescribable rattle of machiner}-, whilst five times in rapid succession came a clang of battered iron accompanied by a staggering thud. Then there was silence, vague, terrifying, maddening quietude, when the strained ear listened for the least sound with the agonised intensity of one who mysteriously wakes 24 The Lost Provinces in the dead of night and strives to penetrate impenetrable gloom by the unaided sense of hearing. Evelyn clung desperately to her husband. The French maid, huddled up in a corner, sobbed hysterically ; and the three men each confessed afterwards that they expected the top of the cylinder to blow off. Suddenly the door opened, and L,ieutenant Blomfield entered. " Captain Hamilton wishes you to come on deck," he said. " If Mrs. Vansittart will allow me to hold her arm I will take care of her." From the calmness of his tone he might have been con- ducting them to witness a regatta, but Evelyn's arm bore the marks of his grip for days. The people on the Haivke had just passed through an extremely sensational and divert- ing performance. In such moments it is hard to differentiate between the sleeve of a gown and an iron stanchion. Events soon became intelligible. The third shell from the Hawkc had smashed Das Rhein- land' s rudder, and when Captain Hamilton had discovered his opponent's helplessness he ordered the " cease fire." The Hazcke's casualties amounted to three men killed and ten wounded, together with some broken plates and wrecked top hamper. Von Grudenau lost everything, as he was captured in La Manche by a small French squadron, sent out for the purpose of interviewing him and his three consorts. CHAPTER III A COUNCIL OF WAR WHAT shall I tell the people, sir ? " said the repre- sentative of the Figaro when he met Vansittart on board the Seafarer as she swung to her berth in the inner harbour at Havre. " Tell them," said Jerome, " that France and I conquered the Sahara ; surely, then, we are equal to the lesser task set us by Germany." " May I be infonned as to your personal intentions ? " " Only this, that I go direct to Paris to consult with the King. But, Monsieur, a word in your ear. Make much of the help given me by the British warship. Quote it as an earnest of English goodwill to P'rance. This war will not be an affair of moments, and when the stress comes it will be well to have England at our back. Do you under- stand ? ' ' ' ' Fully, Monsieur. Your wishes are law to every patriotic Frenchman." " And now," said Vansittart, " let us change roles. What news have you ? " The journalist glanced round nervously to make sure he was not overheard. " 111, Monsieur ! France is unpre- pared. The newspapers claim victories won for our arms, but each such victory heralds a German advance. I fear the worst, and have abandoned hope. Who can extricate us from this miserable position ? " The journalist forgot his mission in his patriotism. But the millionaire had long ago measured the French character, 25 26 The Lost Provhices and knew how to mould it to his will. " I have come from America to make a strong efifort, Monsieur. Confidence begets success. Tell France to be confident." The Figaro used the phrase as a headline next day. Vansittart could, had he chosen, have driven to Paris over the prostrate bodies of his admirers. There was no need to ask the public to trust him. He was their idol. No intelli- gence, not even the unexpected declaration of war, had created such a thrill of excitement throughout the country as the announcemnt of Jerome's landing. And when the labouring wires bore to every centre of population the full details of his sensational escape in mid-Atlantic, coupled with his first cheerful words of encouragement, excitement passed from fever heat to delirium. The magnetism of the hour spread to the army. Next day the northern German column sustained a severe check in the vicinity of Verdun. When an apparently impregna- ble flank was turned by a French brigade, each member of which fought with a vigour and determination that upset the scientific calculations of their opponents, the rallying cry of the fighting line was : " We are sent by the Emperor ! " The routed Bavarians were sent by the Emperor too; but they had not the same measure of belief in their com- mander. Paris wept with joy. When Vansittart reached the Gare St. Lazare, he found soldiers and populace in imminent danger of conflict. The authorities had detailed thousands of men to line the streets, and three regiments of cavalry to assist the infantry. But the people would not be repressed. They wanted to see, to cheer, to touch their idol, and for a little while their frenzy threatened to end in bloodshed. Vansittart grasped something of the ferment from the anxiet)' displayed by the commander of his escort. He settled the question by mounting an officer's charger, and himself leading the cavalcade at a walking pace through the A Council of War ~l streets. Everybody saw him, everj-body cheered him, and all were supremely delighted. This was one side of the question ; the other presented itself when, an hour after, he reached the Tuileries, and joined the King and his principal officers of State in the council chamber. Here gloom took the place of jubilation. With downcast and saddened faces the chief men in France made him cognisant of the bitter truth. They seemed to invite reproach by their words. A neglected army, a depleted navy, deficienc}- in guns and stores, skeleton divisions and inferior commissariat — these were the rusty weapons they opposed to the burnished panoply of Germany. A plethoric treasury was their worst indictment. Money was being lavished now, but was it not too late ? Only once did Vansittart betray resentment. When he heard of the meagreness in munitions and supplies he said, doubtingly and surprised : " Can this be possible with Pompier at the head of the department ? ' ' Silence followed this question. The members of the council looked at each other, until the King passionately explained : " I protested against it, Vansittart, but Court influences were too strong for me. Admiral Pompier was placed on the retired list, the department was split up into naval and military branches, and they are controlled by the Comte de la Feray-Metier and Baron de Champmai, respectively." " Are these gentlemen at present discharging the same re- sponsible duties ? " said Vansittart, with asperity in his tone. "Yes." " It is not their fault, probably. Liancourt, will you see to it that Pompier is recalled, by telegram, and given com- plete control. If he thinks these titled nonentities can help him, let them be retained. If not, they can be provided for elsewhere. ' ' lyiancourt smiled. This man, inscrutable to others, was 28 The Lost Proviiices an open book to Vansittart. It was easy to see that he re- joiced at the end of palace intrigues. One member of the council was not pleased at this first in- dication of the millionaire's methods. The fat, pompous, fussy Due de Tangier, who became Secretary of the Navy because he owned a successful yacht, rose and protested angrily. " Your Majesty, it is a matter of precedent that in such a serious resolve as that involved by the purposed change the opinion of the responsible authorities should be sought. I, as head of the naval service, protest against Mr. Vansittart's method of dealing with this council, headed as it is by your Majesty in person." "Who are you?" said Jerome, coolly. He felt assured that he must speedily assert himself, else he would be thwarted constantly by every jack-in-office who had sprung into existence beneath this mushroom monarchy. " The Due de Tangier, sir." " Was it upon your recommendation that Admiral Pompier was removed from the office to which I appointed him ? " " Yes, it was. Let me add, sir, that your words " " Are generally obeyed. Monsieur le Due, I give you the alternative of sitting down with a closed mouth, or being dismissed from your post." The Due sat down. Vansittart continued : " Lest there be any doubt concern- ing my attitude, I now tell you plainly that in the present desperate state of France there must be one commander-in- chief. If I am to fill that important place I will listen to your counsel, but my orders cannot be questioned. Insub- ordination here means dismissal ; in the field, death. Are these your terms, or do I return to the United States ? ' ' The King, who had cultivated some degree of tact since he ascended the throne, cried : " If you leave us, Vansittart, j^ou must take the Queen and me with you. We shall not be wanted in France. A Council of War 29 Come, Tangier, cry ' Peccavi.' If I am the King, do not forget that Mr. Vansittart is ' the Emperor. ' ' ' The crestfallen Due apologised, handsomely enough. Thenceforth he was the millionaire's keenest supporter. ' ' And now, Liancourt, ' ' said Jerome, ' ' what is the position ? ' ' Liancourt unfolded a map. " Ten days ago," he said, " the German Emperor simultaneously threw three army corps across the frontier. Three severe battles have been fought, besides several minor engagements. Although not routed, the French troops have been beaten by superior numbers, by superb concentration, and, particularly, by over- whelming artillery fire. " The northern German column, commanded by General Kreuznach, occupy the right bank of the Meuse, and have lodged a division across the river at Montfaucon. The cen- tre attack, led by the Emperor in person, is also in possession of the Meuse, Verdun being threatened, and in momentary danger of investment. " General Daubisson has, however, offered stout resistance on both lines of advance. He was admirably served by the railway companies, and has thus been able to check the enemy's progress much more than they anticipated. Their southern column has, unfortunately, been more successful. It has repelled, almost disastrously, two attacks from Nancy and Spinal, and we fear that the diversion of a large force from Belfort will mean the immediate launching of a fourth army corps collected at Mulhausen." " Is that all? " ' ' No. The worst has yet to be stated. The only efficiently mobilised troops in France are already at the front. The German armies have halted to consolidate and bring up reser\^es. Here they are vastly superior to us. Supposing that their next forward move be effectual, I fail to see how we can hope to arrest their march on Paris. ' ' "You summarise affairs rapidly," cried the King, with 30 The Lost Provinces some bitterness. He resented this terse version of his own convictions. " Your Majesty, we may deceive the enemy ; but, as you have said, we cannot deceive ourselves." " Where is the fleet ? " inquired Jerome. " Protecting the Gabes Canal, massed in squadrons at Marseilles, Toulon, Brest, and Cherbourg, and patrolling the Channel," broke in the Due de Tangier. " And the German fleet ? " " So far as we know, resting securely behind the guns of Bremerhaven, Hamburg, and Kiel. They cannot hope to match our navy, neglected though it maj'^ have been." Vansittart ignored the momentary sarcasm of the con- cluding remark. " Let every available ship be sent from all the points you have named, monsieur, into the North Sea and the Baltic, with orders to do as much damage as possible to German commerce, ports, navj', and fortifications. Cable instructions to commanders of vessels in distant parts of the world to sail for the nearest German colonj^ and find occupation there. This, I think, had better be put in operation at once. ' ' The Due rose, but he murmured : " Even a single Ger- man cruiser in the Mediterranean can do infinite damage to the Sahara works at Gabes." " I have not forgotten that possibility," said Jerome, quietly, and the Secretary for the Navy, in his new-born zeal, rushed impetuously from the room to his Admiralty headquarters. Vansittart took some writing materials and began to draft a memorandum, the others watching him curiously. With- out ceasing to write he inquired : ' ' Is the Secretary for War present ? ' ' " I am here," replied General Villeneuve. ' ' Are you well supplied with horses ? ' ' * ' On the contrary, I have had difficulty in collecting an A Counc?'/ of War 3 1 additional forty thousand which have been requisitioned at the front." " But you have them ? " " My hsts are nearly complete. I intend to begin for- warding them in batches to-morrow." * ' As for forage ? ' ' " Fortunately, we are well found in that solitary respect." " Good. I want you to collect ten thousand horses, strong and fast, and in good condition, together with a week's sup- plies for them, and five thousand men, at Sedan, as soon as possible." " At Sedan ! " broke in several voices in utter astonish- ment. Sedan is to the north of the present theatre of operations. In any case, it was a place of evil omen to the French mind. Jerome paused a moment in his writing, pulled the map towards him, scrutinised it for a moment, and exclaimed : " Yes, it is easily accessible by rail, and is just the right locality." No one questioned him. General Villeneuve, not wishful to oppose the millionaire, yet ventured on a suggestion : " We can hardly afford such a large number, monsieur. I pledged my word to General Daubisson that he should have forty thousand within a week." ' ' He will ! ' ' said Jerome, still writing. ' ' I bought twenty thousand before leaving the States. They will all reach Havre, Brest, or Cherbourg between to-morrow, Sunday, and Tuesday." A general buzz of subdued comment broke out at the table. The King looked at Vansittart's thoughtful face with something like wonderment in his own. Liancourt's air was ten years younger as he murmured to his nearest neighbour : " The Emperor has not changed, then." Gen- eral Villeneuve resolved to carry out instructions without comment in future. Jerome scribbled on industriously. 32 The Lost Provinces " Where is Colonel le Breton ? " was his next question. " He commands the cavalry division with the main army," said Villeneuve. ' ' Capital ; the right man in the right place. I am sorry that he should have to relinquish his post for a time." At last he ended his task, and carefully revised the manu- script. The watchful council noted that he appeared to be very particular as to its phraseology. Several times he cor- rected it, and once sought the assistance of the King as to the exact significance of a French idiom he had used. When quite satisfied with the production, he folded the document, and handed it to Villeneuve, saying : " General, I entrust the execution of the task detailed therein to you, Daubisson, and Le Breton. Have accurate copies made for the instruction of both those officers. Your part of the work will make itself clear on perusal, and no one else must be cognisant of its nature. May I be assured of your implicit adherence to my instructions ? ' ' "What you have ordered will be done," cried the War Minister, in unconscious paraphrase of Arizona Jim's favour- ite declaration. He at once quitted the assembly to attend to Vansittart's mysterious mandate. There, ' ' cried the millionaire with the contentment of one who has finished with a weighty undertaking, " I hope to hear the first news of that piece of work from England." '* From England ! " said Henri, with undisguised amaze- ment. " Yes. Your Majesty must be aware of old that I thor- oughly appreciate the press. The correspondents of the enterprising English journals will, I have no doubt, inform us as to the success or failure of my first personal blow at the German host." He explained to the council the nature of his intended coicp, and this will be made clear to the reader in the suc- ceeding chapter. A Council of Jfar 33 " I may say in conclusion," he added, " that I was not idle before I sailed from New York. My agents are buying arms, ammunition, horses and equipment, together with some special requirements of my own, at every possible centre in England and America. They are all consigned to a mythical individual named Hiram P. Sloker, of Boston, Massachusetts, but I have no doubt that they will eventuallj', and very soon, I hope, find their way to various French ports. The authorities must be instructed to look out for them, and the less said about these consignments the better. As I have already remarked, the press can render us great service, but it can do us even greater injury by making our secrets known to the enemy." " You have brought us new life, my friend," said the King, seizing Vansittart's hand impulsively. " You have plenty of life," was the cheerful answer, " but you needed rousing a bit. The catastrophe stunned you more by its suddenness than its magnitude. Believe me, France will arise from this supreme trial more powerful, more dignified than before. ' ' " She will be bankrupt in gratitude," cried I,iancourt. " Nay, that is impossible. Of all countries, she pays most dearly for slight services. Now to protect the Sahara. ' ' He wrote a telegram addressed to the British Foreign Secretary: " The exigencies of the campaign compel France to leave the Sahara canals at Gabes unprotected. Your in- terests, however, demand that they shall not be injured by any hostile power. Full explanations will be given to the British Ambassador in Paris." ' ' Germany will think many times before she acts once so as to impel Great Britain to activeh- side with us in this struggle," he explained to those present, and the message was despatched. When the council dispersed, Jerome sought his private apartments. He missed Evelyn, and in response to his in- quiries was told that the Queen, worn out with nursing her 34 The Lost Provinces ailing child during the harass of recent events, was taking a much-needed rest, whilst his wife was looking after the infant prince ; otherwise Honorine would not have left the boy with his attendants. Jerome smiled when he reflected that even in this troublous time the two mothers would find more to say concerning the youngsters than about affairs of State. As he commenced a letter to Pompier, Arizona Jim entered. Vansittart laid down his pen for a moment and Bates took the cue. " There 's bin a big talkee, guv'nor ? " " Yes, Jim, there has." " D' you rec'llect, boss, when we started West last trip, as I said that the French could cook bully, and fight well, but were no good at thinkin', so they 'd be sure to want you ag'in ? " " I remember it quite well." " An' they did want you, I guess ? " " Jim, when you grow too old for a fight you can set up as a prophet." " Well, boss, afore I tackle that job I reckon on seein' you knock the stuffin' out of the Emperor William. Lordy, it '11 be more fun nor a box of monkeys." " He is the biggest opponent I have yet encountered, Jim. He is erratic, believes implicitly in himself, and governs a stiff-necked people. The combination is a difficult one. I shall need a long rest when the job is ended." About the same hour in the afternoon the German Emperor learned of Vansittart's arrival in France, from the same source that the latter looked to for information, the English news- papers. William II. was too physically exhausted after a protracted reconnaisance at the front to fly into a rage at this reversal of the programme he had arranged. He perused the telegram in silence, and reflected moodily for some moments before he turned to his Chief of Staff, mwM Well, bobb, afore I tackle that job I reckon on seein' you knock the stuffin' out of the Emperor William.' " A Comicil of War 35 * * Von Waldersee, we must defeat Daubissoii at the earliest opportunity." " No doubt, sire, but it will not be judicious to cross the Meuse in force until we are reinforced." ' ' Nonsense ! We must attack immediately. The French have received a much stronger reinforcement than we can hope for, and we risk a great deal b}^ delay." " How can that be, your Majesty ? " " That confounded American, Vansittart, has somehow eluded my cruisers, and is now in Paris. His mere presence is worth more than a couple of army corps to France. At- tack ! I tell you. Let us get to Paris and then, if he has the resources of the devil, he cannot cope with us." De Tournon said the same thing when he sought to com- bat Jerome in his struggle for the throne. CHAPTER IV LE Breton's ride WHEN the histor}' of the War of the Revenge comes to be written, the foremost place in that remark- able work will be assigned to the ride of the five thousand. Though soon overshadowed by the tumultuous events of the period, it was not until the incidents of the campaign began to assume their relative proportions that the true value of the first thunderbolt launched by Vansittart against the invaders was perceived and fully acknowledged. It was then deemed such an honour to have ridden with Le Breton's famous body of horse that the survivors took stringent meas- ures to secure the accuracy of the heroic list, and the names and identity of every officer and private who accompanied their gallant leader were preserved in the official archives of France. To be a descendant of one of the five thousand was a distinction for a youth and a dowry for a maiden. No similar achievement adorned the annals of their great countrj'. For a proper understanding of the scope and object of this unprecedented military operation, it is necessary to quote fully the memorandum drawn up with such care by Van- sittart during the meeting of the Cabinet. It was collectively addressed to Generals Villeneuve, Daubisson, and Le Breton (the last-named having attained the rank already), and ran as follows : It is my intention that a column shall be formed at Sedan forthwith, 36 Le Bretons Ride T,y and dispatched, when fully equipped, for the purpose of cutting into and destroying the German lines of communication. The column will consist of 5000 selected cavalry soldiers, artiller- ists, and engineers, and for the purposes of the expedition they will be supplied with two horses per officer and man engaged. The arms carried will be sabres, revolvers, carbines, and a small number of machine guns. The order of priority shows the manner of their use, which must be solely defensive. No wheeled vehicles, ambulances, tents, or baggage can be taken. The column must, when occasion demands, be able to move at the rate of ten kilometres (seven miles) per hour. Each member of the expe- dition will carry food and grain for himself and his horses, but squadding arrangements will be made for the conveyance of reserve ammunition, implements, dynamite, and blasting powder. Anything approaching an engagement with the enemy must be absolutely avoided. Fighting will be the last alternative, but if the only way lies through the hostile lines, then that is the way. Those who fall die on behalf of France ; those who live and per- form their duties will have rendered their country the maximum of good service. The object of the column is destruction. Nothing of value to the enemy must be spared. Railroads, telegraph lines, bridges, rolling- stock, commissariat trains, equipage, and stores of every description — the only exception being hospital appliances— must be wrecked, burned, or blown up. The total distance to be covered, taking the line of the frontier from Villerupt to Markirch, and allowing for digressions, is, say, 125 miles. I will regard it as an excellent performance, if the column emerges at St. Marie aux Mines (Markirch) within three days. General Villeneuve will provide horses, stores, and equipment, a highly important item being an abundance of good maps of the front- ier. General Daubisson will supervise the selection of officers and men. General le Breton will take command of the column. I leave to Le Breton complete discretion as to the particular route to be followed, whether in French or German territory. The meas- ure of his success will be the loss and delay inflicted upon the enemy's lines of communication. I would recommend, however, that he divide his force into five small brigades, that at the first halt he should explain to every officer and man the exact nature of the enterprise and the conditions govern- ing it, that he should start on Wednesday, and that the rapidity of his advance should be governed only by the minimum of time re- 38 The Lost Provinces quired to destroy permanent works. The resistance offered by the enemy, when unavoidable, should never check the forward movement of the expedition. In conclusion, I wish General le Breton and his oflBcers and men good fortune, France commits her destinies to their hands, and I am assured they will prove worthy of the trust. My friends— to our next meeting ! Such was the extraordinar}^ " order of the day " that Le Breton caused to be read out to every company in his Httle arm}', when, on the evening of Wednesday, it had halted for an hour ahuost within sight of the charming village of IvOnguyon, situated at the confluence of the Crusne and the Chiers, and noteworthy as the junction of two frontier lines of rail. The expedition had gained Montm^dy by rail from Sedan, thus saving horses and men a tiresome and useless march of thirty miles. It was risky, this railway trip, lyonguyon, eleven miles farther on, was in the hands of the Germans, and a strong column would assuredly be detached from the northern army to attack Montmedy, thus providing securit)' on the right flank of the invaders. Vansittart had foreseen such a move — hence his order to mobilise at Sedan. But Le Breton judged rightly that time was more import- ant than risk, and he was, above all things, anxious to get to work before any inkling of his approach could be obtained by the Germans. He instructed his brigadiers to give to every man the opportunity of quitting the expedition before it was too late, and to lay particular stress upon the sad necessity there was to abandon all who were so severely wounded as to be unable to ride. Out of five thousand troopers, only one man, a private of the 1 8th Chasseurs in the 3rd Brigade, stood out from the ranks when his brigadier invited those who had aught to say to declare themselves. He was a native of Tarascon, a burly and muscular man, who had hitherto been regarded by his comrades as something of a fire-eater. His seem- Le Bretons Ride 39 ing defection was greeted with a roar of indignation by the i8th. " Hola, Tartarin," yelled one, " thou seest a lion, then! " ' ' This is no picnic for a capshooter ! ' ' cried another, and the laugh at these allusions to his immortal birthplace con- verted the common wrath into scorn. Pierre Laronde turned fiercely on the scoffers. " I fought with the Emperor in the desert and rode with him to meet the President," he vehemently cried. " Those who are bellowing did neither, I should think." The credentials were excellent. They procured silence. " Well, what is it ? " said the oflScer, good-humouredly. He saw that it was no recreant who approached him. " I ask the honour of a word with the General." " Hum, 't is contrary to discipline, but this is no time for ceremony. Come with me." When the pair stood before Le Breton, Laronde was in no wise abashed. " General, I see a way of doing you some service." " Out with it, and quickly." ' ' When I listened to the orders I said to myself, ' Pierre, it is well thought of, but perhaps the General, in attending to man}^ things, may have forgotten one. The Germans are well served by field telegraph, and they must be prevented at the outset from making dispositions to stop our advance by too great force.' Such was my reflection, General." " Thy reflection is good, soldier. Hast a plan ? " ' ' But yes. I and nine chosen comrades, two of whom can speak German and work a telegraph instrument, will, if you approv'e, General, try to get through the enemy's pickets at dusk, find the line to Damvillers, the headquarters of Gen- eral Kreuznach, cut it, connect up again, and tell him that a reconnaissance in force is in progress along the right bank of the Meuse from Montmedy." " Ha ! Kreuznach will think we travel south rather than west ? ' ' 40 The Lost Provinces "So, General." " Th)' name, vSoldier ? " " Pierre Laronde." ' ' Do this, Laronde, and when you next meet me you re- ceive your epaulettes. I like officers who can think." The man flushed with pleasure ; he needed no higher in- centive. At nine o'clock that night a message from the German commander at Longuyon, informing the headquarters staff that all was quiet on the flank, was suddenly interrupted. The operator in Longuyon, finding his instrument useless, reported the fact to his chief, who had also just received the unpleasant intelligence that two sentries had apparently been surprised and killed. A cavalry cadet came galloping up. ' ' Colonel, a strong body of the enemy's horse is advancing down the hill towards the bridge." To give colour to this statement, a sputtering of rifle-fire broke out and momentaril}- grew in volume. In fifteen minutes Longuyon was cleared of Uhlans and Bavarians, three bridges were destroyed, two railway via- ducts blown up, and a working party was busy planting a batch of d3'namite cartridges with detonating fuses in a long tunnel that pierced the hills leading to the frontier. To the Germans, confusion and chaos seemed to reign unchecked. Those who kept their senses and were in touch with the fighting, could not fail to notice that a vast body of horse, heedless of the conflict, poured headlong through the village in the direction of Diedenhofen. Meanwhile the defenders of the post were activ^ely hunted in every direction. A troop- train, with several officers and half a battalion of Hanoverians on board, dashed off towards Spincourt, the nearest point by rail to Damvillers, and the main line of German communi- cation ; but it plunged into a ravine at a point where Pierre Laronde and his little band had thoughtfully removed a rail. By midnight an entire division had been put in motion by Le Breton s Ride 41 General Kreuznacli, and was hastening northwards with the utmost speed, as not a word of reply could the staflF get to the singular and startling message from Longuyon, which came to hand at 9. 10 p. m. They encountered stragglers from the threatened flank, who announced that a French column — a division — an army corps of one hundred thousand men — had occupied Longuyon and was in full pursuit. There- upon the commander of the relief thought it his duty to halt until daylight. He did so, marched cautiously to Longuyon, and found only the evidences of the preceding night's disaster. At ten o'clock a dull explosion, followed by a violent earth tremor, meant that two months' hard work would scarce suffice to make the railway tunnel serviceable again, and Pierre Laronde and his comrades thought it high time to catch some riderless horses and ride fast after the main body. Le Breton's method of advance was admirable. Every time that a bridge had to be destroyed, or a section of the parallel railway dismantled, a small party halted and began their preparations, whilst the remainder of the force pressed on through the darkness. When all had passed, the dyna- mite did its work, and the wreckers rode off to become the rearguard in their turn. It was like some grotesque war- dance, repeating the figures of Sir Roger de Coverley on a gigantic scale, with the clatter of horses' feet for movement, and the thunder of powerful explosives for music. Sixteen miles from Longuyon, the head of the expedition reached Audun-le-Roman, the erstwhile French frontier custom-house. Here a small infantry guard was cut up, and two customs officers, captured in the first surprise of the in- vasion, set at liberty, and told to escape as best they might. Half an hour more and the sound of firing in front, instan- taneously drowned in a wild outburst of cheering, proclaimed the fact to villagers, startled from their sleep, that for the first time in a generation an armed force of Frenchmen had set foot upon the soil of Lorraine. This was at Fontoy, or 42 The Lost Pj-ovinces Fentsch, as the Germans have re-christened it, and here I,e Breton received a severe check, wholly unpremeditated on both sides. The leading troopers cantered round a bend into the village street, and found themselves in the midst of a swarm of sol- diers, infantry and artillery, being the nucleus of a division now being hastily formed in order to reinforce the main army on the Meuse. The hasty resolve of the Kaiser Wilhelm to penetrate into France, at all costs, was in process of realisa- tion at that moment. After the first gasp of amazement, the stolid Teutons recovered themselves, and a fierce afi"ray at once sprang up, growing instantly in volume as combatants from both sides packed into the narrow street. Here, of course, the well-drilled infantry had the advantage. In another minute volley-firing would have determined the melee, when I^e Breton, who rode ever close to the advance guard, arrived. A single glance revealed the situation to him. He saw that his leading squadron must be sacrificed if he would save the rest. Spurring his horse into a furious gallop, he rode back and halted the first brigade. Reaching a cross-road, he halted the second, and planted four machine guns here, simultaneously retiring the first brigade south- wards to the right. The remainder followed, but the move- ment had barely started when the remnant of the advance guard fell back, closely pursued by some mounted German gunners, with a mass of infantry pressing on behind. But I^e Breton's turn had come. The great advantage of the machine gun is that its fire is as destructive by night as b}' day, once the position of the enemy is clearly defined. In this case, all that was needed was to align the guns along a comparatively level road and blaze away, the four pouring an absolute torrent of lead into the mixed German force. Nothing could live against it. The pursuers, unable to re- treat with sufl&cient rapidity, owing to the crowding and con- fusion behind, suffered frightfully. Hundreds of men fell in that slaughter-house, and those who sought to escape into " A fierce affray at once s]irang up, growing instantly in volume as com- batants from both sides packed into the narrow street." Le Breton s Ride 43 the fields were ruthlessly cut down by French cavalry posted there to prevent at all hazards a flank attack on the new line of advance. It must be remembered that the German officers were wholly ignorant of the true position, and consequently un- able to make better dispositions for assaulting this marvellous foe who had sprung from nowhere. And he disappeared as promptly as he had arrived, leaving murderous tokens of his visit in the human shambles just beyond the village, whilst a series of explosions in the distance told the listeners that every time the road crossed a stream the bridge was destroyed. Two miles from Fontoy, Le Breton ordered a much-needed halt. It was now one o'clock. There was no immediate fear of pursuit or efficiently organised resistance, though the German staff at Damvillers and Thionville, Metz and Mars la Tour, were frenzied with annoyance at their inability to discover exactly what was going on. Orderlies raced about on horseback, field telegraphs clicked incessantly, even the Emperor at Fresnes was waked out of a sound sleep — but in vain. The incomparable German system of intelligence, which could have discovered a stray horse at any point over their fifty miles of front, was powerless to locate Le Breton and his little host, for the simple reason that he was now many miles in rear of the main body, and had already much disarranged the whole of the northerly communications. Until daybreak he was comparatively safe. Horses were picketed, some food hastily eaten, and the whole force com- posed itself for four hours' sleep. Beyond ascertaining that his total losses so far amounted to sixty-seven men and three officers killed and wounded, with some hundred odd honses lost, he had no fresh anxieties to deal w^ith. His route was cut and dried and every detail settled in consultation with his officers. Events must be dealt with as they arrived ; they could not be anticipated. " So far," growled Le Breton, as he composed himself to 44 The Lost Provinces rest with his saddle flap for a pillow, " I don't think Vansit- tart himself could have done better." The first beams of light found the little force making its toilette after a fashion described by the regimental wag of the 1 8th as a la mode chien. A hearty shake and a vigorous stretch, followed by a breakfast of tinned beef, biscuit, and a drink of wine from the stock of a local cabaret, formed the preliminary to an eventful day. Whilst all hands were busy saddling up, the General called to him the second in command, Colonel Montsaloy, a slight, active cavalrj^ officer, whose cheek-bones, chin, shoulders, and elbows were all based on a well-known propo.sition of Euclid affecting the properties of a right angle. " Montsaloy," he said, " give me your map." The other produced his military chart, and Le Breton traced a line on it. "I have been thinking out the situation during the last half-hour," he said, " and have decided on an important alteration. My original intention was, as you know, to pass southwards behind Metz, leaving it on my right. That holds good, but if we want to avoid the cert- ainty of being cut to pieces before the evening we must create a diversion. They will look for us at first between Metz and the frontier. Well, they must find you and a brigade there." " I understand you fully, General." " Good. You will proceed by way of Briey, Conflans, Mars-la-Tour, and Verny to Dieuze. If you can get there by five o'clock I will meet yo\x. If you cannot, well, an revoir ! " Colonel Montsaloy saluted, mounted, and cantered off to put his column in motion. A few minutes later, the dimin- ished main body followed, but deviated to the left and quickly gained the high road to Metz. Here they fell in with some scouting Uhlans, riding furiously towards Diedenhofen to discover the cause of the complete breakdown in the tele- graph to that important centre. None of these gentry Le Bretons Ride 45 escaped, else within an hour every cavalry soldier in Metz would have been in hot chase of the venturesome quarry. lyC Breton's advance now lay across country to I^es Etangs, and thence to the rendezvous at Dieuze through Courcelles, Fouligny, and Foulquemont. The reader who follows the course of events on a good map of lyorraine will quickly see the General's object in splitting the force. Should the junction by any chance be effected, the two sections would have done enormous damage to no less than thirteen lines of strategic railwaj^s and twenty-four main roads. Nearly the whole of these were constructed for the sole purpose of conveying troops and war material to the frontier. It would be a phenomenal achievement to render this important section of the German communications wholly useless for a time and very inadequate for a much longer period, as even German military engineers require many days, perhaps weeks, to effectively bridge ruined viaducts, repair torn em- bankments, and re-lay uprooted rails. Metz, too, would be completely isolated, and this in itself was a magnificent re- sult, the great fortress being a veritable storehouse of muni- tions of war. Whilst the two columns went on with their work of devas- tation, the entire German host, spread over a superficial area of nearly two thousand niles, was in an uproar. The Ger- man staff was called upon to deal with, not war, but rampant lunacy. Somewhere in their midst a number of madmen, estimated variously from a regiment to an army corps, were raging about with antics similar to the struggles of a blue- bottle in a spider's web. The speed of their mov'ement, the astounding effect of their passage, the conflicting reports as to their location at any particular time, were well calculated to upset the theorists bred in the school of the last war with France. There had been fighting in many places, that was clear. But effectual pursuit was a different matter. Infantry was useless, and neither cavalry nor guns could hope to travel 4.6 The Lost Provinces rapidly along a road once Le Breton or Montsaloy had passed that way. Nev^ertheless, as the day wore, something akin to definiteness took the place of the frenzied statements of the night and early morning. The object of the raiders was now clear enough. Not lunacy, but superb military genius, had dictated this deadly blow at the German organisation. The authorities at Forbach and Sarrebourg hastily con- certed measures to defend every important railway junction between those centres, and when General le Breton halted his troopers at two o'clock on the arid, salt-laden plain be- tween Chateau Salins and Dieuze, the presence of numerous vedettes on the horizon warned him that his next forward step would be severely contested. The French general was not mistaken. The salt mines at the latter town were crammed with German infantry. But they opened fire at a long range. This helped him a little, as he took ground to the right, only to find the railway line to Nancy swarming with men. At the range his machine guns were useless, and to give the necessary dramatic touch to the situation, three regiments of cavalry with six guns trotted into view right ahead, the artillery promptly trying his metal with shrapnell. With tired men and exhausted horses, Le Breton knew that he was in a tight fix. In fact he afterwards admitted that he was quite certain his enterprise had there and then come to an untimely end. But if he despaired he did not hesitate. Riding to the head of his column he pointed with his sabre to the enemy's cavalry, and shouted : " There lies our road, my children," and his wearied troopers made a brave effort to follow him. For the pur- poses of a charge they did not number two thousand, as the led horses, otherwise so useful, were now an embarrassment, and half of his men were guiding three animals apiece in the rear. The frightful dust, too, rising from the saline plain, added to the general discomfort. In a word, everyone expected Le Bretons Ride 47 that the foray had collapsed. The German guns were ou the enemy's left, which rested on some broken ground. By rare good luck for the French, the artillerists, reserv^e men hurrying to the front, were new to their work, and their practice was bad. Just as the German cavalry were breaking into a gallop to meet the onset, a fearful commotion broke out on their left. Montsaloy had turned up, in the nick of time, and was now sabring the gunners and taking the horse in flank. The unequal odds of the combat swung round with a vengeance. In place of Germans carving Frenchmen it was a case of precipitate flight to avoid being carved in their turn. What puzzled Le Breton most, even in the midst of the melSe, was the manner in which Montsaloy's brigade rode from out the defile. Their chargers lay to it as though taking part in a field day at Versailles. But Montsaloy soon explained : " I came upon six trainloads of remounts on the line between here and Vic," he shouted. " I boxed them in be- tween two broken culverts, helped myself, left a small guard, and the remainder are waiting for you." CHAPTER V HOW THE SECOND DAY ENDED SUCCESS is a wonderful tonic for fatigue. This wholly- unexpected escape from threatened annihilation raised the spirits and dispelled the weariness of every man iu the expedition. Montsaloy's lucky find of German cavalry horses enabled the troops to replace more than half of their own wearied ani- mals, which, by the ruthless law of war, they were compelled to shoot. Another desperate effort enabled them, as evening fell, to gain the shelter of a defile in the Vosges Mountains. So tired were many of the troopers that they slept as they rode, and at the earliest possible moment Le Breton halted to enable them to recuperate somewhat. Towards midnight the unpleasant inquisitiveness of the enemy's cavalry scouts forced the French commander to once more rouse his worn-out followers. For two hours they jogged steadily onward through rocky valleys shrouded in gloom by the frowning heights. Then Le Breton decided that, come what might, his men and horses should have a thorough rest, else they would be absolutely unfitted for the stern work of the following day. The Germans, of course, were now on the alert throughout the whole of their southern lines of connection. The Em- peror sent bitter and scathing telegrams to the generals of the division at Forbach and Sarrebourg, for having allowed the quarr>' to slip through their hands, and the latter un- fortunate officer was summarily degraded in rank. 48 How the Second Day Ended 49 The headquarters staff felt certain, from the latest details to hand, that the French marauders would endeavour to re- gain the shelter of their comrades' entrenched camp at Lune- ville ; imperative orders were in consequence given for a powerful force to gather in the neighbourhood of Avricourt and Blamont, in order to cut them up when they appeared. And cut up they assuredly must have been, had they tried to force this passage at any time after daybreak on Friday morning. Every hilltop was lined with scouts, every road and possible outlet crowned with furious German troops, longing for the opportunity of revenging the insults heaped upon their anns and the frightful havoc done to their com- munications by this intrepid body of horse. Hour after hour the Germans waited, eagerly scouring the eastern horizon for the first signs of their approaching enemies. At last they were roused into frenzied activity. The enemy had indeed arrived, but from a wholly unexpected quarter. General Daubisson, in person, leading a strong reconnais- sance of cavalry and horse artillery from Luneville, was now forcing a passage through the new rear of the German in- vaders. Of this more anon. At nine o'clock on a bright May morning, Le Breton and his brigadiers rode along the ranks of their gallant followers, addressing words of encouragement and good cheer to the men. The General had resolved upon the execution of one last bold coup before the final dash was made for liberty and France. There, five miles away, on the other side of the Schirmeck Pass, lay the little town of Mutzig, a great depot and manufactory of small-arms and ammunition ; but now, he learnt from the peasants, denuded of defenders save some hundreds of busily occupied workmen, most of whom were secretly enthusiastic Alsatians. Fifteen miles farther east, the Rhine flowed between vine-clad cliffs, and in the inter- vening country were the main line of railway between Stras- burg and Colmar, two branch lines, the Rhine canal, and two main roads north and south. To ruin Mutzig and its 50 The Lost Provinces stores, and destroy the thoroughfares by rail, road, and water, would indeed provide a glorious finale to the most re- markable achievement ever yet carried through by so small a force in a country held by such armies as owned the sway of the Kaiser. Le Breton made no secret of his desperate enterprise, and his m'en applauded him as he told what he wanted them to do. After all they had already accomplished under his guidance, they would have followed him in an attack upon Metz itself. The column had crossed the top of the pass when the rear- guard saw through their glasses a solitary horseman spurring furiously after them. He was hatless, dressed in civilian at- tire, and obviously alone. They waited in silence until he drew near. When they halted him, he explained, with an unmistakable British accent, that he was one of the war correspondents of the Times, and asked to be brought before the General. This newcomer was in strange plight. His clothes were torn and shot through in several places. Along his right cheek a bullet had torn a slight furrow, which had, nevertheless, bled profusely, and rendered him a sorry ob- ject. His horse, a fine hunter, was in the last stage of ex- haustion, and barely able to support himself by propping out his forelegs when the mysterious rider dismounted. The man, too, though strongly built and hard-looking, was clearly suffering from hunger and fatigue. Yet his manner was perfectly calm, and the French soldiers marvelled whence or how he had reached them, whilst they noted, with silent approbation, that his first thought was for his horse, in whose behalf he obtainred a pail of water and some food. The officer he addressed did not know how to deal with this apparition, so he promptly acceded to his request, and took him to the General. " Whom have we here ? " was I,e Breton's first question. The Englishman produced his official pass, signed by How the Second Day Endea 5 1 Villeneuve and Daubisson, setting forth that he was Mr. Herbert Fairfax, war correspondent of the Times, and fully accredited to accompany the French armies in the field. "But how is this?" cried the astounded General. ' ' Whence come you ? ' ' " From Luneville. I left, last night, in advance of Gen- eral Daubisson 's column." " Column ! What column, monsieur? " " A cavalry reconnaissance in force, which, by this time, is breaking through the German front at St. Die." " With what object? " " In order to ascertain your whereabouts, and assist you if possible." " Diable ! 'T is well. Yet how could Daubisson guess my position so accurately ? ' ' ' ' It was hardly a guess. Mr. Vansittart, informed from England and Belgium of your progress, estimated that you would be in this neighbourhood to-day, and probably hard pressed, so he asked the Commander-in-chief to try and help you. ' ' ' ' Monsieur, 3'ou bring good news. Nevertheless I am at a loss to know by what means you have reached me. ' ' " Oh, I just started, and here I am." " By Saint Denis, I see you, but my brains do not travel so quickly as my eyes. Here you are, indeed ! How did you get here ? Why did not the Germans stop you ? " "They tried all they knew," said Fairfax, indicating with a smile his scarred face and torn clothes. " But it is difficult to shoot .straight at night, and I was better mounted than the Uhlans. I regret the necessity that compelled me to bore holes in three of them." " Monsieur," cried Le Breton, " you are an Englishman ! Let it suffice ! Enough for me that you are a brave man. I welcome you. Yet must I add that you have joined us at a ticklish moment." * ' I wanted something to write about, ' ' laughed the other, 52 The Lost Provinces " and, if all I hear be true, you are providing first-rate ' copy.' But before we proceed, General, may I suggest that a few trustworthy men, hiding among the hills, may fall in with General Daubisson, and give him definite news of your intentions ? " The hint was acted upon with excellent effect. Mutzig was attacked at 11.30 a.m. The small body of defenders were taken by surprise, but they were able to close the gates and line the ancient fortifications on the threatened side. A vigorous use of the machine guns and carbines of dismounted troopers soon settled this effort at resistance. The sappers crossed the trench and tore the ironwork of the gate into pieces with dynamite, whereupon the Germans surrendered at discretion. Whilst this busy work was in progress. Colonel Montsaloy and his brigade again struck off across the country on a four miles' ride to Obernat, where a rail- way and a main road intersected each other. In Mutsig the Frenchmen speedily dismantled the small- arms factory. The terrified townspeople, unable to escape into the country, and fearful of the destruction now being wreaked upon a colossal scale, remained in their houses, furtively peeping from their windows at the unwonted spectacle provided by French soldiers riding through their streets. The last time Frenchmen swaggered about Mutzig in uniform, the arsenal of to-day was the palace of a bishop. IvC Breton did not forget to station cavalry vedettes on all the approaches to the town. Nothing of moment occurred until two o'clock. At that hour a chasseur came riding hard to report that a troop-train was discharging an infantry regiment on the farther side of a gorge about a mile distant, where the junction line from Strasburg and Saverne crossed a turbulent stream. The viaduct had been blown up long before ; and the French officer in charge of the outpost had sent him to give the earliest warning of this hostile move. Another scout, and yet another, arrived, breathless with the news that train after train, obviously sent from Strasburg, How the Second Day Ended 5 3 were bringing more infantry, with horses and guns, that the German skirmishers had crossed the torrent, driving the French vedettes before them, and that a temporary bridge was in process of construction from the ruins of the viaduct for the passage of guns and horses. It was possible at this moment for Le Breton to retreat towards Vosges, with the hope of falling in with Daubissou's relief expedition. But he had promised Montsaloy to wait for him until four o'clock. It was now 2.30. In an hour and forty minutes Mutzig would be surrounded by fresh and infuriated opponents. This, then, was the close of the bril- liant raid ! That night he and his gallant comrades must be killed in battle or shot in squads afterwards. He knew well that quarter would not be given to a solitary officer or man once the Germans had them in their power. It was hard to be caught like a rat in a trap at the precise instant when there did seem to be some chance of escape. There, towards the west, lay the unoccupied road across the Vosges to Luneville, but not a sign from the east of Montsaloy' s return. Le Breton summarised the maddening situation in a few words of emphatic colloquial French, and set himself to examining his defences. Unfortunately his zealous men had already destroyed every piece of modern ordnance, with all the ammunition, in the town. Soon a German battery, undeterred by a steady long-range fire from the walls, was laboriously hauled into position on a cliff barely three quarters of a mile distant, and the eager gunners hardly gave themselves time to align one twelve- pounder before a shell screamed through the air and struck a house in the little market-place, sending fragments of brick and mortar in all directions. "You had better have remained with Daubisson," said Le Breton grimly to Fairfax, who was recuperating from his fatigue b}' sitting on an empty packing-box and smoking. " Not I," was the cheery reply. " These chaps are afraid of you. Instead of trying to rush the place forthwith, they 54 The Lost Provinces will proceed by set rule. And every minute they hesitate is probably worth a year's life to you." ' ' And you also, monsieur. ' ' " Oh, no ; I 'm safe enough. This is too big a thing for the Times to miss it. I must get through somehow," " I like your spirit, my friend," said the General. " But, pray, make no mistake. These Germans will spare no one attached to this party." " General," said the other, lighting a fresh cigar, " I mean to leave Mutzig to-night with an escort of French sabres." Fairfax was undoubtedly sanguine. Mutzig was at that moment undergoing a hailstorm of lead. Bullets swept through the streets from the neighbouring heights, and a couple of shells from the battery having smashed the de- fences of the northern gate, the gunners were adding to the fusillade by salvoes of shrapnell. Le Breton's orders to his men were to seek all possible shelter and confine themselves to strictly defensive tactics, so the casualty list was not large. At last the inadequacy of the reply from the town encouraged the attackers, who were momentarily increasing in strength, '.o attempt a rush at the dismantled gate. But if the Frenchmen were caged, their claws were still sharp. The machine guns, drawn up at an effective angle, quickly cleared the gate and its ap- proaches, and the Bavarian regiment that had essayed the charge left sufficient killed and wounded on their path to form two companies when they retired. This sharp repulse showed the Germans that the assault would not be the easy matter they had assumed. A change of tactics was necessary. The town must be completely sur- rounded, and a plunging fire from all sides would rapidly render it untenable. Another battery arrived and started at a gallop to a point which commanded the south. The guns were unlimbered, and their first batch of shells hurtled through the streets before a burst of cheers from the de- fenders on that side made known to their comrades the How the Second Day Ended 5 5 welcome fact that this new enemy had been somewhat dis- concerted. Whilst the German gunners were busy correcting the ad- justment of their cannon, Colonel Montsaloy's brigade sud- denly appeared over the crest of the hill, and in a few strides the leading squadron was in the midst of the battery. No cavalry escort had been provided or thought necessary b)'- the Germans, so the affair was over with the speed of a sum- mer squall. The six guns and their attendants were literally ridden down. A German infantry battalion, perceiving the disaster, changed front in order to return the compliment to the French cavalry, but I,e Breton, heedless of the northern artillery, ran his machine guns out into the open, and gave the deploying infantry other occupation than emptying saddles at five hundred yards. In five minutes Montsaloy and the survivors of the brigade — they had met with some trouble before they finally blew up a lock in the canal — entered Mutzig. This temporary success elated the troops, yet the most sanguine amongst them knew full well that there was no chance of being ex- tricated. All they could do was to sell their lives dearly. Some hours of daylight were still at the service of the Ger- mans. Le Breton had no plan and no hope. His only shght glimpse of possible escape lay in a desperate dash for the frontier when darkness fell, if he could hold out so long — a more than doubtful postulate. The German fire became fiercer and more effective. The wretched inhabitants of the town suffered even more than the soldiers. Shell after shell burst among the houses and set them on fire, the flames driving forth those who had escaped from the projectiles to encounter greater risk from the bullets that flew in all directions. Wounded horses screamed with pain and fright. The number of burning houses increased at such a rate that all Mutzig seemed to be enveloped in smoke and sparks. The still air became op- pressively hot, and people fainted from sheer exhaustion 56 The Lost Provinces and despair. Through this pandemonium dazed men and shrieking women and children raced about wildly, seeking for some nook secure from the leaden showers, or collapsed, speechless and horror-stricken, where they chanced to fall. Truly, war may be a game for Emperors, but it is worse than a pestilence for those unfortunates who are forced to suffer its terrible realities. Many thousands of German infantry had now reached the locality from Strasburg, and a determined attack was made upon the two available gates, whilst fresh artillery took the place of the destroyed battery. Even Fairfax was beginning to think that the Times would miss its most enterprising " special," when a sharp rattle of musketry and the deeper boom of cannon on the west caused the hearts of the defend- ing force to beat with tremulous anticipation. Was it only a development of the German assault, or could it be that Daubisson — Uncertaintj- soon yielded to conviction. French guns were engaging the nearest German battery, dismounted French cavalry w^ere driving back the wings of the German infautr}' so unexpectedlj- taken in flank, and French horse- men were massing in squadrons preparatory to a superb charge through the entire length of the German position on the north. Le Breton's eyes were aflame as he roared the necessary orders to his ofiicers. There was no time to wait for regu- larity or precision. Ever}- man who could ride caught the nearest horse and slung a wounded comrade up behind him. Rabble-like, but methodicallj' enough for their purpose, the troopers poured out of the town towards the relieving force. In five minutes lyC Breton was shaking hands with Daubis- son, and Fairfax was biting the end off another cigar with the equable serenity of the man who is able to say, ' ' I told you so." Ten minutes later the French reconnaissance column was in full retreat towards the Vosges, not forgetting to blow up every bridge they crossed in the march. The last sight of Hoiv the Second Day Ended 5 7 blazing Mutzig enjoyed by Le Breton and his comrades was from a hillside where the road enters the Schirmeck Pass, whence they could clearly see that their erstwhile assailants had found fresh occupation as amateur firemen. When asked afterwards to narrate the most trying experi- ence of the whole sensational escapade, every man who took part in the expedition said that his worst memories clustered round the misery of that final march to the frontier. Such fighting as took place — and there were hard knocks given and taken before Daubisson reached Luneville again — did not afiect the survivors of the raid. Utterly spent with the labours and excitement of the past sixty hours, too ex- hausted to eat, too weary to even speak, they jogged on through the night, and the strenuous efforts of their com- rades were needed to keep more than half of* them from lying down by the roadside. Whenever a halt was neces- sary it was with difficulty the men were started again. Curiously enough, the worst sufferers were those who re- tained their vitality to the last. Le Breton and his Five Thousand — now, alas, little more than three ! — had ridden nearly one hundred and thirty miles in sixty hours through a hostile country swarming with foes. They had fought several severe battles ; they had worked like navvies in their task of destruction ; they had slept little and eaten less. But the blow they struck at the German arms was incalculably severe. Its influence was felt throughout the war long after the merely outward signs were effaced by German enterprise and persistence. Above all else it gave Vansittart the one great essential he lacked in pitting his brains and his money against the German Emperor. Time alone, to his view, was what he required — time to recuperate the exhausted energies of France, to arouse her dormant strength. And this much-needed respite he had obtained, for though the Kaiser might bawl ' ' To Paris ! " as loudly as he chose, his splendid army corps dared not to cross the Meuse until their shattered base was perfected again. CHAPTER VI THE DEAD BODY THOSE two words, " To Paris," became, with every hour that fled, more and more a fixed idea, a spur, a mania, in the mind of Wilhehn. The delay caused by the havoc of Le Breton's ride added to his fever a touch of delirium. He desired to fly, and found it impossible to walk. He was like a man who in the night has a dream of wings and wakes in the morning with gout in his legs. Vansittart also experienced the magnetic power of the phrase. Wilhelm's dream was the American's nightmare. He dreaded the influence of every forward step of the enemy upon the volatile mind of the French nation, so prone to despair as well as to hope. " To Paris ! " cried Wilhelm when he found himself alone, with gesticulations and out- .stretched right arm. " Anything but Paris ! " groaned Vansittart, turning on his bed in nightlong sleeplessness. The splendid success of L,e Breton's ride gave the million- aire a little relaxation from his agonies of unrest ; for the present, at least, Wilhelm had his work cut out, not before, but behind, him. But Vansittart' s breathing-space was short. The frantic energies with which the Germans threw themselves into the task of repairing their shattered bases warned him that what he did he must do quickly. And what he had to do was this : he had to gain one great fixed battle over one or other of the German armies under circum- stances dramatic, striking, and calculated to appeal to the French imagination. It was because he had appealed chiefly to the imagination that Napoleon had been Napoleon ; he 58 The Dead Body 59 had been artist or dramatist first, and general after. From one such victory per se, Vansittart looked for little practi- cal result ; but he knew well that to a nation like the French defeat at the outset meant ruin ; that success at the outset meant invincibility. And in order that the victory might be striking and dramatic, he himself must be there with the army, commanding it — he, Vansittart. Paris was no place for him. His eagerness to set out became in a few days a fever with him. But he could not go. First of all, there was a whole world of business, a whole cosmos of organisation, which his tired brain had to arrange before he could dream of leaving the capital. Secondly, by some perfectly organised and de- termined hostile agency, the chief railway lines east of Paris were temporarily ruined by viaducts and bridges being blown up, notwithstanding the most elaborate precautions on be- half of the companies after the first outrage occurred. Thirdl)^ just as he was on the point of leaving affairs to take care of themselves in order to reach the front by a cir- cuitous route, the body of an unknown man was found float- ing, all bloated and disfigured, in the Seine. What had this water-soaked corpse to do with the million- aire, with the destinies of France ? Archimedes offered to lift the world, if someone would only provide him with a fulcrum. Fate is the fulcrum by means of which the small affairs and selfishnesses of individuals affect the general history of Man. Had the man been murdered, or was it a suicide ? That became the question. Not the g-eneral ques- tion, for one thought, and only one, filled the mind of the population of Paris — the War, namely, and how Vansittart and Wilhelm would severally acquit themselves therein. But the question of murder or suicide occupied for days the brain of at least one man — of Folliet, the Prefect of Police. The body was found at nine o'clock on a Tuesday morning. The same night Folliet was closeted with a detective in one of the small inner rooms of the Prefecture. His sharp. 6o The Lost Provinces angular features were bent in eager inquisitiveness close to the face of his subordinate. " Murder ? " he said. " Oh, I suppose that 's about it," answered the other. " No marks ? no wounds ? " " None. And the funny thing is the Arrondissement doctor says the man does n't look to hira as if death was due to drowning." " Poison, then ? " " No — no poison, that 's certain." •' n7/a/washe?" ' ' He looks to me like a German ; you know, those bullet- headed Germans with the back of the skull all flat like a board." ' ' Wliere is he ? " " At the Morgue at present. You can see him, it you like." " I will see him. Nothing found on him ? " " Only a little piece of wet cardboard in his pocket, marked in red ink with a big 6. It may be a 6 or it may be a 9, for that matter." " Sure he 's a German ? " " I should say so. Fair hair too." " Look here, there is more in this thing than you think. No clue at all ? " " I don't think it 's a clue, but there 's a German, a man named Bach, lately disappeared." " Ah, tell me about it ! " ' ' He was a lager-beer seller. No. i , Rue Musette. His description tallies very well with the body found, and at first I felt pretty sure that they would turn out to be the same. But so far, it does n't look as if they were." ' ' How so ? " " This morning a girl came to give notice that Bach had disappeared. Bach 's a w'idower and the girl 's his sweet- heart. A little before that the body had been found, and The Dead Body 6 1 we took the girl to see it. She said it was n't Bach, though it was like him. ' ' Folliet smiled. ' ' How long since Bach disappeared ? ' ' " Since Friday night." " So that the body has been four days in the water, if it 's Bach?" "Yes." ' ' And very much swollen ? ' ' "Oh, yes." " And the girl was frightened ? " ' ' Shuddering. ' ' " Well, then, I suppose a man of your experience knows what this evidence is worth. Ten to one she only glanced at the thing, and saw a very different Bach from the one she remembers. Yet she says the body was ' like him.' " ' ' That 's so, sir. But I must point out that the girl also said that Bach never dressed like that. The clothes were wrong. ' ' " Ah ! The corpse's clothes were peculiar, then ? " " No, not that I could see. But his hat was a little peculiar. ' ' " Then it was this hat the girl meant. In glancing in disgust at the bloated face, she caught sight of the hat. That 'sit. Tell me about the hat." " It was a cap with a glazed peak, turned down. It was found floating near him. Stuck between the ribbon and the side of the cap was a feather." " So ? What sort of a feather ? ' ' " A fowl's, I should say, or — or — a pigeon's." " What makes you think of a pigeon ? " " The feather is glossy like, and has hues on it like a pigeon's." " I see. Let us say a pigeon's, then. And Bach never wore a cap with a pigeon's feather stuck in it, did n't he ? But tell me about Bach all the same : he interests me. Did anything happen just before he disappeared ? " 62 The Lost Provinces " No, it seems not. At seven on Friday evening the girl was with him in the parlour behind the shop. He did n't seem, she says, quite at ease — a Uttle fidgety, perhaps — rather a nervous kind of man, she says Bach is — he kept glancing at the clock. At last he jumped up suddenly, and said he was sorry, but she must leave him that night, as he had an appointment which he must keep. So she went ; and Bach has not since been seen." " He shut up his shop to go, then ? " " Soit seems. He lived alone on the premises. It 's one of those tiny liquor shops up Montmartre way." " It must have been a deuced important appointment this of Bach's, Carot ! " said Folliet. " So it seems, sir." " And in order to keep it he found it necessary to put on a cap with a pigeon' s feather, eh ? " ' ' Yes, if Bach and the corpse are the same. ' ' " They are, man. Can't you see ? If a man disappears mysteriously, and a body is found in the river, the primd fade presumption is that the body belongs to the man. But how if the man and the body happen to be both German in a non-German city ? And how if the body, though bloated and disfigured, still remains something like the man ? Then the presumption gets pretty near to certainty, I think. I am surprised at you, Carot." " No doubt you are right, sir," said Carot. " The doctor says the body has been in the water three or four days, and that is another coincidence which tallies with the time of Bach's disappearance." " Very good. And about the girl — have you found out anything about her ? " " Not yet." " What 's her name?" " Agnes Carhaix." ' * Where does she live ? ' ' " Rue Pigalle, No. ii." The Dead Body 63 " Good. You are to understand, Carot, that this case is now in my own hands. Come along with me. I am going to have a look at Herr Bach." They went out together, down by the river-side, and at the Place de la Concorde stepped into an eastward-plying steamer. Near those big bathing-houses, called " Samari- aine," in the neighbourhood of the Pont Neuf, Carot pointed. " There," he said, " is the spot where the body was found — just there east of the bain, almost touching it." " But the wonder is," said Folliet, " that a man getting drowned in this frequented part of the river remained un- noticed so long. The body must have been at the bottom some days, and then floated." " I suppose that 's it, sir." " Well, and what does that prove to you ? " " I don't know what you would be getting at, sir." " Well, it proves this, Carot : that the man was alive when he touched the water. A dead body thrown into a river floats, you know, if it is not weighted. A living body takes water into the stomach and sinks. If this man sank, he was living at the moment he reached the river, that 's clear." " Which makes it rather look as if it was a suicide, sir," said Carot. " H'ni," answered Folliet, " \iyo2i never heard of a living man being thrown into a river without his consent, /have." They came to the bridge, landed, and crossed to the island of the Cite ; then past Notre Dame, to where the little, low shed, which is the Morgue, stands gloomily facing the public street. In the centre of four other bodies, lying on raised slabs behind the air-tight glass partition, lay the man they had come to see. Folliet leant his forehead against the glass watching the horrid, still face, with musing eyes. " Well, M. Bach," he said after ten minutes, " you are keeping your secret pretty close now, I think ; but I shall find it all the same, my man." Then to Carot : " Where 's the cap, and the ticket with the 6 or 9 ? " 64 The Lost Provinces " They are behind," said Carot ; " we took off the cap after the attempt at identification." " Very well, let us have a look at them." They proceeded at once into a room behind, where the hat hung among a host of ghastly relics on the wall. Folliet took it, and, with a magnifying glass from his pocket, com- menced to examine the feather and ever}- portion of the surface. Presently an exclamation came from him. He had found within the leather lining of the cap a small piece of wet paper folded upon itself several times. " Ah," he said, " Bach's cap, you see, was rather too large for his head. Yet, surely, this kind of cap will fit almost anybody's head ! If he took the trouble to stuff it with paper, that shows that it must have been not only too large, but very much too large ; and that again shows that M. Bach did not purchase this particular cap for himself. How think you, Carot, that this beer-seller of Montmartre came by a cap procured by somebody else ? ' ' " Ah, sir, that I don't know," replied Carot. "No, nor I neither," said Folliet, "but that is what we 've got to find out, you see. Let 's have a look at the paper." Fold by fold he opened the damp leaf. It was ruled with red lines, and looked as if it had been torn from an account book ; on it were written some words whose blurred outlines were now all but illegible. But by the aid of the glass Folliet was able to read them, and when he read them, he smiled. The words were : " 3 casks bock. Bottled, 5 dozen absinthe. Lager, 17 litres." "This, Carot, is a little bill of Bach's," said Folliet. ' ' Suppose I tell you that it is a bill for beers and spirits, will you still doubt that the beer-seller and the corpse are the same ? ' ' The Dead Body 65 " Well, no, sir, of course." " All right, then I do tell you so. And now, the card- board." This, too, he examined. It was small — about an inch square — dry and peeling. But on it, quite legible, was the red 9, or 6 with curving tail. Folliet put it into his pocket. " And now for M. Vansittart," he muttered. He walked out alone, hailed 2i Jiacre, and went driving west- ward along the river at the rapid pace of the Parisian cabmen. His brow was very thoughtful, full of wrinkles. He got out at the lyouvre, and walked across the quadrangle to the re- builded Tuileries. He was puzzled at himself. He had come to claim an interview with a man crushed imder the w^eight of pressing affairs, and he hardly knew what the interview was to be about. He gained, of course, easy admittance. Passing along a corridor in the interior of the palace, he caught sight of a female figure rushing across it from one door to another opposite. She, too, saw him, and half stopped with an inclination of the head. Folliet bowed pro- foundly. It was Honorine, the Queen. She disappeared, but, before he had reached the door, returned. The part which Folliet had taken in placing her upon the throne she well knew. His presence here, she thought, might be as important as anything else could be. She had turned back to meet him. She stood before him, a head taller than he. Folliet was a somewhat wizened person, with a face dry and lean and hard. Over his brow fell his thin, iron-grey hair. "You want to see M. Vansittart, M. Folliet?" asked Honorine. " Your Majest}- — yes." " He is so overwhelmed, you know," she pleaded. " I know, your Majesty." " You could not tell t?!C your business, could you ? I am only a woman, but I promise " " Your Majesty has commanded," said Folliet. " No, not that exactly, monsieur," she laughed. " But 66 The Lost Provinces if it can be done it may save time and poor M. Vansittart's racked brain." " Really, your Majesty, I came more to know than to im- part knowledge. There are certain points with which it is essential that I should be acquainted. The first is this : when exactly does M. Vansittart propose to set out for the army? " Honorine bent closer to his ear in a kind of playful triumph. ' ' Soon — soon, ' ' she said. "To-day?" " No." ' ' To-morrow ? ' ' " Yes ; in the afternoon." " Who knows of his intention ? " " Who? Why, half a dozen people, I fancy. Is there any reason why it should be a secret ? " " There may — there may," he said gravely. ' ' You surprise me, monsieur. Pray tell me your meaning. ' ' " Your Majesty must understand that there are certain kinds of intuitions, especially in the minds of investigators of crime, which cannot be imparted. We see a shadow, and at once assume a substance, but to the ordinary observer the shadow is a shadow merely. It happens that to your ques- tion I am unable to give an}' reply that would convince you. I will say this, however, that the time of M. Vansittart's departure ought, certainly, to be known to as few persons as possible, and I suggest, as a matter of simple precaution, that, since it is already known to be fixed for to-morrow, it be postponed till the day after." Honorine was utterly surprised. " You know, of course, monsieur," she said, " the gravity of the proposal you make ? Let me tell you, in your ear, that a great and possibly a decisive battle is even now im- pending. It is absolutely, it is urgently necessary that the departure of M. Vansittart should not be delayed an hour." Her tone was earnest and emphatic. Folliet dropped his eyes and was silent. The Dead Body 67 " In that case, your Majesty," he said at last, " little re- mains to be said. To-morrow let him go. He will no doubt be accompanied to the station by a strong guard with- out any counsel of mine. Heav^en onl}^ grant that all the enemies of your Majesty's throne may be without the walls of this palace and none within it," ' ' Within it, monsieur ? Have you any suspicions of such a state of things ? ' ' " No, your Majesty, no definite suspicion. But it is easy to see how even one unfaithful menial in the place, supposing a hostile combination outside, might be more fatal, in the way of supplying information and in other ways, than the cunning of a thousand enemies." ' ' That is true, monsieur ; but your words are very vague. To what hostile combination do you refer ? What can be its object ? Is not M. Vansittart the idol of all Paris ? " " I referred to no special hostile combination, your Ma- jesty," said Folliet, " nor do I know its object. It exists, as we know from the destruction of the railway lines. But an old ferret like me becomes, you know, in time, a kind of barometer ; he feels a change in the social atmosphere, and shivers involuntarily at the coming storm." " Well, well, I will think over what you have said. I will find a chance to speak to M. Vansittart. As to unfaith- ful people in the palace, they may exist. But how can we know them ? Treachery does not print itself in red on the brow. ' ' " Any Germans, your Majesty ? " ' ' Germans ? I do not think so — I do not know. There may be one, or two, or three. It is possible. But, surely, they may be our most faithful subjects." Folliet bowed, retiring backward. Honorine extended her hand. " Your recommendations shall not be forgotten, mon- sieur," she said. " Meanwhile, rest assured that we have every confidence in the hundred eyes of M. Folliet." CHAPTER VII NO. II, RUE PIGAIXE IT was now growing dark. Folliet descended hurriedly from his interview with the Queen, and in the Place de la Concorde sprang into ^fiaar. He told the cocher to drive to the Rue Pigalle, No. ii. This street runs north-east and south-west from the Place de la Trinite, starting from near the fine church of that name. It is narrow, and winds somewhat. The jalousied houses are large, but decayed and sombre. There is a certain mystery, a hint of squalor. No. 1 1 had a gloomy exterior. It was big, and the grey jalousies were every one closed. In the courtyard there was no concierge. But Folliet, penetrating a few steps beyond the gate, was met by a girl some twenty years of age, well figured, with dark face, and hair in disorder. She was quietly dressed. Her eyes looked as if they had been crying. " I want to have a talk with Agnes Carhaix," said Folliet. " But I am she, monsieur," said the girl. " Good. I am of the police — from the Prefecture. You called this morning, I think." " Yes, monsieur, but " " I just want to have a talk with you." " Well, monsieur — if that is so " Her eyes dropped. She was confused. "What the devil," said FolHet to himself, "is the matter ? ' ' ' ' If monsieur will — will step this way with me — we might sit together in the Cabaret au Vrai Bruyant just yonder outside, and there talk." 68 No. II, Rue Ptgalle 69 " Can't anyone enter the house, then, I wonder? " said FoUiet to himself. Aloud he added : " Really, but it is n't worth all that trouble, you know. I wanted merely to ask you a question or two about your sweetheart, M. Bach. I may tell you at once that we have every hope of finding and restoring him to you, if we can just get a few facts." The girl's eyes leapt upon him. " Of finding him — really, monsieur ? " she said. " Yes, really — why not ? These temporary disappearances are quite common, j'ou know, in a place like Paris. Let us sit in the room here a little, and talk the matter over. ' ' Still she hesitated a moment. Then turned reluctantly and led the way. As Folliet moved to follow her, something slowly falling from above through the air brushed past his nose. He caught it quickly and quickly poked it into a pocket. It was a feather. The courtyard in which they had stood was dark ; but the room on the ground floor into which Agnes Carhaix now led him was darker still. Folliet, sitting opposite her, could just make out her well-curved form, unconfined in corsets, in its close robe of black. He placed his chair so that, while he remained in absolute shadow, a dim glimmer from the half-open door made her movements and attitude discernible. But it was his nostrils and his ears, rather than his eyes, which were busy. He had no sooner entered the room than a singular odour greeted him. He had no sooner settled himself on the chair than a singular sound fell upon his ears. The odour was the faint, fetid odour of a stable. The sound was a single one, resembling the stroke of a club thumping upon boards. As it sounded through the room, the girl winced. '■ Well, now, about Bach," said Folliet, with every sense on the alert. " You will find that the questions I have to ask 3'ou about him are not many, and easily answered. First of all, how long have you been engaged to him ? " 70 The Lost Provinces Before she could answer, down came sounding the club upon the boards. The noise seemed to come from a room near. The girl winced. " I — I " she said, in evident confusion. ' * Come now, how long ? ' ' " About — about two weeks." "That all?" Down in answer came sounding the club upon the boards — a single blow. "Yes— that 'sail." ' ' And when were you to be married ? ' ' " In — in a week." " So ? Really? Not a very long engagement, then, all told. ' ' " No. But what has that to do with the matter, mon- sieur ? ' ' " Well, in a case of this kind everything is of importance, you know. Just answer my questions — )'ou will find them easy to answer. How long have you known Bach ? " ' ' About — about three weeks. ' ' ' * That all ? He was anxious to be married quickly, then ? ' ' " Perhaps." " For what reason ? " " I do not know." " Oh, come, now, if the man is to be found, it is clear that you must let me know the facts, you know." " I cannot tell you." "You won't?" " Ah, monsieur, do not torment me ! " She buried her face in her hands. " Well, then," he said, " we will start with this fact : that Bach was anxious, for some reason or other, to get married in frantic haste. Bach or you ? Which was it ? Bach or you? " The mysterious sound of the club came pounding in an- swer upon the boards. The cowering girl was silent. ' ' Ah, you are not open and candid, you see, ' ' said Folliet ; No. II, Rue Pigalle I " how do you expect me to find your lover for you ? Well, then, I must ask you something else. Was the appointment which Bach had to keep on the day he disappeared an im- portant one ? ' ' ' ' I suppose so. ' ' " Only ' suppose ' ? " ' ' I believe so. ' ' " Come now, that 's better. You believe so. Well, what was it all about ? ' ' " I don't know." " Very well, then I shall leave you to find your lover for yourself, that 's all." " He was going to a meeting." " Really ? An assemblage of men ? " " I suppose so." " He told you so ? " " Yes," in the faintest whisper, came from her. " An assemblage of Germans ? " " Oh, not necessarily Germans," " How do 5^ou know ? " ■ " He did not say they were Germans. Why should you pitch upon Germans ? " ' ' Bach is a German ? ' ' " Yes — a naturalised Frenchman." " And what was the object of this ' meeting ' ? " " You do not suppose that M. Bach told me his secrets." " It was a secret meeting, then ? " " I suppose so." "Why?" " Because — I do not know. I suppose it was secret." ' ' He told you it was secret ? ' ' " Well — I suppose — yes." " And you know nothing of its object ? " " How should I?" " Where did you first meet M. Bach ? " " Here, in this house." 72 The Lost Provinces " So ? How came he here ? " ' ' He was brought here by a friend of his. ' ' ' ' A German friend ? ' ' "Well— yes." ' ' Who knows you also ? ' ' " Yes — he lives here." "A lodger?" "Yes." " Have 3^ou any other lodgers ? " " About five." ' ' All Germans ? ' ' " Most of them, I believe." " The house is yours ? " " Mine and my two sisters'." " Have you alwaj-s lived here ? " " Nearly always." " Your father's house ? " " My uncle's." ' ' He is alive now ? ' ' " He is lately dead." " How long ago ? " * ' Three weeks ago. ' ' " About the same time when you met Bach, then ? " She lowered her eyes. " Yes." FoUiet rose. As he did so, for the twentieth time the club sounded its solitary, strange blow upon the boards. " Well, all I can say," he said, " is that you know a great deal more than you choose to tell me. It is very foolish, if you are anxious to find him, you know. I suppose you a;r anxious ? " " Ah, monsieur, find him — find him quickly for me ! " she wailed, with hidden face. " Well," he said, " I won't hide from you that we have a clue — that his recovery is possible — soon — but " He turned sharply in surprise. There was the swift strik- No. II, Rue Pigalle jt, ing of a match behind him, and the room was flooded with light. There approached him a girl, holding a candlestick. Her face was long, thin, and ugly ; and on her back was a hump. A look of intense malice was stamped on her features. Her left fist clenched with rage. Her age was about thirty. Folliet guessed at once that she had been listening in the dark to the whole of their talk. His eyes keenly read her somewhat evil face. " Why not tell the gentleman what you know of this man Bach ? " she cried. " Your lover ! Yes, and a fine lover for my father's child was Bach ! " The face of Agnes was first blanched, then encrimsoned with rage. " Look you, Jeanne ! " she hissed, " one word — one little word against him — and I tell every syllable I know of whence the pigeons come ! " " Come, now," said Folliet to himself, " this looks not ill. Between the two sisters — you are sisters, I suppose ? " he added aloud. ' ' If you can call anyone your sister who hates you, sir, ' ' said Agnes. " It isyoii,'' replied Jeanne, venomously, " it is you who began it ! You covetous, greedy, mercenarj^ ' ' She did not go any further. At this point her invective was broken in upon by the shrill whinny of a horse — a whinny fierce, and high, and strong ; it came from the direction of the room where the club had struck the boards and where the stable odour had arisen. Both the women started with blanched faces. Folliet smiled. He had long since guessed that the solitary, slow, mys- terious sound was due to the restive smiting upon the bare boards of the hoof of a high-spirited horse. Now he knew. But he was infinitely puzzled. The plot was thickening. He wished to be alone to think. " Well, I won't stay to witness your family quarrels," he said. 74 The Lost Provinces But it was absolutely necessary that he should return, and return by invitation. He remembered that the cause of Jeanne's sudden entrance was his promise that Bach should be found. Jeanne did not wish Bach to be found, that was clear. If he was found, she wished him, for some reason, to be guillotined or torn to pieces. So he said again : " Well, Mdlle. Agnes, I can only promise that we shall do our best, and I think I can give you the hope of seeing your JiancS in three or four days at the furthest." He bowed and passed out of the room ; he reached the courtyard and became anxious ; he reached the gate and despaired ; but as he was bending to pass through the wicket into the street, the expected happened. Jeanne touched his arm ; she had run after him. " Come to-morrow at one, monsieur," she said in a thick whisper ; " I will be here alone, and may tell you " " Back — quick ! " said Folliet, " your sister " " At one," whispered Jeanne, and ran back. Folliet looked up and down the street, then turned to the left and walked into a small house which bore on its door the legend : " Knock and one will open." It was the Cabaret au Vrai Bruyant. He knocked. At his entrance, a perfect hullabaloo of sound arose — stamping feet, clinking glasses, the shouts of Bedlam. Hubbub is the raimn d'etre and motive of the Vrai Bruyant. At every new entrance, the guests roar like the bulls of Bashan. In the midst of the tumult of the hall, a girl, half nude, stood on a raised place blowing a bugle. Folliet selected a seat in the least noisy corner, and ordered a glass of beer. He sat trying to catch the eye of a big, burly fellow with long black hair combed back stiffly from his brow, dressed in black velvet, with Wellington boots, and a coarse jersey for shirt. He was the brazen-lunged proprietor of the Vrai Bruyant. Presently Folliet beckoned with a finger. The great swaggerer approached him. They knew each other. No. II, Rue Pigalle 75 " Sit down here, Cazales. I want to talk to you." Cazales sat near. ' ' Who are these Carhaix young women ? ' ' " Carhaix ? Carhaix?" said Cazales, prodding remem- brance. " Yes ; they live three doors away, on this side of the street, you know. You must know them." " Ah, yes — Carhaix — ah, yes. Three young women. Uncle lately dead." " Tell me about them ; why do they hate each other ? " " Hate ! Hate is n't the word for it ! It 's the uncle's fault too. They were always good friends till he died." ' ' Well, let me hear it — all, you know. For tip I promise you that you shall find the police all round the cabaret pretty blind for the next, say, three months." ' ' Honour bright ? ' ' " Honour bright." " Well, you 're welcome to what I know about it from a party who should be in the swim over yonder. The whole trouble comes from the last will of the uncle. An old hermit he was, crotchety, a miser kind of dog. There are three of them : Marie, pretty little girl, flaxen-haired, about seven- teen ; then Jeanne, the eldest, ugl}', bitter- tempered ; and another one, I forget her name ' ' "Agnes." " That 's it. lyived happily till uncle died. Uncle in his will left the house jointly to the three, and, in addition, forty thousand francs, which are to be the sole property of the one who marries first. You can guess the result." " I see ! " cried Folliet. " Jeanne, at the time of uncle's death, was already engaged to be married — farmer, half-German, Lorrainer, thej' say. She at once writes to him to come immediately, but some- thing prevents. Meanwhile, Agnes, in great hurry, goes and gets engaged — man named Bach — know him well — beer- seller — Montmartre. What steps little Marie takes, I don't 76 The Lost Provinces know. But the other two, frantic to be married, are tearing out each other's eyes." " That 'sail you know ? " " That 's about it," " Thank you, Cazales. Sha'n't forget my promise. Find out anything else of importance to me, and I make the time six instead of three months. Bon soir.'" He passed out. At the first street lamp he stopped, and drew from his pocket the feather which had brushed past his nose. He took out a magnifj-ing glass, and bent to examine it. "Yes," he muttered. " It 's a pigeon's feather, right enough. But the horse ! the horse, living like a Christian in the house ! What — the devil — can be the meaning of that?" CHAPTER VIII THE INVENTION THE three sisters Carhaix were very different one from the other — ^Jeanne was ugly, Agnes was attractive, Marie, the seventeen-year-old, was lovely. In char- acter, they were more different still — ^Jeanne was fierce and cunning, Agnes was profoundly selfish, but shallow and more easy-tempered, Marie was an angel. The intense contest as to which should marry first, and so gain her uncle's wealth, was confined to only two of the sisters. Marie did not even know of this clause in the will, for the elder sisters had craftily kept it a secret from her. Yet, even so, it was a nice question as to which of the three would carr}^ off the prize. Jeanne was plain, but she had a lover, though he was in far Lorraine ; Agnes was attractiv^e, but her hastily acquired lover was dead, and she did not know it ; Marie had youth and beauty, but she did not know of the clause in the will, yet she, too, had a lover. Why did not the Lorraine farmer fly as with wings to claim Jeanne and the fortune ? Day after daj^ she wrote letter after letter urging him to come — to leave all, and come, come ! He answered, promising to be with her soon ; but he did not come. There were affairs of far vaster im- portance engaging, for the time being, this man's attention. He was a German, named Hans Schwartz. He occupied, as he had told her, a small farm and homestead in the neigh- bourhood of Gravelotte. A great part of his life latterlj^ had been devoted to the culture and training of pigeons. It was 77 78 The Lost Provinces a. nice question which of the sisters u>ou/d marry first. Agnes had only to discover that Bach was reall}^ dead in order to seek and find a new and eager lover. An hour after Folliet had left the house of the girls, Marie came in. She was engaged during the day at a vacherie on the other side of the river. Her sisters had insisted that she should find emplo^anent. She walked in weary, cast her gloves listlessly on a table, and propped her fair head on a hand. She was slim and petite, with large and wistful eyes of clearest blue. As she sat down she glanced at a clock in the room. A lamp was on the table, and by it sat Jeanne, sewing, with tight lips. She did not speak when the other entered, but she cast upon her a look, suspicious and evil, which Marie met with a shy and timid glance. Presently, as they sat so in silence, the restless horse in a room near smote with his hoof upon the flooring. " That dreadful horse still ? " just muttered Marie. Jeanne rose suddenly, and leant over toward her, with her knuckles on the table. * ' Yes ! ' ' she said fiercely, ' ' that horse still ! Is the house yours, then ? ' ' " I meant no harm, Jeanne," Marie answered. "I 'm sure I meant no harm. Pray, do not ill-treat me to-night." She said it languidly, yet not without terror. Her left fingers were touching, all the time, a note in her pocket. " You have got to learn your place in this house, you understand ? " said Jeanne, with threatening forefinger, " or it will be a hotter place yet for you than ever it has been. Why don't you take off your hat ? " Marie did not answer the question ; she glanced secretly at the clock. She said : " Is there anything in the cupboard ? May I take some- thing to eat, Jeanne ? " " Hat off! " " I do not wish to take it off just now. May I take some- thing to " The Invention 79 Jeanne had edged round the table to her. Down upon the cheek of the child came a tingling slap. At this moment Agnes entered the room. " Don't you hear your elder sister talking to you, you little idiot ? " she said. There was one point at least in which Jeanne and Agnes were in harmony — in their delight in habitually torturing to the verge of madness the gentle child who had usurped all their share of grace and beauty. " I should think," sobbed Marie, " that — it does not take — two of you — to oppress a poor — miserable girl — like me " " Then do as you are told, will 3'ou ? Take it off now ! " " I— don't wish " Down upon her other cheek came the palm of Agnes, and Marie's burning face went for shelter into her covering arms. But before it did so she glanced at the clock. " Now, perhaps you will take it off," said Agnes. But Marie showed no sign of any such intention. " Wait a little," said Jeanne, " there are more ways than one of making a horse ' ' And with her long thin fingers she made a catch at the girl's hat. But Marie was observant through one watchful corner of an eye, and slid agilely away behind the table. On the table lay a bottle containing water. As she dodged, Agnes lifted the bottle and shot the entire mass of liquid at the child's face, but Marie, on that night of all nights, had no intention of appearing to disadvantage, and again she darted aside, escaping with only a wet shoulder. " Oh, this child wants pounding ! " said Agnes. " And I am the one to do it," cried Jeanne, shrilly, mak- ing round the table, brandishing a long brass candlestick. Marie ran towards the door. It was fastened, not locked. Before she could open it, Jeanne was over her. A heavy blow of the brass struck her on the shoulder near the neck. " Now, you little beast — that hat ! " 8o TJlc Lost Provinces Something of despair and pride and defiance came into the hunted eyes and flushed face of the child. She cried aloud : " I will not ! I cannot ! I don't wish to ! " They were surprised. It was the first symptom of rebel- lion which her sweet nature had ever permitted. " But why not, you little fool ! Why get beaten when you can save your pretty skin ? ' ' said Agnes. " Dear Agnes — have pity ! " she cried. " Oh, don't ! don't ! I cannot — I am going out- ! " " Out ! " they exclaimed together, in astonishment. " Yes, out," she answered. " Cannot one go out if one would?" " Well, this is coming to something ! " said Agnes. "And where, if you please, are you going to at this hour of the night ? ' ' Marie averted her head. She did not answer. Ten thou- sand elder sisters would have found it difl&cult to keep her indoors that night. She had an appointment. • All this time, she held one hand behind her, on the handle of the door. In her pocket was a note which she was long- ing to finger, and feel, and cover with kisses. At the announcement that Marie was going out, Jeanne, the shrewder of the two elder sisters, stood still, and turned slightly pale. Then she stepped near to Agnes, and whis- pered in her ear these words : " Let her go !" But the injunction was useless. Even while Jeanne was whispering, Marie, who had slyly and softly turned the handle, slid fugitively through the door. The two women looked into each other's ej'es a minute. Then Jeanne, with an air of conviction : " She 's gone to meet a man ! Wait — I '11 follow her." And at once she, too, slid out, hatless. In Paris one does not wear a hat in the streets, if one happens to be a w^oman, except by way of flourish and luxury. Down the street stole Jeanne, hiding with absolute success The Invention 8 1 and cunning in the shadows and recesses, keeping the child always in sight. First, at a corner, Marie stepped into a lavabo, and in five minutes came out with her pretty oval face quite tearless, and scrubbed and pink. And now, her feet winged with gladness, she sped forward, as a swallow, after long travails over seas, darts straight with joy for its summer nest. In the Rue lyafayette she leapt into a passing tram without waiting for it to stop. Jeanne got into 21. fiacre, bidding the driver keep the tram within seeing distance. In half an hour Marie was running lightly within the gates of the Buttes-Chaumont. She had seen with alarm that she was a minute late. Behind her, toiling and panting, came Jeanne, running also. The gardens lay sombre and umbrageous under the moon- light. They are a little bit of Switzerland in the heart of Paris. Now they were all but deserted. Only down by the waterside^ amid the leafage, a few pairs of lovers cooed and kissed. This was not the point of Marie's aim. Rising high from the water is a bluff cliff crowned at the summit with a little round temple of open columns of ebony. From the bottom one ascends some rising ground, then over a rather frail and very long wooden bridge, then up some rude stone steps cut through the heart of the rock, then you are at the top, and the temple is there, with its circular wooden bench for seat, the very home of Cupid, the sanctuary of Venus. Here the moonlight was supreme. The silence and the solitude were complete. Marie, when she reached the bridge, knew that she stood exposed to two eyes that watched for her coming. She no longer ran ; she even tried to walk slowly ; but, in reality, her pace was very rapid. In sweet, reluctant, amorous de- lays her wild young heart was not yet proficient. Behind her, crouching and bending, came Jeanne. " Marie ! Marie ! " said a man's voice. " Ah ! " in a dying sigh came fluttering from her lips. She was on his breast. 82 The Lost Provmces " My soul ! " he said. " My life ! " she whispered, but he did not hear her ; the words perished in their fainting utterance. These two people had only known each other a few days. They had met by chance in the street. But the soul knows its own mate. In reality, their friendship dated from the old eternities. For ever they were kin. But now, Muse of Romance, inspire my reporting pen ! They leaned together over the parapet of the little temple and saw the water and the woods, and discovered that Heaven can be nothing else than a moonlit earth, where one is always young and amorous. He, too, was young — not twenty-three — yet his forehead was bald at the temples, and down from his chin and cheeks spread a dark-red, fan-shaped beard, rough and thick, and his body was heavy and bulk3\ He was a ne'er-do-w^eel — a student, a musician, one of the wild, penniless, Latin-Quarter sort, named Armand Dupres. At the Conservatoire — everj- where — he was a marked man. One said : " He will arrive — he will be famous." But he never knew whence his dinner would come, if it came at all. If he had known whence it would come, life would have been intolerable to him at his then age. How the settled, the tame man — the clerk, the artisan — could endure to live, he could not understand. Armand reposed upon Provi- dence. God fed him like a bird. Chance took care of him, lest at any time he dash his foot against a stone. In one of his wild midnight revelries, with his Bohemian student friends, when coals failed to keep the fire going, they broke up one by one the few old chairs in the room and threw the pieces in the grate. One after another of the guests would rise and sup standing. Armand called this "moving out by way of the chimney." Yet this light- natured person could, when he was sober, touch a harp, or a piano, or a violin at chance moments in such a way that some heavenly dream-image w^ould hint itself in melodious loveliness to the soul that heard it. He had a brain as keen The Inventw7i 83 and shrewd as lightning. And the whole world was one poem to him. Of this poem Marie, latel}' found, was the climax or cul- minating point. Here the poem swelled into song, and music was the universe. When he looked into her eyes he saw Heaven, when she looked into his she saw Divinit3\ ' ' We will go, Marie, ' ' he said, ' ' we will be together always, we will find a nest, and live and sing." " Beloved ! " she murmured, her face nestling by the side of his neck. ' ' Far away — in — where shall we say ? ' ' " Here is Heaven, too, with you," said Marie, who lived nearer to the earth than he. " But, Marie, one marries in the world, you know, before the Mayor. Do you know ? ' ' Yes, I know. But we — are we not above the world, then?" " We are in Heaven ! " "Ah " " Still, Marie, in the world one marries, one sets up a menage, and is practical." ' ' To 5^ou that were tiresome, love. ' ' " Not with you, Marie." "How great you are, and good! Ah, how divine ! I shall die if you love me so. My heart will break." "It is you, Marie, who are divine ! All about you are rainbows and echoes of minstrelsy. I cannot at all compre- hend why you love me. ' ' ' ' Because you are Armand. ' ' " You are an angel ! " ' ' You are the world ! ' ' ' ' You are Heaven ! ' ' " Put your hand on my heart ; feel how it bounds toward its monarch ! ' ' " Kiss me with your lips ; they are roses of flesh," ' ' My love ! " 84 The Lost Provinces " My bride ! " " My husband ! " " My wife !" So, male and female, they called one to the other, singing, not speaking. Then Armand, descending somewhat again to the earth : ' ' Marie, we must go to the Mayor. ' ' ' ' Whatever you will. ' ' " At once, Marie." " We are poor, Armand. We have no money." He laughed. " Why — you housewife ! Money is of no importance." ' ' Sometimes, Armand. I knew a grisette whose child died because she had no money." ' ' Well, but Marie, I am so clever ! I can make money whenever I like. Only I never tried." ' ' How can you ? ' ' " How? — I don't know. It can't be very difficult, you know, since common people do it. I am certain — if I only tried. Would you like to live in a grand house, and have jewels ? " " I ? Not I ! It was of you only that I was think- ing." " But as to money ! " he said, with a toss of his head ; " that is easy ! Why, only last week I invented something — are you interested in the war, Marie ? " ' ' I was, ' ' she said. " But not now ? " " Oh, now ! What is anything to me now, but you ? " " Sweet ! Well, but the war. I, Marie, for a week was frantic, all excited, then something happened — I had a musical fancy — it changed the current of my interest. But during that week I worked, I can tell you ! That Vansittart, the American, he seems to me so great a man. I said, ' I will invent him something more deadly than death, with which he shall destroy his enemies.' And for days, Marie, The Inv edition 85 for days I kept at home, saw no one, thinking of that one thing. ' ' " And did you invent the thing ? " she asked, with wide, wondering eyes. " Yes ! It was not so difhcult. I made a model, too — or half made it. Then I got weary of the matter — some- one came here — I went out ' ' How great you are ! " How sweet you are ! " My king ! " My wife ! ' ' But the model, Armand ? You have it still. Is it there in your room ? ' ' Yes, still." And you will finish it ? " No, it does not matter, love, now." You will finish it — for me ? ' ' For you ? ' ' Yes." Of course — if you tell me — why, of course." And, when it is finished," she said, reasoning to her- self, " then I shall know what to do. Leave the rest to me." "So? and what will she do, the little sweet manager, then?" " I will go straight to Mr. Vansittart, and I will tell him ! " Armand caught her to him, laughing, kissing her eyes and ears and hair. Jeanne, who was crouching a little below them at the stone steps, rose to go. She had heard all. As she lifted herself a pebble rolled down the stairway from beneath her feet, with sounds. The lovers started. They were not all alone, then ? Armand ran a little forward to see, but Jeanne had taken to her heels. They saw the dim figure scuttle across the bridge ; but Marie did not recognise it. CHAPTER IX THE HORSE FOLIylET Spent a sleepless night. He sat on a hearth- rug in his own bedroom in the Rue de Maubeuge, with his arms round his knees, and his wrinkled brow sunk low in thought. The day stole into the room and found him sitting so. Much, or at least something, had become clear to him. He was absolutely certain, now, that there was a conspiracy, an association — probably large, probably of Germans — with a secret, unlawful, political aim within the city of Paris. A man with the reasoning shrewdness of Folliet could hardly have failed, with his present knowledge, to come to that conclusion. His chain of deduction started from Bach — or rather, from Bach's cap ; from the feather in it, especially, and from the circumstance that the cap had been so very much too large for Bach. The inferences which he drew from these facts seemed to him quite clear. And they were these. The cap, with the feather in it, was a badge, a sign of membership, a symbol of association. It was very much too large for Bach, for the simple reason that it had never been specially bought for him at all, but was merely one of a lot purchased in the gross for the members of the con- fraternity. A faint instinct of all this had passed through his brain from the first sight of the cap. When Agnes Car- haix informed him that Bach had gone to a " meeting," and a " secret " one, he was no longer in doubt. But " a secret meeting " of Germans at such a time ? It could not be but that its object was political. 86 The Horse 8 7 And the cardboard in Bach's pocket marked with the 6 or 9 was now no longer a matter of mystery ; 6 — or 9 — was Bach's membership number. But from this fact his mind went on to a new conckision. He reasoned that an associa- tion whose members were known and admitted by numbered tickets must be a large and far-reaching one — one so large and so far-reaching that its members were not all known to each other by sight — one requiring formality and organisa- tion, and numerical computation. Another mind would have reasoned : since Bach was 6 or 9, there must be at least six or nine of them. Folliet reasoned : since Bach was numbered at all, there must be at least six or nine hundred of them. But if there were nine hundred of them,, they must be powerful, resourceful, strong in means to effect their end. It takes many men and much money to destroy railways. With this fact, then, he, the Prefect of Police in Paris, found himself confronted. But what was their end ? That he did not know. That it was hostile to France w^as certain ; but whether this hos- tility was personally directed against King Henri or against Vansittart, or merely as a general agent in favour of the Kaiser, he could only guess. Everywhere, after a certain point, was mystery. How had Bach met his death ? Was it suicide ? He did not be- lieve. How much was known to the sisters Carhaix ? What was the significance of the symbol of the pigeon's feather in the cap— of the pigeon's feather which had brushed past his nose in the courtyard — of the horse stabled in the house ? All night his excogitation lasted, and, at the end, had he computed the currents of his thought, he would have dis- covered that, in fact, it was the horse more than anything else which had occupied and puzzled and excited him. The horse ! it lay motionless— like lead — in his brain. One thing only he decided : that he would see it that day with his own eyes, and discover whatever was the secret associated with it. 88 The Lost Provinces He had till one o'clock, before his meeting with Jeanne Carhaix. He tried to devote himself to ordinary affairs, but the thought of the horse continually obtruded itself upon him. He was ner\'0usly restless ; he had a feeling that he was losing time. Sharp at one he was in front of the Car- haix gate. Jeanne was waiting in the courtyard. No one in ? " said FoUiet. No." Where is Agnes ? ' ' Marketing." " This her regular hour ? " Yes." FoUiet took a mental note of that. They passed inward, near the room where the horse had been stabled. He lis- tened for the sound of the restless hoof, but heard nothing. Jeanne ascended a stairwaj^ before him. The whole house was dingy and close. ' ' Why do we ascend ? " he asked. ' ' Agnes may return, ' ' she said ; " I am taking you to my own room." She led the way down a passage, and, in a rather small triangular apartment, where there was a bed, pointed to a seat. At the moment when FoUiet sat, there began, on the other side of one of the three partitions, the trolling sound of some cooing bird ; at once the monody was taken up by another ; presently a perfect chorus went rolling through the air in soft rotator}' joyance, with swell and fall and vibrant velvet volume. " Well, now, we are in pigeon-land proper," muttered FoUiet. Jeanne sat opposite him, eyeing him with half-suspicious, grey under-glance. Her long, olive-coloured face was some- what pale. " Can you give me any news of M. Bach, sir ? " she said. " Only this," replied FoUiet, " that we as good as have The Horse 89 our hands on him. It is only a matter of a few hours now, and we shall be able to restore him to you and your sister." Jeanne's pallor increased. " Restore him to me, sir ? / have nothing to do with the man. I could give you information against him, which would mean the guillotine for him the week after you find him." " Very well, mademoiselle, go on. I am willing to hear, as you see by my presence here." " I am a patriot, monsieur," said Jeanne. " You are ? " replied Folliet, with lifted eyebrows. " I love my country, sir." ' ' Is that so ? " ' ' What advantage should I derive if we be beaten by the Germans ? I am a patriot. I prefer, on the whole, that France should be the victor. This man. Bach, is a con- spirator, monsieur. ' ' " You don't say that now ? " ' ' He is. I can prove it. ' ' "Well, tell me." The cooing of the pigeons had somewhat ceased, and at this point a gentle sound of some movement, apparently accidental, came from the other side of the partition. They both heard it. Jeanne started and turned white. " Hold ! You heard a sound, sir ? " she whispered. "I? No. It is your fancy. Goon." " I thought we were alone in the house, but some of the lodgers may have come back. They have that room there. They are Germans — they may listen ' ' " Well, why not open the door and see ? " There was a door in the partition, and the key projected inward. Jeanne rose at the suggestion, turned the key, and peeped into the next room. At the first sound of her move- ments at the key, two men on the other side had hurriedly slipped into a spacious cupboard. While Jeanne's back was turned to him, Folliet, on his part, with the quickness of 90 The Lost Provinces lightning drew out the key, which he could reach without rising, and pressed it deep into a lump of wax from his pocket. With swift skill he had replaced the key in the lock, and the wax in his pocket, before Jeanne again faced him with the words : " There is no one there, sir." " Well, now, about this conspirac}' of Bach's," he said. " I need not tell you that any information you can give of importance to the Government will not go unrewarded." " I am not seeking a Government reward, monsieur. But I make this stipulation before I go any further — that you promise me that ]\I. Bach shall not be allowed to marry my sister until I am myself married. I am quite candid, you see, about the matter. I stipulate that." " I see. You want him kept in prison, in case he is not guillotined, till " "Yes." " Well, I promise that." " Then, I will tell you. For why should I not be a patriot ? I ! There is a conspiracy of over fifteen hundred Germans in Paris. I know it, because " " Yes — tell me first its object." " Its object, monsieur ? " " Yes — its object ! " " Its object is this, sir " She bent her lips close to his ear. But she got no further. A violent knocking was heard at the door of their entrance, a door in one of the three partitions of the room. A cry of " Mdlle. Jeanne ! Mdlle. Jeanne ! News ! News ! Are you there ? ' ' came from without. Jeanne in a white scare took Folliet by the shoulders. " Quick, monsieur ! " she hissed in flurried fright, " be- hind the bed-curtains — later — later I will finish " Folliet hurried to the hiding-place ; Jeanne to the door. She opened it, stepped outside, and closed it behind her. Two men were there awaiting her — the same two who had The Horse 91 run hiding at her opening of the other door. To reach this side of the room they had made a wide detour through the house. They had been listening to her promise of dis- closure, and hurried round in time to prevent it. They knew the means. One in his hand carried a pigeon, and a narrow strip of paper. " Mdlle. Jeanne," he said in the lowest whisper, " sorry am I to have to tell you this ' ' " What— what is it ? " " This pigeon you see here has just arrived from the I,or- rainer, and tied round its leg was this slip." He handed her the slip. She recognised the writing of her lover Schwartz. But she could not make out its mean- ing ; it was in German. " What is it ? You know I can't read it," she said. " He says," replied the man, " that the Five Thousand sent out by Vansittart have ridden in their devastating career right through his farm, and left the place a ruin. All is trampled, harried, and desolate ; he is left penniless, Schwartz. The message is intended for 3^ou. For the present he cannot move or think of marriage." Jeanne had heard of the ride of the Five Thousand. She did not stop to think that their operations were long since over — that this message was rather late in coming. She be- lieved, and she tottered backward, with bloodless face. The farm of Schwartz had, in truth, been scorched by the flying flame of the Five Thousand in its meteor course of destruction ; but the message mentioning it had been brought by a carrier-pigeon from his colombier many daj-s before to the conspirators at No. 1 1 Rue Pigalle. They had not so much as taken the pains to mention it to Jeanne until they saw how it might be useful to their ends. The sisters Carhaix were, in fact, permitted to know as little as pos- sible. " My God ! " gasped Jeatme, with clasped hands. All her hopes at that moment perished. In a few days Agnes would 92 The Lost Provinces know whether or not she should marry Bach speedily. If she could not marry him, what was easier than the purchase of another husband ? In a moment or two her pallor vanished. Her face flushed with brutal rage. Revenge, above every other passion, swelled in her — revenge against the hand that had struck her this blow, the hand that had hurled the thunderbolt of the Five Thousand straight-at her heart. She had just been about to do this man a service, and all the time he had been crushing her. She had been about to aid France ! And France had been ruining her. What did she care for Van- sittart, for France, in comparison with her triumph over Agnes, her laugh of glee. " Curse them ! Curse them ! " she hissed through her clenched teeth. She rushed at once toward the room where she had left Folliet, mad with rage. FoUiet had crept from his hiding- place meanwhile, and had been busy. He had taken the key from the door between Jeanne's room and the con- spirators', then crouched peering through the hole of the lock. The sight that met his eye was, first, a window open, and looking out at the back of the house upon an open space. Then he saw the side walls crowded from top to bottom with square wooden cages, in every cage a bird. The place was squalid, littered with feathers, crumbs, seeds. As he looked, there alighted on the window-sill in winged urgency, glancing in quick query round the room, a feathered messenger. Wrapped round her leg, bound with an elastic thread, was a narrow slip of paper. One of Wilhelm's pigeons. Folliet would have given his left hand to know what was written in that far-borne message. But as he gazed, all his .soul in his peering eye, his quick ear heard a hint of Jeanne's returning steps. He slid back behind the curtains. The woman had lost all control of herself. She deigned no explanation. She simply pounced upon him in intense exasperation with the words : The Horse 93 " Look here, get out of my house, my good man ! You have no right here, you know." Folliet was not surprised. He was certain beforehand that he was deahng with men of cunning and resource, quite capable of twisting to their own purposes the passions of a woman like Jeanne. He merely said to himself : " Ah, they have got her out of my hands, then. Well, I '11 be even with them yet." " I '11 have no prying, peering detectives about my place ; that 's all about it. I tell you to go," repeated Jeanne, " and may the devil take the whole crew of you, French and German together ' ' ' ' Softly, softly, ma'mselle, ' ' said Folliet. ' ' It was you who brought me here, you know. What is the matter now ? ' ' " I want you to go away out of my place, I tell you. Will you go ? " Folliet thought a second. He would go, if Jeanne allowed him to descend the stairs alone ; he wanted to inspect the house. He would not go if she went with him. He made three steps towards the door to try her. Good ; Jeanne sank upon her knees before the bed, hiding away her face like a wretch without hope. Folliet descended quickly. He touched with his finger the revolver in his pocket. It might be that the horse was guarded. He met no one in his descent. The house was silent, and seemed deserted. The lower he went, the more the sombre obscurity deepened. He knew the way to the room where, on the previous night, he had spoken to the girls. Near it was the improvised stable. But he would have known it, too, by the odour that thickened as he ap- proached it. He came to the door, feeling his waj-. For a minute he stood listening for the tramp of the restive hoof. But he heard nothing. A vague fear began to fill his mind. He put out his hand, and groped for the handle. To his surprise, he found the door unfastened. It was even a little way open. He intruded his head within the aperture. The 94 The Lost Provinces reek of the stable greeted his nostrils strongly, but so dark was the apartment, that for the moment he could see nothing. He struck a match. Now he knew the truth. The horse was gone. At the discovery a pang pierced Folliet's bosom, and at the same time something like a flash of light illuminated his brain. This fact stood out clear and prominent in his con- sciousness — that the- horse, kept cabined in darkness for he knew not how long, had been removed on the same day when Vansittart proposed to leave Paris — or perhaps during the night preceding that day. No clear conception of motive as yet stood defined in his mind, but the coincidence was startling. He rushed from the house and pelted himself into a passing cab, shouting to the driver to fly to the Tuileries. It was already half- past two o'clock. This was the day when Vansittart had proposed to leave Paris — " in the afternoon." Folliet blessed himself now for the warning he had given on the previous day to the Queen. In spite of that, would Vansittart, in reality, set out ? He knew that the millionaire intended, whenever he started, to do it in a manner secretly, without pomp or show, thinking that the simple announce- ment of his departure after he had gone would produce upon the Parisian mind a greater effect of urgency and business promptitude. Hence it happened that Folliet had no share in the prepar- ations for the departure, no police arrangements to make. Vansittart intended to go in the manner of the simplest private citizen. Folliet had that morning received a budget of instructions from the Tuileries as to his procedure during the next few weeks, which made it rather look as if the departure was, in truth, fixed for that day. But he was uncertain ; he had given his warning. Honorine must have mentioned it. Vansittart was not a rash man. He would at least postpone the hour of his setting-out. If there was mischief in the air, he, Folliet, would be in time to avert and frustrate it. Jeanne sank upon her knees before the bed, hiding away her face like a wretch without hope." The Horse 95 But what had really happened was this : Honorine had, in- deed, found an occasion to repeat Folliet's vague words to Van- sittart. But when he had heard them, Vansittart only smiled. "What can be done?" he said. "One cannot be on one's guard against the unknown." " He suggests," announced the Queen, " that you delay your departure. ' ' But he would not hear of it. " Impossible ! " he said. ' ' Yet he seemed serious. ' ' " I tell you what may be done," said Vansittart ; " I can- not delay, but I can change the hour. I can go two hours sooner, if I first fight a battle with my wife — yes, that is what we shall do." And so, in fact, it fell out. When Folliet reached the Tuileries in the cab, Vansittart had already gone. He heard the news from a footman. On his brow broke out beads of sweat. A certain definite suspicion of evil was by this time working within him. He had not deduced, but he had guessed the truth. He rushed at once round in the direction of the stables. He thus lost another minute, and Vansittart had set out fully five minutes before he arrived. Half-way to the stables he met a jaunty, jockey-like sort of little man whom he knew. " Tell me, quick," panted Folliet, " in what did Mr. Van- sittart drive away ? " " A brougham." " Drawn by what ? " " The two blood Arabs, Tom and Bess." " They all right ? " " So, so. Tom was a bit mad this morning." ' ' Mad, man ? ' ' " Pretty mad. Could n't make him out — kept blinking in the light, his nostrils going — would n't stand the traces neither. I did n't harness him. It was Karl ; and Karl is stupid with horses, as all Germans " 96 The Lost Provinces Folliet heard no more. He went bounding across the quadrangle. He looked for a cab. By ill-luck there was none near. He ran farther, shouting : ''fiacre ! fiacre! ' Now he was in the open street, still racing, shouting. A cab came galloping towards him. Just then, close by him, a lady passed slowl}- on a bicjxle. In an instant he was after her ; in another he had hustled her roughly from her seat, taken her place, and left her on the ground. He flew. She ran feebh' after him, crying: " Stop thief ! Stop thief ! " Through the rather wild tra£&c of the Parisian streets went Folliet, scorching with all the might of his hurrying legs, his bell tinkling out one high continuous warning, he shouting : " Room ! room ! room ! " and cabs, and carts, and carriages scuttling into bewildered jumblement at the street-sides to make way for the frantic cyclist. It w^as a dry day, and his machine went tailed by a long, cloudy, comet- wake of dust. He found, however, though he was a short man, that there was not sufficient room for his legs to act all his power into the pedals. He would have given ten thousand francs if by some magic the saddle could have raised itself by a single inch. As it was, he felt that he could not be going less than twelve miles an hour. At that rate the Gare de Lyon would not be more than fifteen minutes away, for it was from the southern station that the mil- lionaire must depart. If Vansittart were half-way, even three-quarters of the way, he might catch and save him. His course was direct enough. Straight down the long Rue di Rivoli he went tearing, bawling, tinkling. At one spot a sullen cabman, saN'ing to himself, " Oh, the man 's mad ! " drew his fiaa-e right athwart the course of the twinkling wheels. Folliet shrieked : "In the name of the King ! In the name of France ! " The man at once drew aside, and the travelling streak of dust rushed by. On and on spun the toiling legs with quick piston play in this Gilpin ride. The Horse 97 At last, near the corner of the Boulevard Sebastopol, FoUiet noticed something strange in the traffic. His throat redoubled its bawling energy ; but twice, bawl as he might, he found it necessary to slacken speed. The vehicles could not get out of his way in time. Something had happened to throw the traffic into a mere chaos of confusion. What was it ? He knew. Was he too late ? With nicest pilotage he dodged forward amid the disorganised array of wheels, shout- ing, beseeching, tinkling, with scared, wild eyes, and face of haggard pallor. Suddenly, from the smooth macadamised road on which he had been trailing behind him the wake of dust, he plunged into a stretch of street paved with those large square cobble-stones which make some parts of Paris almost impassable to the cyclist. The machine began to kick with jerky undulations ; he could hardly keep his seat. But it was now or never. He toiled onward. Now, however, he found himself in a perfect babel of dis- order, which thickened with every revolution of his wheel. He was in a region where everyone seemed to have run mad, where every neck was straining in one direction, and every throat was howling. Folliet could no longer make himself heard. His machine ran into the wheels of a back- ing cart, to be crushed into fragments ; but by an agile leap in time, he saved himself He dived into the crowd, dash- ing it aside. He gained the pavement, and recommenced his bawling, shoving, and urging his desperate way among them. The people made way for the distracted man. In less than a minute, a wide, circular space, with a vast columnar monument in the centre, opened before him. It was the Place de la Bastille. Round this circular space he saw, as he looked, two frantic, staring, black horses dash- ing, and behind them a brougham, and looking from the window of this brougham the astonished face of Vansittart. Folliet did not now lose his head. His plan of action was already determined upon. Something like what he saw he had expected to see. He had a revolver in his hand. But gS The Lost Provinces first he had to discover which of the two was the untamed horse taken from No. 1 1 Rue Pigalle, and substituted in the stables of the Tuileries for the Arab, Tom. Bess, he knew, was merely following an example, and was harmless. Round flew the racing team like a flash of swiftness. Every- one of the wide-eyed onlookers stood paralysed ; they saw that the attempt to stem that avalanche of fury would have been mere simplicity of mind. Folliet stepped out alone. The substituted horse was on the off-side. But by the time he had determined this fact, so intense was the pace, that they had shot past him before he could fire. He ran the other way to meet them. This was the fifth revolution of the brougham, and with every revolution it had tended nearer, in a narrowing circle, to the central monument. Be- fore it came round again, the carriage bumped. Vansittart, his coachman, and the two horses were sprawling on the ground. Vansittart lay right in the way of the horses, which at once began to flounder and struggle to their feet. But Folliet lodged a bullet in the brain of the Arab, and the next moment was supporting Vansittart. " Ah, Monsieur Folliet," said Vansittart, blithely, " you ? Ah, thanks." He held out his hand to Folliet. The next moment he fainted. The arm he had held out was dislocated. Just at the corner of the Rue de Rivoli and the Boulevard Sebastopol, someone, who was not known, had struck fiercely at the plunging and restive Arab stallion. So Folliet heard afterwards. CHAPTER X wii^hblm's PIGKONS THE two sisters, Agn^s and Jeanne, were more flurried about the love affair of little Marie than they would have been at the wreckage of all the nations of the earth in mutual war. On the night of its discovery there was a long secret confabulation, wonderment, suggestion, invect- ive, till near morning. Here was an unexpected complication of the marriage problem left them by their uncle. What if she, ih^p'iite, the despised, carried oflF the fortune without knowing it. The idea was too preposterous. But, certainly, there was the possibility ; love is a dangerous thing— a thing of whims, and sudden starts, and sudden decisions. And what could they do to avert the tragedy ? They could beat her till she sickened : Jeanne actually proposed it. They could lock her in a room, and never let her out till— after things were settled. These were the obvious brute remedies for the situation. But they would not do ; Agnes felt that. The child would be missed from her work ; there would be inquiries. There remained but one thing — to watch her, waiting, hoping in luck, and in what might turn up. Jeanne undertook the charge. Again on the next night— the night of Vansittart's spill from his brougham— the lovers met at the Buttes-Chaumont, while Jeanne lurked and listened. Almost immediately after the first rhapsodies, Marie began to question him about " the invention." It had filled her mind all the day. She had a profound faith in its wonder- working powers. What could not her love do ? He was the hero of the world, the great magician. 99 lOO The Lost Provinces " And the model," she said ; " have you finished it ? " " What, the model again ? ' ' said Armand. " Will it keep torturing its little seraph-head about the model, then ? " " But you promised ! Ah, you promised ! " " Well, I hav^e kept my promise." " You have been seeing to it ? It is finished ? ' " I have been seeing to it, and it is finished." " And you j^ourself think it good ? It will do what you meant it to do ? " " It will kill something like a thousand men at one attempt." ' ' How wonderful you are ! And is it big, the model ? ' ' "Big enough to nearly fill my room," " One cannot therefore carry it about in one's hand, to show ? " " No, it is too big." "What is it made of?" " Wood and nails, and nasty chemical things." " And what will you do now — with it ? " "Do? I don't know. Nothing, most likely. I have not thought. It is a bore. I love you ! " " How much?" " Right up to the stars." " And how much do IXoN^yoii .^ " " Right round and round the universe." " Yes— just like that ! " " Sweetest ! " ' ' But what will you do with it ? " "With what?" "The model." " Oh, the model ! don't think of that. It is of no im- portance. ' ' " So that we shall always remain poor, and not be mar- ried, and be practical ? " He caught her to him. ' ' Yes ! soon ! did you say soon f ' ' Wilhehns Pigeons loi " Yes, soon, soon. But — do you know what I shall do ? I shall go to the King, or to Mr. Vansittart, and tell him — really." He laughed. ' ' You ! Why, you silly ' ' ' ' You think I do not mean it ? I will ! ' ' " But Mr. Vansittart — have you not heard ? " "Heard what?" " He had an accident to-day, going to the station to join the army. He is in bed, ill." Every soul in Paris was full of the strange news. But Marie, all occupied with her divinit)^ had not even heard of it. This was a damper to her scheme. She said : " Then you must write to someone, and tell him about the invention. Promise me. One should be serious, and see to things. Promise." ' ' For how many kisses ? ' ' "A thousand." " One does not know to whom to write." " But one may discover. Ask a gens d' amies, and he will tell you the proper person. To-night, will you ? " " If I have fifteen centimes to buy a stamp. ' ' " I will give you. Promise." And so the promise was made. At about the same time, Folliet was turning a key in the door of Jeanne's room at No. ii Rue Pigalle. He had been lurking throughout the evening near the gate, and had seen the departure of Marie to meet her lover. Then, crouching behind her, Jeanne ; then, half an hour after, Agnes. The house, he knew, was now empty of its female occupants — his opportunity was come. He entered the courtyard and the house. He had sworn not to sleep until he had in his hands the threads of the conspiracy which menaced the safety of the country. On the previous day the Prefect had taken careful note of the rather intricate way to Jeanne's triangular room. He I02 The Lost Provinces was able to reach it in the dark. In his pocket were a num- ber of keys and implements. He entered the room and listened. No sound but the occasional scratching of a pigeon against its cage in the next apartment. All was dark. Folliet, with excruciating slowness, turned the key in the lock which shut him from the pigeon-room. He had pro- vided himself with a duplicate, in case it should be removed, but the original key was there. Then he softly took oflf his shoes, laid them behind the bed-curtains, and stepped through the open door. He was in the enem3''s territory. The room in which he found himself was small. There, at the one window, was a man, looking out, his elbows lean- ing on the sill. The faintest .sound now would have betrayed Folliet. But he did not make it. No sooner had he dis- cerned the dim and silent figure, than his revolver was in his hand. Then, with eyes that had acquired the faculty of seeing in the dark, he looked about the room. In a corner, a spot of perfect blackness caught his eye ; it was the cup- board in which, on the previous day, the two men had hid- den from Jeanne. But it was perilously near the window and the motionless man. It was, however, the only apparent hiding-place. When a thing had to be done, Folliet was not a man to hesitate. With concentrated alertness, he stepped nearer and nearer to the vague, broad back at the window, ready to shoot if it stirred. Then he touched the open cupboard door ; in an instant he was within the aperture. He drew himself cautiously inward. Ashe did so, his stockinged toe struck against an old oil-can lying prostrate there, and set it slightly rolling. At the sound, the watchman started into upright alarm, turned, took two steps forward, and looked round the room. Then he resumed his sentry at the win- dow. Folliet waited an hour. Once, the man at the window lifted himself and paced three or four times round the room, muttering a few inaudible words in his beard. Two of them only could Folliet make Wilhelms Pigeons 103 out. The man had said, " No message ! no message ! " Then he resumed his place at the window, and the dead silence recommenced. Half an hour more, and a tramp was heard outside the room. Then four men entered. All together, in one breath, they cried out in German : " News ! is there any news ? " Folliet held his breath — nothing but a straining ear. The man at the window turned and said : " Not a word. Been looking out all the evening. It 's sure to come, I suppose. ' ' ^ Someone struck a light, and lit a candle on a table in one corner. Folliet could hear them, one after another, throw themselves down wearily on stools and chairs. One of the pigeons, wakened, sleepily commenced to coo and roll a soft rotatory lullaby. For a time there was silence ; the men, it was clear, had been walking much, or working. They were tired. But Folliet said to himself : " This is the height of luck. Pres- ently they will start to jabber." He had not to wait very long. One said : " Well, Karl, my boy, so far everything has run pretty well for us, I think." " Grand, I think ! " came the answer. " We did n't want to kill the man, after all, but only to keep him a pris- oner in Paris for a day or two. And that 's what we 've done." " But is that sure ? " said the man at the window. *' Sure enough, Franz. His right arm is dislocated at the shoulder — or so everyone is saying. If he gets out of bed before three days, he '11 have the will of a mule, that 's all. But it is n't likely that the doctors will let him." * ' I pity the poor beggar myself. ' ' " Oh, pity! so do we all. But what is one man where the interests of so many are concerned ? Hurrah for the Father- land ! " I04 TJic Lost Provinces " Hurrah ! Hurrah ! " said another, with a kind of lan- guid enthusiasm. A third, a big, red-bearded man, began to hum : " Muttersprache Mutterlaut, Wie so wonnesam, so traut ! " " Poor old Bach ! " said the man at the window, " you mind how he was alwaj'S at humming the old tune ? " " Yes, poor old Bach ! Pit}- he was such a fool." " Wonderful little fuss the Paris police have made over his death, don't you think ? " " Good reason why, my boy. They are so utterly at sea. The}' are trying to cloak over their own incapacit}'. Here is a man who, though found in the river, does n't look as if he was drowned ; and he was n't poisoned ; and he was n't struck or stabbed ; what can the poor police think ? They simph' stare, and rub their innocent eyes, and say as little of the matter as possible." " Still they got pretty near the scent when they came to question this girl Agnes and Jeanne got hold of the detective. As sure as I am a living man that girl would have blabbed if we had n't stopped her." " Oh, right enough, she would have blabbed. But she could not have enlightened the dull brains of monsieur le polissoji very much about Bach, all the same. Why, she does not even suspect that he is dead, much less the means by which he died, or our motives for killing him." The conversation b}' this time had become general among the five. " I wonder if they genuinely think that he committed suicide." " Oh, no doubt. Bach had no enemies, you know. He was a quiet, easy-going kind of body." " But, on the other hand, he had strong motives for living. He was going to marrj^ this girl Agnes with her dowry." Wilhelm s Pigeons 105 " What the deuce can they think of the matter ? Lord ! they must be puzzled." " But you know, mates, when one comes to think of it, Bach was an honest man. He was a fool, of course. But I say he was an honest man. ' ' " Bah ! so is a tree honest, or a sheep. Every fool is honest enough." " Oh, yes, we know all that. But just consider : he had always been a struggling man, had Bach, and suddenly this girl with the money takes him up. It was a great thing for him, of course. Just then he comes into contact with the Society. He joins ; he is enthusiastic in the cause of Germany, but when he hears that it is necessary for us to lay hands on Vansittart he draws back, says he is not pre- pared, as a citizen of France, to go so far ; and, mind you, he was warned — he was warned that death was the penalty which he incurred by drawing suspicion upon himself. But he persisted ; he had everything to lose, and he persisted. I say that old Bach was an honest man, mates." " Well, but so say we all. Where 's the good of wasting sympathy on dead bones ? The thing had to be done ; and the old fool deserved what he got. May he rest in peace ! " " Who was it suggested chloroform as the means of put- ting him to sleep — the President, was n't it ? " " No — it was old Dr. Caspar. And then the vice-chairman of committees said he must go into the river to wash the stuff out. It was neatly done, too." " Hullo ! Good ! here she comes. Stand by ! " This from the man at the window, in a regular shout of gratification, and immediately a sound of wings was heard, and there, through the window, with angelic haste from afar, came alighting a white-plumed bearer of tidings, her long embassy accomplished. She sailed to rest on a cage, her own, and at once was fluttering in the bosom of one of the Germans. io6 The Lost Provinces " It 's Beatrix ! " he cried. " She comes from Lorraine — from Schwartz." " The very thing we want ! " They crowded round. The disengaging of the narrow bandage of paper from the little messenger's leg was the work of a minute. The man who had sat at the window held the ribbon stretched between his fingers. There was a moment's breathless silence. Folliet, in his eagerness to hear, had almost stretched his head outside the cupboard door. Someone read aloud the words : ' ' Attack on our side put off for a week from now. Mean- while, nothing likely to happen. Till then, Vansittart to be kept in Paris at all costs." A week ! ' ' exclaimed one. A whole week ! ' ' exclaimed another. " We '11 find it a tight job," said one. How will we do it ? " said another. He will be out of bed in two days." He will be off to-morrow. " ' * We must summon an extraordinary meeting at once. ' ' " One of us must run to the President instantly." This is cursed luck ! " It is the devil's business ! " But it 's got to be done." It has." " We '11 manage it, boys ! " " Oh, right enough, we w411." But what about the pigeon ? ' ' Feel her crop. ' ' " She 's famishing." She 's travelled two hundred miles." " She 's dying of thirst." Is n't she a beauty ? " ' ' Just look at her ! ' ' Beatrix ! Beatrix ! " Wilhelms Pigeons 107 " Groundsel 's best for her empty crop." " Not it ! Let her have Indian." ' ' Is there any water in her trough ? ' ' " Where 's the box with the pigeon-feed ? " " Look here ! I am going to mix her some fresh." " There 's the bag of crushed wheat yonder." " Where?" " In the closet." " Just run and reach it, Fritz." " Is it hanging up ? " " Yes — at the back, near the middle." ' ' Let us have the candle. ' ' " Why ! you don't want a candle. Stop ! I '11 get it myself." The red beard moved towards the cupboard. Folliet was a bold man, but his heart beat thickly. What could he do now ? He was full of resource, but what could he possibly do ? The interior of the cupboard was a woefully narrow space. No man could come searching within it and fail, at some point, to touch him. He heard the heavy, approaching step of the German. His knowing and quickly working brain could see only one chance, which might or might not fail. His hand went swiftly groping along the wall behind him where the bag had been described as hanging. He found it. It was of good size. He took it from the nail, stepped quickly backward till he leaned against the wall, and held the bag outwards and upwards before him. Looking toward the light, Folliet could see someone ap- proaching, while he himself was absolutely in the dark. The door opened somewhat ; a tall man entered — stretched forth his arm. Folliet could faintly see the arm ; he guided the bag towards the out-reaching hand. The German took the bag, thinking he took it from the peg. Folliet almost breathed afresh. Unfortunately, the man did not seize the bag securely ; it slipped from his grasp, and dropped. He io8 The Lost Provinces stooped to pick it up, and, as he stooped, his head butted agaiust Folliet's stomach. The German at once uttered an exclamation of astonish- ment, and, uttering it. tried to straighten himself. The next moment he was flat on his face, his legs sticking out beyond the cupboard. Folliet had thrown him. A loud bellow came from the man's throat. Folliet was running over his prostrate back into the open room, among the others. " Move, and I fire ! " he shrieked. He covered one of them with his revolver, stealing rapidly- all the time towards Jeanne's room. But so absolute was their astonishment that they stood mere gapers. There was an instant when not a sound was in the room save the flutter- ing of the pigeons' wings. Folliet gained the door leading into Jeanne's room ; he pushed it; it opened; and as it opened, they were upon him — the whole five. The bang of a revolver, once, twice — and a man dropped, wounded. In the next moment Folliet was behind the door. He slammed, and tried to lock it ; but the shoulders of four men were struggling at it on the other side. To continue the attempt he saw to be waste of effort. He took to his agile heels. Suddenly, as the Chief of Police turned, he saw at the next door through which he had to pass, the apparition of Jeanne, returned to her room, holding a candle in her hand. She stood right in the breadth of the narrow doorway with wide-open eyes. In her bewildered state Folliet saw that she was easy to manage. He simply rushed upon her, dashed the candle from her hand, and slid past, leaving her in comparative darkness. Just near were the stairs, and the next moment he blessed his stars for the unexpected return of Jeanne, for, immediately afterwards, as his pursuers rushed out upon him, they came upon the woman, stumbled over her, and in a moment Folliet, now all the way down, heard above him a confused row of tumbling and bumping bodies, Wilhclms Pigeons 109 which only ceased when the jumbled mass of rolling men reached the first landing in their fall. Before the Germans could pick themselves up he had gained a good start. He threaded his way with breathless haste through the rather complex house and gained the courtyard before his pursuers had reached the foot of the stairs. He rushed into the open street, bootless, but safe. Within half an hour No. 1 1 Rue Pigalle was in the hands of the police, with all its winged inhabitants. But every one of the human birds had flown. CHAPTER XI MARIE MARIE was a sweet child. She had the face of a Ma- donna, a face pure oval, and stained with the pink of dry roses. But in spite of her pretty face, it was no easy matter for her to see M. Vansittart. When she went to the palace and said, " I wish to see M. Vansittart," the usher looked at her and smiled. Then he counselled her to go home and be good. " Be virtuous and good," he said, " and you will be happy. ' ' But Marie was virtuous and good, and yet she was not quite happy. She said : " May I see the King?" The usher said " No," but that good children when they died would stand with a crown upon their forehead, and a harp within their hands. He was an edifying person, but she went away discontented. Marie returned the next day. Armand had written to " the proper person " about his invention, but had received no reply by return of post. " The proper person " got a score of such letters every day, and never took any notice of them. But Marie dreaded that Vansittart should go away before learning the vast powers of her magician. So, trembling in every limb, she returned the next day, and said : ' ' May I see the Queen ? ' ' It was a different usher whom she saw this time ; but he, too, seeing her wan, lovely face, smiled, and counselled h.2T Marie 1 1 1 about her morals. The Queen also, it was clear, was far too high up to be " seen ' ' by her. Yet this time Marie would not go away. Only she got timidly out of sight of the u.sher, and dawdled about higher up the vestibule. This part of the palace was semi-public ; there were now a good many people hurrying to and fro in it. Marie felt comforted, being lost among the grand folk. She turned an angle of the vestibule, and came into a fine gallery, open, with Corinthian columns on one side and pic- tures of battles on the wall of the other. She stood gazing at one of the battles with uplifted eyes, and in this attitude made such a picture that a gorgeously dressed lady, hurry- ing past, stopped and looked at her. The general public, except those who had business, never intruded so far as the vestibule or gallery; and what Marie's business could be the lady was at a loss to guess. Partly from curiosity, and partly from interest in the upturned face with its air of pretty inno- cence, she stopped. Then, after a moment's hesitation, she said in a low voice : " Do you want anything ? " Marie blushed crimson. Her eyes dropped. " I want to see M. Vansittart." The lady, as the usher had done, smiled. " M. Vansittart ! but " She stopped. The proposal was so preposterous, that there was nothing to be said. Words were quite inadequate. " If not M. Vansittart," hazarded Marie with a still deeper depth of crimson, " then the King." " The King ! " " If not the King, then the Queen." "The Queen !" The lady was drowned and lo.st in notes of exclamation. She was a maid-of-honour, a person starched in etiquette, the prisoner of ceremonial. But when her stays were off, her breast was soft enough. She said quite kindly : " You cannot see M. Vansittart, for he is not here. You 1 1 2 The Lost Provinces cannot see the King, for he is overwhehiied with business. You cannot see the Queen, for the hour of her levee is long past." Here was despair for poor Marie. Her head hung in silence. The lady was touched by her air of absolute de- jection. She said : " Will you tell me what you wanted to see them about ? " " It was about an invention," she answered across the lump in her throat. ' ' An invention to do what ? ' ' "To kill people." ' ' Oh ! not invented by yourself ? ' ' ' ' Oh no, by someone else. ' ' " By whom?" " By someone — a great man." Her head lifted with pride. ' ' Well — and what do you wish to see them for in regard to this invention ? ' ' " I wish to tell them about it, and get someone to go and see the model." " Well, your scheme is rather wild, you know. But stay — perhaps — it is possible — I may do something for you." Hope leapt in Marie. " Oh, thank you, mademoiselle ! And shall I see them really ? ' ' ' ' Not those you wished to see ; but someone — perhaps — whom it will be much better for you to see. Follow me, this way." The lad}^ led the w^aj^ into the interior of the palace. How vast a place it was, Marie thought. Then, in an oval saloon, she was bidden to wait, and left alone. Marie waited half an hour. Then a tall lackey, all lace and gold, was bowing before her ; and in another moment she was following behind him through more corridors and complexities. At last she was ushered into a room, and the door closed behind her. Marie 1 1 3 It was a small room, full of a peculiar atmosphere of home, strange to a French mind. It seemed the sanctuary of a sanctuary. The lace curtains were cheap, and tied with cheap blue ribbon ; but more care and taste had been ex- pended in the tying of those knots than in the furnishing of one of the great salons of Versailles. There was a faint odour of cigar smoke about — of cigars smoked in this little den by Vansittart himself. Opposite her, sitting in an arm-chair, Marie saw a lady, whose eyes were rather red, as if with weeping. It was Evelyn. As soon as she saw the child, she loved her ; as soon as the child saw her, she trusted her. Their hands and ej'es met. ' ' Sit here — near to me, will you ? — and tell me all you have to say. A lady has been telling me about you, and I am glad that you have been enabled to see me, and I am glad to see you, too." So spake Evelyn. Marie was trembling a little from her previous nervous excitement. But not the least apprehen- sion at speaking with the simple and gentle lady before her now troubled her. She sat, and in a minute was at her ease. " First, will you tell me what I am to call yoM ? " " Marie." " Very well — Marie. I am Mrs. Vansittart, as I see you guess, and those who like me call me Evelyn. Is it true that 3'ou wanted to see my husband ? " " Yes, madame." "Well — but that is impossible, 5'ou know. He left the Tuileries an hour ago for the Gare de Lyon, and by this time is, I suppose, steaming rapidly southward. ' ' " I did not know that," said Marie ; " they told me his arm was sprained, and that he could not go out." " Ah, Marie ! " answered Evelyn, her whole full bosom heaving in a sigh, " sprained it is beyond all doubt, but had it been many times broken he would still have gone. No- thing could keep him back. The doctors threatened and 1 14 The Lost Provinces commanded ; and I, Marie, tried what many, man^^ tears and praj'ers would do ; but gone, you see, he is ! " " I am very sorry for — for — you, madame," said Marie. Evelyn's hand fell upon hers. "Thank you, Marie." ' ' You would, perhaps, prefer to be alone ' ' ' ' No. Tell me — whose is the invention — your father's ? ' ' " No, madame." "A friend's?" Marie crimsoned. "Ah, I see, Marie— I see ! " " He is very, oh, so very clever and great," whispered Marie, in a kind of confidential entre nous. Evelyn bridled, and laughed. " We all think that of the One, you know, don't we ? " " But he is, really. Oh, one could not dream " " He is at least very lucky, Marie. A Madonna is his devotee." ' * Ah, how good it is to be with you ! One feels confident and strong. Are you alwaj'S so good ? " Evelyn stroked her hair : " We are friends, are we not ? One is naturally kind to one's friends." ' ' I should like him to know you. He would love you, too." " There, we shall see. But the invention — are you sure ' ' " Oh, yes— quite ! " "What is he?" " An artist — a musician." " Really ? And how comes it, then " " He is so clever ! He can do anything. He just dreams of doing a thing, and he goes and does it. A great genius can do what he wills. You doubt, perhaps, because j^ou never saw him. As soon as 3'ou saw him, j'ou would know, too. It is all on his great brow, and in his eyes ! ' ' Marie 1 1 5 " Oh, devotee ! Oh, enthusiast ! " " I wanted M. Vansittart to see him ! I only wish he had." Faith begets faith and is as leaven. Evelyn was interested, and Marie, had she known it, had already won her victory. " But why, " said Evelyn, " did he let you come ; why did he not come himself ? ' ' ' ' He is strange, you see, ' ' the girl answered ; " he does not care about things — only about love, and ideals, and melodies, and all high things. He is like a bird or an angel — I cannot describe him. ' ' Evelyn laughed. A musician who invented destructive engines of war, and was like a bird, or an angel, was certainly not a commonplace person, and could only come from the Latin Quarter. She said : " And did he take the trouble to make a model of his invention ? " " Yes, he did. I made him promise to do it, and he did. It is at his rooms." " And can he bring it here ? " " Not in his hands ; it is too big." " Is it dangerous ? Does it go off ? " " I hope not. I don't think so. Oh! suppose it were to go off, and blow him up ! " Evelyn smiled. This certainly seemed one of the possi- bilities of the case. But she said : " Oh, there is no fear of that. I will tell you now what you must do. You must see him, and tell him to put down in writing an exact description of his model, and send it to me, personally, and then you may depend upon me, Marie, to see that it shall come under the eyes of the King himself, since Mr. Vansittart is away." Marie, lost in gratitude, turned away her head, and let fall a heavy tear. " And meantime," went on Evelyn, " just write down in this little book your name and address, and in a few days I 1 1 6 The Lost Provinces shall send 3'ou a letter, telling you how the affair is pro- gressing. Write down also in it the address of your friend in case we want him urgently." Marie took the pocket-book and wrote her own address and Armand's. Then she handed it to Evelyn, who looked at the scribbled words. Even as she looked she started. She saw, " No. ii Rue Pigalle." This house three nights before had, she knew, been seized by the police at the bidding of Folliet. The next day Folliet had had a long conference with Vansittart. Evelyn, there- fore, now knew of the great German organisation, whose present aim was to keep Vansittart in Paris for at least a week. As she saw this address before her, a dark and sin- ister suspicion shot, like lightning, through her mind. But one glance at the meek, unconscious, child-face restored her to calm. Marie, though she saw that something un- usual was happening at home when she returned from busi- ness at night, had no notion of the significance of the strange faces she saw there. The sisters were allowed to con- tinue to live on, as usual, in the house. When Evelyn's eyes rested with keen inquisitiveness on her face, the girl did not even blush. For a minute Evelyn pondered in silence. Then she said : " Well, Marie — be of good hope. Good-bye. Will you come and see me again ? Can 30U spare the time from — him?" "To see _jw^ yes," said Marie; "I should love to be always near you." " Ah, Marie, _>'4ng his rider's twelve stone. Troops were scattered all over the country, and Jim kept a sharp lookout ahead in order to follow the most open path. The volume of firing in front momentarily grew more dis- tinct. The most risky, because most indefinite, part of his venture was now at hand. "Jim dismounted and divested the biggest Uhlan of his jacket and helmet." A Question of Generalship i 75 Fortune had well aided him up to the present — would she continue to smile to the end ? Others rode forward like himself. Once, when he had just cleared a small body of infantry marching in the same direc- tion, an officer, flying along with eager haste, inclined towards him, obviously with the intention of questioning him. Jim swore quietl}^, changed the lance to his right hand, and when the other was near enough hit him such a hearty whack on the back of the head that he tumbled in a heap to the ground. Some Hamburgers witnessed the act, and gave a great shout of amazement as they ran to pick up the officer. But none of them thought of firing at the supposed Uhlan. At last Bates neared the fighting-line. He had no trouble in riding through the German artillery, which was in posi- tion on a ridge. In front, a large force of infantry was de- ployed, and a thousand yards away, across some meadows and cornlaud, he could see the blue frockcoats of the French troops dotted irregularly over an extended front. When he approached the German infantry an officer roared something at him and waved his sword to the right, seem- ingly indicating that the commander of the brigade was in that direction. Jim promptly inclined to the right, and he at once resolved to imitate the actions of one whose horse had bolted with him. Dropping his lance, and spurring the willing steed vigor- ously, he leaned back in the saddle and feinted to pull hard at the reins. No one paid heed to him for a few strides until he was clear in front of the extended troops. A German officer gallantly rode after him to help him, but desi.sted within a couple of hundred yards, trotting back to his own lines con- siderably puzzled by the tactics of the bolting Uhlan. Bates had but one danger left. In the central zone he might be shot b}' either side, accidentally or otherwise. To help him- self with the French he threw off" the helmet, jacket, and 1 76 The Lost Provinces cloak, and plucking forth his hat, again resumed the char- acteristic attire by which he was known to the whole French army. An absolute yell greeted him as he rode through the first companies of infantr>' that protected Daubisson's right flank. Heading straight for the colonel of this regiment, the iioth of the line, Jim shouted : " Where is General Daubisson ? " The ofiicer addressed fortunately understood him and pointed to a farm-house, nearly a mile away, surrounded by dense masses of troops and a strong division of cavalry. Something in their disposition told Jim that Daubisson was already preparing for the retreat to Verdun. Glancing at his watch he found that it was three minutes to seven, and he leaned forward in the saddle to press his faithful as- sistant for the last effort of that memorable ride. The noble animal stumbled and fell, utterly spent, not by the distance but by the pace, as Jim reached the farm in- closure. Daubisson was there, surrounded by a number of staff officers, to whom he was giving voluble instructions. Some of them turned to go when Bates ran up, but his stentorian shout caused them to halt for a moment. "Stop!" he roared. "I bring orders from M. Van- sittart ! ' ' The name caught every ear, and Daubisson snatched at the note with frantic haste. As he read, his plethoric face became purple. He crumpled it in his right hand and cried to his staff : " Gentlemen, the retreat is countermanded. The German centre is crushed and on the point of annihilation. It is our pleasant duty to attack Kreuznach with every available man." Not even military decorum could repress the cries of de- light with which the assembled officers greeted this welcome intelligence. Daubisson, whose volatile temperament soon A Question of Generalship 177 recovered from the implied rebuke of Vansittart's words, although fully conscious of the grave error from which he had been saved, was about to rush off impetuously to see personally to some detail when Bates caught his horse by the bridle. " No, you don't, old man," he said. " I want an answer in writing, voo savvj', General." " All-a-right, all-a-right," cried Daubisson, gleefully. " No, it ain't. It 's all-a- wrong. Papier, plume. Why the deuce can't j^ou talk English or Spanish — any blessed lingo but one that you spell one way an' jaw another." Jim's manner conveyed more than his words, so the Gen- eral found time to scribble a hasty acknowledgment of the millionaire's message. With this safe in his pocket the gentleman from Arizona went off to look after his horse. He had given the animal a pail of water and was about to find it some provender when he suddenly burst forth : " I 've got bats in my belfry. I 'm like a bloomin' bell- punch when the bell don't ring. I 'm clean off my trolley in this sort of business. ' ' Running into the house he found some paper and a pencil, and wrote in a big round hand : " Telegraphe M. Vansittart que General Daubisson has received his orders and carried them out." " The kick-off is fine," mused Jim, " but the second half is n't very Frenchy. All the same, they '11 comprenny better that way than if I chin 'em." He gave the document to the first ofiicer he met. It hap- pened to be one of the Commander-in-chief's aides-de-camp, who spoke English. " It is well thought of, monsieur," he said. " I will place it on the wire at once." Bates smiled all over his face. " That 's the ticket," he cried. " When a feller chips in with that sort of song an' dance it takes the blur out of my specs. ' ' 1 78 The Lost Provinces As the aide hurried off to the field telegraph tent he firmly resolved to renew his English reading ; he found unusual difficulty in understanding the language, though he spoke it quite well. Long before noon Count von Waldersee informed his im- perial master that if a wholesale disaster were to be avoided there must be an immediate retreat on Mars la Tour and Gravelotte. The French infantry had nobly done their work, and the task of hurrying the German rear was committed to cavalry and artillery. Vansittart did not know he was safe until nearly nine o'clock, so long did it take for Daubisson's answer to reach him. About ten, the right bank of the Meuse was cleared of the German troops, and Arizona Jim had no difficulty in re- turning. Jerome heartily thanked him for his splendid serv- ice, but there was little time for talk just then, his attention being devoted to the final movements of fresh troops, in order to compel the evacuation of Troj^on by the Germans. When the issue of the conflict was beyond the domain of doubt, he wrote a telegram to the King, giving a brief sketch of the day's proceedings, and warmly eulogising the army. A second message to Evelyn asked her to bid the Queen be of good heart. All had gone well so far. If fortune vouch- safed them a few more such victories, there would be an end to German aggressiveness for another generation. Even yet Jerome treated the Queen as the master mind of the royal pair. To Henri he sent the pleasant facts of a victory won, to Honorine he gave the less striking but vastly more im- portant reflections to be drawn from the event. For Van- sittart, even in the fierce joy of the moment, harboured no delusions as to the strategic difficulty of his position. The Germans were but sullenly retiring on their well- equipped base, to form anew upon positions whence the French could scarce hope to drive them. The victors in A Question of Ge7ieralship i 79 that day's combat were separated from their suppHes by- very reason of the obstacles they had already opposed to the invaders' progress. A swift-flowing river cut them off from reserve transport and commissariat, save where precarious pontoons and narrow country roads ill took the place of the solid bridges and railway lines they had destroyed weeks earlier. A determined rebuff by their opponents might precipitate a catastrophe. Every nerve must be strained to make good a desperate success. If only this could be achieved, if instead of being driven into the Meuse they could press the Germans back towards Metz, then truly the frenzied jubilation of France at the glad tidings of victory would be justified. What a sight Paris must present at that moment as the telegrams poured in ! By this time the papers had published his message to the King. The City of Light would be a cit}^ of mad rejoicing. And how fondly would Evelyn carry his words to the Queen ! Well, sufficient for the day was the fight thereof. ' An aide-de-camp rode up to announce that the Com- mander-in-chief wished personally to escort him to the chateau so unexpectedly vacated by the German Emperor. In a moment that worthy officer himself lumbered into sight. Vansittart reined in his horse as Daubisson approached, and the two heartily shook hands. " General," said the millionaire, " we have won a great battle." Tears sprang into the impulsive Frenchman's eyes. He stammered with difficulty, so intense was his emotion, " Yon have, monsieur. But believe me, if I cannot emulate you, I will in future obey orders to the death." CHAPTER XVII ENGLAND SAYS "HANDS OFF" FOLLIET slept for forty-eight hours after Vansittart quitted Paris. This was his method of mental recuperation. Phy- sically, he was one of those tense, compact personalities that can outlast time and fatigue until the final moment of com- plete annihilation. But his brain required periods of torpor. At such periods it refused to act. It gathered renewed force by utter abandonment, and the severe strain of recent events produced such reaction that the Prefect kept to his room for two whole days after the long-delayed train steamed out of the Gare de Lyon. He ate and drank as usual, but had no mind for affairs. At last, as the second night drew on, he felt a craving for a pipe — the first sign of returning sanity. Half-an-hour's quiet smoke, and he thought a book would be a pleasant thing. Ten minutes of a novel and he required a newspaper. Folliet was himself again. He asked his servant to bring him an Echo de Paris. A single glance at its staring headlines caused him to spring towards his coat and hat. " Great Battle— Magnificent French Victory— The Ger- mans Routed after Five Hours' Fighting " — these were the stirring phrases that threw light upon his soul. " Wake up, you dog ! " he shouted to himself. " Whilst your master works you sleep ! See to it that he sleeps in peace." As he drove to the Prefecture he bought more papers and 1 80 England Says " Hands Off " 1 8 1 learnt the full significance of the day's doings. A subordi- nate quickly infonned him of the outcome of the raid at the warehouse. In all, eighty-seven German conspirators were safe in prison, ten were dead, and six severely wounded. " How ? Ten killed ? Did they fight, then ? " M. Carot hesitated. " Not exactly, but " " Out with it, man. Don't pick your phrases. Say that which first comes to your mind." " Well, they defended their president, and we had to use force. ' ' ' ' Did he escape, then ? ' ' ' ' Oh, no ; no one escaped. ' ' " Is he injured ? " " No. He gave them some order in German and they formed an unbreakable ring round him whilst he ate some- thing — some paper, those of our men believe who were nearest." ' ' Do you mean that men were killed in order to prevent a document from falling into our hands ? ' ' " I am sure of it. He chewed the stufi"and swallowed it, shouted a command, and in an instant all resistance was at an end." " It must have been very valuable, this piece of paper ? " " Yes, sir, of the utmost value. I have searched every house, but have found nothing beyond evidence of this par- ticular conspiracy." " What ? You suspect something else ? " " I do. With the president and the leading spirits of the organisation in our hands, I fail to see why such a deter- mined attempt should be made to keep from us any testi- mony affecting the Pigeon Feather Society." " Is that their title ? " * ' No, sir. It was invented by the Soir. ' ' " Confound it, man ! Has some report of affairs crept into the press ? " I«2 The Lost Provinces " Yes, a correspondent wheedled it out of Jeanne Carhaix under pretence of marrying her for the dowry." " A thousand thunders ! Every rascal in Paris has been warned by this time. See to it, Carot, that the Soir corre- spondent is compelled to marry Jeanne. He will be more than punished." ' ' Yes, sir. ' ' Although Folliet's tone was light, his mind trembled with forebodings. It was quite true of this remarkable man, as he had himself told the Queen, that in criminal investigation he was a human barometer, subject to indiscernible pressure of gathering clouds. He reasoned that the president of the German societ}', knowing full well the extent of the police capture and their tenancy of No. ii Rue Pigalle, would credit them with com- plete knowledge of Hans Schwartz and his pigeon-post to and from the frontier. Under such conditions it was absurd to think that the destroyed paper had any distinct bearing upon the main objects of the conspiracy. There was a plot within a plot, a hidden scheme in which the common members of the society were not allowed to participate. What did it forebode ? Above all, who were its leaders ? Dismissing his coachman, the Prefect of Police walked through the streets to the palace. Paris was ablaze with light, tremulous with life. The war, the victory, Vansittart — these filled every breast. Small groups gathered and each person talked to the rest. Total strangers met and shook hands whilst they uttered phrases of encouragement and congratulation. Crowds of urchins marched in military fashion singing war-songs ; sol- itary strollers like himself would quicken their pace and join the chorus ; a woman, who was repulsed when she strove to embrace a policeman, embraced a lamp-post. As FoUiet neared the palace he became aware that a grand reception was taking place. He quickly decided to seek the England Says ''Hands Off'' 183 Queen or Mrs. Vansittart and learn the truth concerning the position on the Meuse. But in his present attire, it was im- possible. He must hasten to his residence and don a gor- geous uniform. Hailing a cab he rattled oflf towards the Rue de Maubeuge, and, as it chanced, the sartorial peculiarities of court etiquette cost him and France many a troubled hour. Had he sauntered fifty yards farther he would have seen a private carriage, containing two men in evening dress, stop near the curb. A blouse- wearing artisan, a tall, truculent fellow, darted from the shade of a column, received some message from one of the carriage folk, and hastened off towards the vSeine, whilst the vehicle drove on in the direction of the Rue de la Paix. Not much, this incident, but it would have yielded a whole volume of facts to Folliet. When at last he entered the brilliant salons of the Tuile- ries, he quickly found the King. Henri was intoxicated with the events of the day, but he strove to calm himself as he caught sight of the Prefect. " Ah, M. Folliet. You must have heard my unspoken thought. Listen carefully, for I have little time to spare. M. Lacontel has been here." " M. Lacontel ! " Folliet's gasp of amazement was justi- fied. Lacontel was one of the long-since fallen ministers, the most dangerous of the many enemies vanquished by Vansittart in his struggle to found the Empire. ' ' Yes, Lacontel, ' ' laughed the King. ' ' I know what you would say, but years work wonders, and Lacontel is now an ardent supporter of the throne. His very mission here to- day proves his faith beyond doubt. He came to urge me to reconstitute the National Guard. Paris will soon be de- nuded of troops to meet the demand at the front. M. La- contel thinks that the loyal citizens of Paris should be banded together to protect the — er — to protect the public peace. ' ' 184 The Lost Provinces " May I ask your Majesty if the police are not competent to do this? " " Of course, of course. No one spoke of the police. This is a patriotic movement, intended to reinforce the army." " Surely this is a matter for your Majesty's ministers and not for a discredited trickster like I,acontel ? " " Why, what a suspicious fellow you are! " laughed the King, uneasily. ' ' Lacontel was an ardent Republican, but he is none the less a true Frenchman." " Has General Villeneuve approved the proposal, your Majesty ? " " Oh, yes, I told him, and Lacontel spoke to him, too. He thinks there is something in it. The project will be promulgated by the War Office, and lyacontel offered his services for organisation. He is great in municipal matters, I^acontel." " And M. Vansittart?" " No. I will not have Vansittart worried about such a detail. Why are you so dubious concerning a simple ques- tion of self-defence ? ' ' " Because, your Majesty, there is nothing to defend in Paris. To-day's battle is a far better safeguard for the capi- tal than another line of fortifications. Because Lacontel is a scoundrel. Because the National Guard has too often proved to be anything but a guard for the King." This time Henri's merriment was unaffected. " Folliet," he cried, " you are incorrigible. You will be dreaming of barricades next. These German pigeons have built a nest in your brain. Eh ? The Duchess of Sainfoin ! I must speak to her." Folliet sought Villeneuve, the Minister for War. The General was emphatic : " It is a splendid idea, I tell you. The provincials have no heart for fighting. Prosperity has made them flabby. The cities must supply the troops and Paris must lead. I commence mobilisation to-morrow. It is a splendid idea. England Says " Hands Off " 185 Yes, I will watch Lacontel, but the fellow is cute, all the same. He looks to this move to rehabilitate himself with the King and Vansittart. ' ' Folliet moved away into the throng. " Which is the stronger," he asked himself — " hate or self-love ? " Tried by this summary, Lacontel was either a plotter or a patriot. Or was the situation more complex ? Might not the fallen minister gratify his self-love by indulging his hate ? What was to be done ? Watch Lacontel, naturally, but here there was no solution. I^acontel, dragged into light by his suggestion, would expect this delicate attention from his old-time foe. The Prefect exchanged a few words with Evelyn, whose joy trembled on the verge of tears. Through all the frenzied jubilance she shivered at the screaming of shells and whis- tling of bullets which ever thrilled the ears of her soul. These battles meant danger, danger to her husband. " I would not care," she confessed to the man she re- garded as the one friend in that glittering assemblage, ' ' if only I were near him. If I shared the risk I would be happy — I think both of us would be even safer." Folliet smiled reassuringly. He alone knew the full ex- tent of the peril that environed Vansittart in Paris. The millionaire was a thousandfold more secure in the battlefield than in the Tuileries. So he comforted her and skilfully diverted her thoughts b}^ praising her loved one. Yet her womanly intuition was more accurate than his keen logic. Evelyn was right. Far better would it have been if she rested that night in the chateau at Troj^on than in the seem- ing security of the royal palace. Folliet remembered her words afterwards. It was impossible to gain private audience of the Queen. A bow and a smile were Honorine's recognition of his presence, so, in pursuance of an impulse, he hied him to No. II Rue Pigalle. Jeanne had been temporarily dispossessed of her room, which was now tenanted by police. One of 1 86 The Lost Provinces these, an intelligent 3'oung man, answered Folliet's ques- tions : ' * No, sir. No more birds have arrived. It is curious, as one fails to see how Schwartz knows that the house has been seized." Then, with a cautious glance around, and sinking his voice, the policeman continued : " May I venture to suggest a theory, sir ? " " Certainly." " Some of these birds are trained to fly here from Lorraine, but others are trained to fly from Paris to the farm of Hans Schwartz." "Well?" " It seems to me quite evident, sir, that Schwartz can re- ceive messages from other quarters of Paris by the same means. Now, the only way to find out the whole business, is to visit Hans Schwartz's house." Folliet sprang about the room in a paroxysm of laughter and expletive. The policeman flu.shed and trembled. " I beg your pardon, sir. I only said what was in my mind. I " " Oh, shut up ! Your name ? " " Henri Pigot, sir. But please forgive " ' ' Will you shut up ? When the sergeant comes, tell him to convey this note to the Prefecture." Folliet scribbled, and handed a torn leaf to the quaking officer, saying, " There, read it yourself," and rushed from the room. The man with some difficulty deciphered the scrawl : "Henri Pigot is promoted from this date, to be assistant commis- sary. Place him in sole charge of No. ii Rue Pigalle. "F01.1.1ET." The Prefect dashed towards his waiting carriage. " To think of it!" he muttered. " The whole business awaiting England Says '' Ha7ids Off'' 187 solution in Lorraine — our troops even now marching on Gravelotte— and / in Paris. Confound it ! Shall I get there in time ? ' ' Summoning his deputy by telephone to his chambers FoUiet gave him instructions as to procedure during his absence. Precious hours had flown, but he caught an early train. The eastward lines were congested. But the officials assured him that by midnight or at daybreak next morning he would reach Bar-le-Duc. Eighteen or twenty-four hours wasted in travelling two hundred miles ! It was intolerable. But if it took a week he must visit the farm of Hans Schwartz. With the editions of the morning papers came dramatic news from an unexpected quarter. Since the outbreak of the war the French and German fleets had been chasing each other over the face of the waters. Sanguinary conflicts took place whenever they met. Although the French superiority in numbers of ships and sailors generally brought about but one issue to each engagement, nevertheless the German navy was far from paralysed. The authorities in Berlin issued stringent orders to their admirals to adopt every device to avoid fighting the French. Their supreme efforts must be devoted to harrying the com- merce of France and damaging her colonial empire. Disastrous blows were struck in this fashion, and the French sailors raged in a fury of disappointment when they failed time after time to bring their enemy to close quarters. In one locality only were they assured of safety for liners and merchantmen. The few German cruisers in the Medi- terranean were quickly chased out of it. At last the Minis- ter of Marine in Paris determined to sweep the North Sea and the Baltic with the whole of his available force, and with this object a grand concentration was ordered at Brest. This was the move that Germany had been waiting for. It was to tempt France into some such exploit that her war- 1 88 The Lost Provinces ships were ostentatiously withdrawn to the neighbourhood of Kiel and Bremenhaven. The Kaiser counted on the strength of his shore defences to safeguard his coasts. On the day that the French fleet, a superb array of fighting ma- terial, stood out into the English Channel and headed for the Straits of Dover, all the fast cruisers in the German navy disappeared from the Baltic and North Seas, and were sighted by English fishing-boats making apparently for Iceland. The French attributed this move to fear ; in Whitehall, where naval matters were more clearly understood, its object was read and prepared for. Definite orders were sent to the Admiral commanding the British Mediterranean fleet, with the result that the vessels stationed at Gibraltar and those gathered near Malta suddenly sailed with sealed orders. Thus it came to pass that when the lost German squadron, after sailing round by the Hebrides and down the North Atlantic, suddenly swooped like birds of prey upon the Sahara canal works at Boca Grande and Gabes, the two sections found an overpowering British force calmly awaiting them. Protestation was useless ; bluster merely evoked a comparison of the relative weights of ships and guns. The British commanders pointed out that England was greatly interested in the Sahara. She would no sooner permit the destruction of the irrigation methods adopted by Vansittart than witness unmoved the blowing-up of the Suez Canal. She simply forbade any attack. When German ships met French ships let them pursue the quarrel by all means. But in the case of a great colony where British capital was largely invested, it was a matter of " Hands oS" ! " More than that, the Admiral would permit no tricks, such as night attacks by torpedoes and the like. If the Germans did not sheer out to sea within an hour of the debate they would not be permitted to depart at all. The alternative was sail or sink. To the intense grief of ever>' man on board the British ships the discomfited raiders chose the safer course. England Says ''Hands Off'' 189 For once, France was grateful. Albion was no longer perfidious. Kven the Gil Bias did not suggest that England merely safeguarded the Sahara in order that she might gobble up this delicious mouthful of territory when the war had developed to the exhaustion stage. Naturally, there was chagrin at Berlin. The permanent scowl on the Kaiser's face deepened as he heard the news. But beyond diplomatic protest no further action was taken. Not even Wilhelm dared to dream of engaging both France and England in war at the same time. The incident was soon lost sight of in the tremendous events that followed. It only proved, beyond range of argument, that an alliance between England and France would be the true solution of the Continental puzzle. If these two led the concert of Europe, all others must pipe their tune. CHAPTER XVIII WITH THE FOREIGN LEGION THE Kaiser awaited the French attack at Gravelotte. The centre of his great army lay across the main road to Metz. Its southern wing filled the defiles that de- bouch on the village of Mars la Tour, and Kreuznach's force was strongl}^ posted on the famous ridge between Gravelotte and Conflans. This time there was no hope that either of the combatants could be taken by surprise. The nature of the country rendered a night assault by the French a risky and practically impossible proceeding, whilst the Emperor, taught to respect his opponents by the first great battle of the campaign, resolved to calmly await their decision as to time and method of reopening the conflict. His experienced staff fully agreed with this exhibition of newborn caution. Each hour of delay on the part of the French meant a vastly increased degree of efficiency for the Germans. The splendid organisation of the invaders was most valuable in precisely such a situation as that which now presented itself. With no fear of an unexpected attack on the lines of communication, the magnificent German organisation progressed each moment with the accuracy of a well-regulated engine. Reserve troops and supplies con- stantly reached the localities where they were most needed ; there was neither hesitancy nor doubt, naught but decision and certaint}'. The contrast between the two armies was never so marked as at this moment when they were inactive in the field. True, Vansittart's reforming hand had achieved much 190 IVitk the Foreign Legion 191 already. It was a bold thing suddenlj- to remodel the whole system of commissariat and ammunition transport almost under the eyes of the enemy. Few men would dare to under- take such a responsibility. But Jerome dared do anything, and in the result he was justified. A complicated and utterly inefficient method was replaced by one that already gave satisfaction and would surely work with remarkable ease when officers and men were thoroughly accustomed to it. The commanding officer of each regiment was made re- sponsible for his own commissariat and transport ; the general of each brigade was responsible for the feeding of the regiments ; officers of divisional rank were responsible for the procuring of stores in bulk and their proper distribu- tion. Yet the advantage in time lay with the Germans, and the dominant intellects of the two armies well knew it. The millionaire did not shirk the issue. William II. must be attacked again and soundly beaten. His strong position must be forced, his north and south army corps driven off into the interior, and his main bod}^ compelled to fall back upon the protection of Metz. This was the problem set be- fore the council of war that met in the chateau at Troyon on the second evening after the fierce combat that lodged the French on the right bank of the Meuse. General Daubisson had reconnnended a great artillery effiDrt, by every available gun, in order to cut a gap in the German lines across the road to Metz at the point where two main thoroughfares form a junction in the vicinity of Gravelotte. " To be followed by an infantry attack in the orthodox way ? " There was a tinge of sarcasm in Vansittart's good- humoured question. " Assuredly. We cannot disperse four hundred thousand men with field batteries alone." ' ' How many guns have we ? " " Two hundred and sixty immediately available." " And the Germans — how many ? " 192 The Lost Provinces Daubissou became less confident. " Judging from appear- ances yesterday," he said, " they must possess nearly double our number." " Then, General, I fear that the time-honoured artillery duel means, in this case, that an hour's genuine engagement would mean the total loss of every gunner at the front, and the disablement or capture of each gun." Jerome, with knitted brows and bent head, paced the room slowly, whilst Daubisson stooped over a frontier map to draw further inspiration from the perplexing outlines. Le Breton thought that this was hardly a case for his cavalry division, so he held his peace, but General Beau- marchais, leader of the Foreign Legion, did not fear to ofiFer a suggestion. " It will be an affair of infantry, to-morrow's fight," he said, " and I think that to the effective use of infantry we should wholly devote ourselves." Vansittart suddenly halted. "It is well said, General. What is your scheme ? ' ' " I have hardly formulated a scheme," was the reply, " but it seems to me that whilst a division, consisting, say, of the Foreign Legion and two other brigades, was trying to induce the Germans to believe that we intended to fight in force along the Metz road, two army corps of one hundred thousand men each, largel)^ composed of infantry, should attack the enemy's right and left wings simultaneously, advancing from ridge to ridge and always striving to engage at close quarters." " Excellent, Beaumarchais, but what of the German guns ? " "There," said the other, "I agree with Daubisson. Whatever be the cost, our artillery should keep them busy." Vansittart's position in this debate was an exceedingly difficult one. Technically, of couse, he was unable to com- pete on level terms with his staff. His national characteris- tic of promptly adapting himself to his surroundings was the With the ForeigJi Legion 193 sole equipment that rendered him able to convince or over- rule expert military officers who could not help thinking by the book. In the result he frequently amazed them by jumping to a conclusion that, by their rigid code, savoured of lunacy. So frequently, however, had his seemingly mad proposals been justified by events, that they were one and all very unwilling to commit themselves too strongly to an adverse opinion when he had propounded one of his tactical riddles. And it happened so in this instance. After another per- ambulation of the room he cried : ' ' Why should not the German batteries be broken up by infantry ? ' ' Daubisson valiantly sprang into the breach. " It is absolutely and utterly impossible," he said. "Why?" " Because the long range of the guns enables them to in- flict immense damage on infantry columns long before the regiments can deploy for attack. Because, even if the men bore the preliminary suffering, they would be mowed down by shrapnel and grape at shorter distances. Because, in this shattered state, they would be an easy prey to the enemy's cavalry. Because the German infantry, advancing to support the guns, would be opposed by exhausted and despairing men. Oh, there are fifty reasons." This sweeping condemnation did not daunt Jerome. ' ' You will see all fifty yield to one to-morrow," he said, "for I mean to demonstrate that infantry, well handled, hav^e noth- ing to fear from artillery fire. It is a question of quiet de- termination versus noise. In every other affair of life it is any odds on the persistent man getting the better of the blusterer and I fail to perceive why the opposite should prove true here." Daubisson smiled quite grimly. "Go ahead!" he cried. " Remember my promise : once the game starts I obey orders. ' * The American proceeded to explain his theory in detail. 1 94 The Lost Provinces There would be no hurry and no confusion. The battle would not commence until after breakfast, and if things eventuated as he desired, it would not assume serious pro- portions until noon. At first, barely a tenth of the French forces would be engaged, and the whole plan of attack de- pended upon the weather. If fog or rain obscured the land- scape, the fight would either be postponed or carried out on entirely different lines. All indications, however, pointed to a fine, clear day, in which case the commanders of divisions knew exactly what was required of them. It was their first duty to see that each soldier under their control was made fully cognisant of the nature and method of the work en- trusted to him. Vansittart was silent as to the reasons which dominated his resolve. The French officers, of course, did not lose sight of the fact that the present scene of operations was practically iden- tical with that of the memorable conflicts which determined the fate of France in 1870. But the millionaire, with his acute knowledge of men and their controlling impulses, was convinced that the Emperor William would insensibly follow the tactics which brought such conspicuous success to his grandfather and Von Moltke. In other words, if tempted sufficiently, he would throw for- ward his troops to attack the French instead of holding the impregnable position he now occupied. If the Emperor only possessed sufficient self-restraint to await and repel all as- saults made upon him, Vansittart felt that the gallant French- men would be unable to drive their foes from the fastnesses they held. But this shrewd empire-builder believed more in human nature thau in tactics. How far he was justified in his con- fidence the impending battle would reveal. At eight o'clock on the morning of June i8th, the Foreign Legion of the French army quitted the village of Fresnes to a lively accompaniment of bugles and drums. With the Foreign Legion 195 This crack brigade, eight thousand strong, is the last re- presentative in European armies of the mercenaries of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Hope and fear have long deserted each man in that contingent. To forget the past and to die fighting, is his creed. He is an outcast of society. In the ranks of the Foreign Legion are to be found Enghsh- men, Americans, Italians, Spaniards, Danes, Russians, men from nearly every civihsed nation, and, in the majority of cases, men who have fallen from the upper walks of life by reason of folly or misfortune. Princes and peers march shoulder to shoulder with social outlaws who, if they were recognised, would keep the extradition courts busy. But they can fight. In man's last resource they are pre-eminent. It was no faint-hearted mob of criminals that General Beau- marchais led so confidently along the high road to Mars la Tour by way of Horville, but eight regiments of stern soldiers, bound by an iron discipline, and more joyous in the forgetfulness of battle than in the thought-laden hours of barrack-room existence. They were followed, in quick suc- cession, by three brigades of infantry. Once clear of Fresnes the music stopped and the leading regiment advanced in ex- tended order, covering the fields on both sides of the road for a considerable distance. The small hamlet of Horville was held by a strong German picket, which the French drove off with small loss. By nine o'clock, however, the growing density of the Ger- man skirmishers and the presence of numerous small bodies of cavalry demonstrated to Beaumarchais that his further progress would soon be seriously disputed. He forthwith adopted the specific method of fighting recommended by Vansittart and practically threw the whole of the Foreign Legion into extended order. The movement took some time to execute, as the front thus covered was of tremendous extent, embracing, from flank to flank, fully two miles. Beaumarchais could not, of course, exercise 196 The Lost Pi'oz'inccs personal command over a brigade split up into sectional units of ten men each. But each unit had its definite instructions. It must on no account retire or incline right or left. Taking every ad- vantage of cover, and never wasting a shot which had not a target selected by the section commander, it was, if possible, to advance in line with its neighbouring units, and fire long- range volleys at every visible body of the enemy in the direct front. When the German massed batteries were sighted the skirmishers were advised to gain the best shelter obtainable within fifteen hundred to two thousand yards, and then settle down to deliberate volley-firing at the guns. In a phrase, the opening stage of the battle would be a duel between the long-range rifle and the long-range cannon, between the tiny bullet and the screaming shell. Which would win ? The question had been asked and answered once before. During the Transvaal War the desperate issue was tried, and the bullet conquered. Out of eighteen men of the British field artillery who strove to bring one gun into effective action against the Boers, seventeen were struck by Martini projectiles within a few minutes. Not a shot was fired at a less range than one thousand yards, at that time the maximum distance for anything like effective shooting. But the Frenchmen were now armed with weapons sighted up to two thousand five hundred yards — capable, too, of throwing their silent and deadly missiles nearly twice the distance — and calculated to inflict far more loss than shells aimed at a practically invisible enemy. Cavalry availed naught against these scattered assailants. Well handled, under skilful fire-control, the Foreign Legion easily bent back such small bodies of horse as rode against them. The only practicable method of grappling with and re- pelHng a persistent and invertebrate attack of this nature With the Foreign Legion 197 was to oppose infantry to infantry. But the Germans had no troops immediately available for the purpose. Bej-ond a few isolated battalions to supply guards and pickets at the front the great mass of the Kaiser's soldiers lay behind the guns at Gravelotte or in the defiles to the north and south of that town. Beautiful positions had been selected by the Prussian artillerists. Five hundred modern guns, of the latest type and flattest trajectory, were so disposed as to make a holo- caust of any army corps that strove to force a passage along the Metz road. According to the drill-book the position was impregnable, and in the German army the drill-book's authority cannot be gainsaid. The Kaiser's staff" relied on the machine ; Vansittart relied on the man who directed the machine. At ten o'clock the heavy staccato notes of the field ordnance mingled with the incessant crackle of rifle firing, and Beaumarchais at once strengthened his irregular but unbroken fighting-line by the extension of another brigade. The commander of the 3d Brigade received orders to lodge his men in half-battalions at various points in the rear of the extended troops, leaving to the discretion of the colonels and majors the exact time and direction of any decisive movement in support of the skirmishers. The General him- self, stationed with the fourth and last brigade on a cross- road between Mars la Tour and Conflans, occupied the centre of the base of the triangle formed by those two villages with Gravelotte at the apex. From that base the French attack advanced in a convex crescent, whilst the German guns, roughly speaking, followed the same semi-circular line at a distance of about a mile. No less than sixteen thousand French troops were dotted singly and in small groups behind every tree, house, and mound, over an area of nearly three miles. The 3d Brigade, in compact bodies, supplied supports at different centres, and the 4th Brigade, a dense mass of eight thou- 198 The Lost Provinces sand men, formed the hub whence radiated the different lines of the attack. The German centre, consisting of two hundred and fifty thousand troops, lay at Gravelotte, three miles in the direct front, whilst the north and south wings, of seventy thousand men each, were posted on the flanks of the attacking troops. The French main body, numbering two hundred and fifty thousand all told, were now advancing in three well-defined army corps, marching parallel to each other, some four miles in the rear of General Beaumarchais's division. Midway between lay the French guns and cavalry. It will thus be seen that, so far, the fight savoured of an ajBFair of outposts rather than a general engagement, and at 10 A.M. the Kaiser gleefully exclaimed : ' ' This Yankee adventurer is a greater charlatan than the third Napoleon. He is marching into the trap. By one o'clock I shall have crushed both him and France." Von Waldersee nodded assent. This time there was no mistake. The German position was indeed a trap, with its steel jaws gaping to enclose the hazardous Frenchmen, whilst from its throat five hundred guns were already be- ginning to spit death and disaster. Count Holbach, the commander of the German artillery division, and his subordinates, actively engaged in directing the gun practice, were not so sure of the excellence of ex- isting arrangements. These experienced oflScers well knew the folly of assuming that all the loss is on the other side. The well-placed Ger- man shells must have wrought havoc in the now clearly dis- cerned French fighting-line. Yet the percentage of loss among the gunners was growing more serious minute by minute. Slight leaden gusts swept through the batteries, and a steadilj' increasing train of ambulance-bearers showed already a heavy list of casualties. Eagerly did the German leaders look for signs of develop- ment in the attack. The}' came not, save perhaps a slight With the Foreign Legion 1 99 increase in the frequency and severity of those terrible gusts, that sighed and hummed and whistled amidst the intermit- tent booming of the guns. Holbach at last shut his field-glasses with an impatient snap and a still more impatient exclamation. " The devil take them ! " he cried. " Where are their guns ? ' ' A phlegmatic ofl&cer by his side answered : " There are no guns. It is a stroke of genius, this unsupported infantry attack. We must either hurry up our own battalions or fall back upon them. There is no alternative. We are firing at thin air." The General turned angrily upon him. " You had better take that message to the Emperor." " With pleasure." The other turned his horse to ride off. " No, no, not yet. I did not resent your words. We cannot retreat, and the Kaiser is firmly resolved to wait the French attack in his present position." The officer made no reply, and they both, for a little space, watched the progress of events. In a battery beneath them on the right fully half of the officers and men were disabled. Two guns were silent for the want of people to work them. As they looked, a leaden shower of extra severity fell against the hillside. Five soldiers dropped, three from one gun, two from another. The survivors, quite coolly, reapportioned their duties. Three guns out of six were out of action in a single battery ! The object-lesson was not lost. Count Holbach's face was set firmly as he said : " Telegraph the Emperor, Colonel Holtz, and say that I dema^id the immediate support of one, if not two, infantry divisions. If not supplied within half an hour I will retire every gun." The Kaiser's face flushed when he read the message. But he was slowly learning self-control, and he said little be- yond giving the necessary instructions for the dispatch of 200 Tlic Lost Provinces the much-needed relief. When it came, the roles quickly changed. The French infantry had been allowed a good innings — it was their turn to endure a bad quarter of an hour. The German attack would not be denied. " No matter what your loss," wrote Count Holbach to the commander of the Hanoverian division placed at his service, " you must crumple up the centre of the French crescent and strive to take the outer horns in flank after you have broken the line." But the Foreign Legion, which throughout had borne the brunt of the shell-fire, was not made of the stufi" from which retreats are manufactured. There was now every prospect of a sanguinary encounter, were it not that Beaumarchais had his imperative orders, based solely on the clock, and at present justified almost to the second. A few minutes before eleven he threw forward the 4th Brigade to check the rapid onslaught of the Han- overians, and at the same time sent out several aides with emphatic instructions for a gradual but definite falling back upon Horville. Each quarter of an hour since S a.m. a mounted messenger brought to \'ansittart a written report from Beaumarchais. When Jerome received that dated ii a.m. he smiled ap- preciatively and handed it to Daubisson, saying : " Instruct the artillery to take up position, and send a warning for immediate readiness to the commanders of the three army corps." By 11.30 the German infantry came within the fire-zone of the French artillery, and halted for supports. Count Holbach, on his own responsibility, threw forward one bat- tery after another to help the Hanoverians, but kept the Emperor constantl)' apprised of his actions. The excitement of the situation was rapidly working the Emperor up to the boiling-point; and, truth to tell, each member of his staff, every officer and man in the German host, was chafing under the compulsor}' inaction. With the Foreign Legion 201 A considerable battle was in progress in the front, under ill-understood and indefinite conditions. Half of the long summer's day had sped whilst the superb German army waited for the general attack which never came. Nay, it even seemed that a solitary division was now driving the French back upon Troyon and the line of the Meuse. The temptation was too great to be resisted. Shortly before twelve, William II, issued orders for a combined advance from flanks and centre in overwhelming force. His com- mand put the position pithily : ' ' Fight your way straight through the French lines to the river, and then converge on Verdun," he said. By 12.30 his object became clear, and Vansittart consulted his watch. In rare conceit with him- self he cried exultantly to Daubisson : " The Kaiser fights on our ground after all. He is only half an hour late. ' ' CHAPTER XIX THE COTTAGE OF HANS SCHWARTZ THE Graemes of Netherby never mounted their willing steeds with greater alacrity than was displayed by the aides-de-camp whose duty it was to carry to generals of divisions Vansittart's orders for a general attack. Now that the gage of battle was fairly thrown down, the million- aire experienced a strange buoyancy of spirit. The very dash and elan of the staff-officers as they rode off with his message were pleasing to him. They were typical of the high hopes he himself built upon the issue of the day. If Bellona withheld her favour from the French troops it would not be the fault of leader or men. Their powerful opponents had been tempted to abandon an impregnable position, and not in vain. Whilst the French had quietly and without fatigue taken up an excellent line of country for rapid manceuvring and quick concentration, the Germans were suffering from precisely contrary conditions. Yet he would be a bold man who decried the mettle of the invaders, and if Providence be indeed on the side of the big battalions the great preponderance in numbers of the Kai- ser's army must determine the fortunes of the field. It was a considerable factor in the situation that the French troops did not enter the fray beaten before a shot was fired. This has too often been their lot. Men win battles quite as much by good food and serviceable clothing as by cannon and small arms. For once the gallant sons of France were not weighed down by wretched commissariat and inefficient handling. The Cottage of Hans Schwartz 203 Vansittart was about to move to a slight hill on the left of the Metz road when his watchful eye chanced upon Folliet. At first he almost refused to believe his senses. But there could not be the slightest doubt that the famous Prefect of Police was standing near a cavalry escort stationed on the road, and that he had just ridden up on the small pony whose bridle hung over his arm. Even in the fierce excite- ment of the moment Jerome felt such keen curiosity to learn the cause of Folliet' s wholly unexpected appearance that he checked his horse. " Jim," he said, " go and ask M. Folliet to come here a moment. ' ' Bates was an interested spectator of the events in front when his master's words caused him to wheel in the saddle. When he saw Folliet' s diminutive form behind the stalwart cavalry soldiers of the escort he exclaimed : " Wall, goldarn me, if he ain't a reg'lar Jim Dandy. Is it you, or 3'our sperrit ? " he cried, as he pulled up alongside the Prefect. Folliet smiled, shook hands with him, and, still dragging his ponj^, ran to Vansittart. ' ' Hav^e you brought a regiment of police, monsieur ? ' ' inquired Jerome. ' ' No, oh no. Just myself. ' ' " But tell me — I have a moment to spare — surely some extraordinary event has dragged you thus far from Paris and into our biggest battle ? ' ' " Yes, monsieur. The farm of Hans Schwartz is beyond Gravelotte, by the side of the Metz road. I want to inspect that farm to-night." ' ' Ha ! Then you think we will help you to get there ? ' ' " I am sure of it." " There are four hundred thousand Germans in the way. I wish I were assured of it myself, though I believe we will get the best of the struggle." " Yes, four hundred thousand Germans ; but they have 204 The Lost Provmces the Kaiser to direct them. I know him well. He plays the conqueror on parade. He cannot smile. He poses. To- day's events will overpower him. He will see his mistakes to-morrow. If I am told aright he has already allowed his impatience to master his reason." Jerome smiled at this caustic summary. " Well, we shall see. I hope to meet you near the house of Hans Schwartz." Beaumarchais's division, the Foreign Legion in particular, was suffering severely during an orderly retreat. Sullenly, desperatel}', steadily, the Frenchmen retired before the crushing onslaught of the Hanoverians, now strongly reinforced. At last the check came. The French guns, admirably screened and disposed, suddenly rained shrapnel upon the advancing Germans. The enemy flinched, halted, and reeled back beneath this infliction, and their guns rapidly unlimbered to engage the French batteries. Soon the in- fantry combat died into nothingness beside the thunder of the giant encounter that ensued forthwith between the op- posing artillerists. Battery after battery galloped up on both sides, and the superior numbers of the German guns would have quickly decided this phase of the struggle were it not that the French had the tremendous advantage of selection of ground. The nature of the country precluded long-range firing as gunners understand it. Barely a mile separated the most distant batteries, and, here again, in view of the appalling accuracy and effect of the missiles, the Ger- mans laboured under a drawback. Their exposed positions rendered the French practice more deadly, and it was clear to the experienced officers on Vansittart's staff that the French guns were able to hold their own against the assailants. Daubisson rocked in the saddle with admiration. " There ! " he gasped. " I told you so. The artillery duel ! It is superb. Voila la guerre ! ' ' Vansittart heard him and answered not. He simply The Cottage of Hans Schzvaj'ts 205 looked at his watch. But Daubisson fully understood. Five hours in time and three miles in space made a vast difference between his ideal of war and the millionaire's. Suddenly a sharp-sighted young aide, eagerly scanning the opposite heights with his glasses, shouted vehemently, " The Kaiser !" Every man followed his direction. On the verge of a wood, a little over a mile awaj-, to the extreme right of the German batteries, stood a small group of horsemen. One figure, conspicuously clothed in a scarlet tunic and red- plumed, gilded helmet, sat motionless on a fine bay horse, some twenty yards in front of the others. It was undoubt- edly the Emperor, and it seemed that he, too, had discovered their presence, for his right hand never moved his field- glasses from the direct range of vision. Whilst the Frenchmen looked at this magnetic personality whose uniform rendered him so plainly visible in that clear air and bright sunlight, a French shell burst a little to the left of him. Others had observed him, and some enterprising gunner hoped to bring matters to a crisis by a well-directed shot. " Go," cried Vansittart, angrily, " tell them to stop that. Our guns have enough to do with their opponents. The enemy's batteries supply their only target." As a rider raced off" to convey his wishes Jerome turned from the statuesque form of the Kaiser, who had not paid the slightest heed to the obvious danger that threatened him. Column after column of the German infantry put in an appearance, and the leading division of the French central anny corps was deploying for the attack. Soon the bellow- ing of the cannon failed to drown the continuous roar of the magazine-rifles. Gallopers came from both flanks to an- nounce a definite engagement with the enemy. At 1.30 P.M. the battle became general, and the tide of conflict surged in red waves over a front extending nearly five miles. This was a small area for the number of men on the field, 2o6 The Lost Provinces and the fight, thus condensed, raged with the greater ferocity. On neither side were there signs of yielding. Regiments took up position and simply fought to a stand- still. The two great armies might have been duellists, firing at measured distance until one or both fell. During this period of the battle Folliet betrayed his nervous tension in a strange manner. He was a human electric machine. His mind swayed with each trivial feature of the fray. He found relief in strange murmurings, whilst his eyes devoured the road to Metz. Did a French infantry line advance he gave a subdued yelp : ' ' One hundred yards nearer." Did it retire to form behind its supports he growled : ' ' SacrS bleu ! Too bad ! That good distance lost." To him there was a single object in the tactics of the troops. He approached, or was driven away from, the house of Hans Schwartz. French excitability nearl}' drove Vansittart mad. So far, it will be seen, the host of cavalry with either army had been inactive, invisible to each other, massed close to the scene of action, but unemploj-ed and chafing at the re- straint. Daubisson recollected the fact during a lucid interval. He roared to Vansittart amidst the din : ' ' A cavalry brigade could sweep that hollow clear. ' ' And again, in more passionate tone : " A strong cav^alry charge now, and we can order a gen- eral advance." Finally he shrieked : " Mon Dieu ! What fatality is this ? Why not send for Le Breton ? The Germans will crush us by sheer weight." Vansittart, with wonderful self-command, merely said : ' ' Remember your promise. General Daubisson ! ' ' Then came hysterical appeals from the wings. The com- manders, of course, had some mounted troops with them, but not suflScient. He on the right promised a successful The Cottage of Hans Schwartz 207 flanking movement if only he had ten thousand additional sabres. He on the left reported a fierce attack by Kreuz- nach, which mtist be repelled by cavalry and guns. Jerome's senses were beginning to swim before this ceaseless iteration, for many of his senior stafF-ofiicers joined in the demand, whilst Daubisson, mute indeed, watched him with eyes from which the tears flowed down his fat cheeks. To the right wing Vansittart sent the imperative order : " Upon no account attempt to outflank the enemy. Hold your ground against all attacks." To the left : ' ' Stand fast. Fight in square if necessary. ' ' With his glasses glued to the centre of the German line he watched and watched and watched, with the air of a man who expects something which comes not. Four hundred yards in the rear, Le Breton, who could see naught of the fight, watched Vansittart. At last, in the rage of the hour, men swore at Jerome and even threatened him. They importuned Daubisson to use his prerogative as nominal Commander-in-chief and give orders for the cavalry to be employed. Daubisson wrung his hands in the impotence of abject despair, but he uttered no word. At last Vansittart lost his temper. Beckoning Arizona Jim he told him to shoot the first officer who rode away without his instructions, and Jim's attitude as he faced round, revolver in hand, was more eloquent than a long speech. The exceeding ferocity of the battle had now reached its height. The din assumed the sustained note of a tempest — the outlines of the opposing forces became blurred, uncer- tain, merged in a sea of horror. On the Metz road the bodies of the slain lay so thickly that it was difficult to cross the dividing belt. From out the turmoil stood one patent fact. Although the Kaiser had launched the full power of the mighty thunderbolt he controlled, the German infantry had not gained a foot of French ground. With splendid heroism his 2o8 The Lost Pi-ovinces famous troops hurled themselves on the defenders, and the gunners sacrificed themselves to the French batteries by turning their fire upon the French infantry. It was no use. If the Germans were brave, so were the French. They could die, not unavenged, but they could not break through the living barrier that resisted them. Many a time did the thought possess Jerome that perhaps he was wrong, perhaps the cavalry were needed, perhaps he was sacrificing victor)^ to stubbornness. But still he remained steadfast in his resolve, and the comforting reflection came to his aid that if the French horse- men were iu reserve so were the Germans. If his attitude concealed a purpose what did the Kaiser's betoken ? And he was right. At a quarter to three o'clock he discerned the fluttering lance pennants of a vast body of mounted troops gathered in the rear of the German guns. Wilhelm was emulating Von Moltke. Mars la Tour was again to have its Death Ride. A second time the flower of the Gennan cavalry was to crash resistless through French guns and lines of infantry, turning possible defeat into cert- ain victory, breaking up the French centre, and rolling back their opponents to be outflanked and vanquished in detail. Vansittart's face flushed with triumph when he saw the rapid preparations in progress behind the batteries. Turning to the staff he said, " Tell Le Breton to advance at the trot. ' ' Four officers raced off. Jim Bates returned his revolver, and an alert air of jubilation swept away the frenzy of the others. But Daubisson gazed at the millionaire, awe- stricken. Now he understood. He approached Vansittart closely, so that he might be heard. " I deal with manoeuvres, monsieur," he said; " you deal with men." Even in the anxiety of this supreme moment, for the next ten minutes would irrevocably determine the result of the fight, Jerome was able to reply smilingly : The Cottage of Haiis Schivartz 209 " It is my only accomplishment, General, but it sufi&ces." Not until the German horse were fairly launched down the opposite slope did the startled gunners and perplexed colonels of infantry perceive the full extent of the storm about to burst upon them. Brigade succeeded brigade across the ridge and down the hill, riding in beautiful lines, and pouring on over a wide front until thirty thousand troopers were in motion, gathering pace as they came. The guns tore gaps in them, hundreds fell before showers of bul- lets, but the glittering rank swept on and the earth thundered with the myriad beats of iron-shod hoofs. A cavalry charge on such a colossal scale is the most awesome thing in war. Men will face death in any form rather than be trodden into a shapeless mass beneath the feet of infuriated horses. The Germans were still a quarter of a mile from the ad- vanced line of French skirmishers and men were running back to their regiments for dear life, when a great roar of delight went up from the French army. I^e Breton, leading the i8th Chasseurs, followed by the Cuirassiers of the Guard and many another crack cavalry corps, rode grandly across the ridge and onwards to meet the German onslaught. Owing to Vansittart's foresight the French troops were fully equal in strength to their opponents, and they now had the inestimable aid of the down gradient in their favour. What this means the cavalry officer alone can tell. In mere dynamic computation it counts hugely in the scale of weight. The Kaiser saw the advance of I^e Breton long before the majority of the French army were aware of it. Thus far throughout the day he had been rigid, inscrutable, Napo- leonic. But now he abandoned himself to white rage. He knew that he had failed, that his theatrical blow would recoil upon himself, that a quicker intelligence than his had read his plans, and simply awaited his move to checkmate him with conscious ease. A German Emperor in a passion is a terrifying spectacle. His language helps him. A man can- not rave in French. He perforce remains polite. In Eng- 2IO The Lost Provinces lish he can be forcible, but in German he possesses ready to his hand a tongue that clanks and bangs like a steam engine. It is furious in the utterance, it snorts with power, it thunders with compound and triply expanded meaning. Wilhelm's staff forcibly restrained him from joining in the fray. Not his worst enemy could call the Kaiser a coward, and he panted to strive singly to redeem the tottering bal- ance. It was now too late for any human intermediary to stop the magnificent cavalry combat that forthwith took place. By common consent artillery and infantry alike were silent, and the two great bodies of horse closed together with a great thud that was distinctly audible above the cries of men, the neighing of animals, and the clash of weapons. It was not soon ended. Sixty thousand troops cannot get at one another so quickly. Charge after charge took place, and the ensuing vielee revealed a gigantic and disorganised mob. The Germans at first withstood the French, but it was absolutely impossible to make headway, and a time came when Vansittart could discern a definite movement back- wards into the dip between the hills. Instantly he launched forward two big cavalry brigades, Montsaloy in command. They swerved off as they rode, and avoided the struggling hosts in the valley. Up the hill they went, and in a few strides were among the German gunners. Regiment after regiment followed, until practically the whole of the French mounted arm was in motion. The American had also read the records of Mars la Tour. It was his turn to try the value of Von Moltke's strategy. The issue was never in doubt for a moment. By 3.15 the German centre was crushed, by four o'clock the village of Mars la Tour was occupied, and the French soldiers were frantically cheering at the base of the statue that looks so piteously towards the lost province of Lorraine, by five they were in Gravelotte, and were only withheld by sheer force of discipline from pursuing their routed foes to the very walls ^«— The two great bodies of horse closed together with a great thud that was distinctly audible above the cries of men, the neighing of ani- mals, and the clash of weapons." The Cottage of Hans Schwartz 2 1 1 of Metz. Simultaneously with the central advance, the French right and left wings respectively attacked Kreuz- nach and the Grand Duke Albrecht. The one was driven off towards Diedenhofen and the other into the Vosges. Wilhelm's defeat was complete and utterly disastrous. If the mobilisation of France were only on a level with that of her hereditary enemy, there was a splendid opportunity for the investment of Metz and an advance to the left bank of the Rhine. Some enthusiasts did urge Vansittart to press forward beyond Metz with two strong columns, but Jerome quietly repressed them. In the moment of victory the born tactician knows the value of restraint. Notwith- standing her boasted number of troops France was practically fighting with her entire available army on the frontier, whilst Germany could place eight such cohorts in the field as that overthrown at Mars la Tour. Now that the battle was won the millionaire's anxiety re- doubled. There was little fear of an effective rally in the vicinity of Metz for some days at least, but it was a ticklish question to decide how best to follow up the advantage already gained. Was it possible to invest the great frontier fortress with troops at his disposal and at the same time ward off the attacks which would surely be made from Strasburg and Diedenhofen ? He must take thought. In a multitude of counsellors might be found wisdom. So he summoned an assembly of divisional commanders and the general staff at the small inn in the centre of Gravelotte, the house in which Napoleon III. and the Prince Imperial slept on the night before the battle of Vionville. Meanwhile, where was Folliet ? Weak from the fierce exhaustion of the fight, hoarse with the involuntary cries he uttered as he followed up the French advance, yet profes- sional zeal came to his aid. The abandonment of the con- queror yielded to the pertinacity of the sleuth-hound. Even as he partook of some slight refreshment he plied his quest 2 1 2 The Lost Provinces among the dazed villagers. He could not get them to collect their scattered wits until a postman, an old soldier, put in an appearance. On him the detective fastened eagerly. " Where is the house of Hans Schwartz, friend ? " " Hans Schwartz, the farmer? Why, close to the Bois des Ognons. I know it too well, confound the place and Hans Schwartz, too." "So. 'T is a long walk, then ? " " A good mile from the village, and he had more letters than ever man needed who only went to Metz for the weekly market. ' ' " Say'st so ? Whence came these letters ? " " Some from Metz, but most from Paris and Berlin." " Have you long served in this district, postman ? " " Ever since the war." ' ' A lifetime. And not a postmaster yet ? ' ' " Ha, ha ! Postmaster ! That 's good. Who am I, to be made a postmaster ? Not that I am unable for the work, but I have no influence." Folliet bent his piercing eyes upon the intelligent face that smiled so broadly at the preposterous suggestion. " Listen, postman," said the Prefect of Police. " Answer me fully and carefully and you become a postmaster within a week. Take this as earnest of my words. Men do not give away hundred-franc notes for a jest," The simple-minded villager gazed with wonder upon the crumpled piece of paper in his hand. ''Bonne vierge!'' he murmured. " No wonder men oft say that a war does good." "Take time to reply," went on Folliet, motioning the man closer and dropping his voice. " How long has Hans Schwartz lived on the farm near the wood ? ' ' ' ' Not long. Eighteen months, perhaps. ' ' " Whence came he ? " " From Strasburg, they said. He was no farmer, as any man could see. How he made a living I cannot tell, as he The Cottage of Hans Schwartz 2 1 3 only scratched his land. Perhaps he sold some of his birds." "Birds. What birds?" " Pigeons. He was a great pigeon-flyer, was Schwartz. He was constantly sending them off" in crates, and they told me at the station they were addressed to Chalons or Verdun or Nanc}^, sometimes to Paris." FoUiet knitted his brows for a moment. Then he laughed drily. Of course it would arouse suspicion if the pigeons were invariably consigned to Paris. So they were met at the other places and taken to the capital. " Your name, postman ? " " Francois Noir." " Francois, that post-office of yours is built. Proceed." " Well, let me see. It was only of late that he had so many letters. They came in different handwriting from Paris, but always the .same writing from Berlin — a square hand, official I called it." " I call you a gem. Were there any printed addresses or seals on the envelopes ? ' ' " Only once, a long time ago, four months at least. Some crack-jaw German on a Berlin letter. Schwartz frowned and swore when he saw it. I was sure it was a police summons." Folliet laughed again. He scribbled in his note-book the German for " Police Headquarters," and showed it to Noir, saying, " Anything like that ? " " De Dieii en Dieu ! the very words. You are a wizard." " Nay, Francois. I but conjure with thy wits. Were you friendl}^ with Hans Schwartz ? ' ' " Not I. He was a surly brute, and I hated the hill to his house." ' ' Where is he now ? ' ' " Well, his place was terribly damaged by Colonel Mont- saloy during the great ride, but he still lives there, unless 2 1 4 The Lost Provinces he was driven out by the battle to-day. For two hours some German guns were posted near the Bois des Ognons. " Will you guide me thither ? " "With pleasure. But is it really true, what you say about the post-office ? ' ' " Would you were as certain of going to heaven ! But come ! " The oddly assorted pair walked off down the street. They passed the village inn as Vansittart stood at the open win- dow to draw a quiet breath of air before the council of war set to its deliberations. Something in FoUiet's manner im- pressed him and he sent hurriedly for Arizona Jim. "Jim," he said, pointing to the fast-walking couple, " Folliet is on the trail. This locality is dangerous just now, and I cannot spare him. Follow him unobtrusively and take care of him." Bates grinned delightedly. ' ' Bully for me ! " he cried. " Take care of Folliet ! I '11 look after him all right, guv' nor. If he was n't around I 'd feel kinder skeered, sometimes." CHAPTER XX PIGEONS, SOME HAWKS, AND A TELEGRAM THE house to which Francois Noir led the Prefect stood near the crest of a hill crowned by a thick clump of trees. They followed the bridle-path from Gravelotte to Arssur-Moselle for a short distance and then turned off through some ploughed land. Bates kept them well in sight, but the prairie instinct, imbibed during an infancy spent among Indians, told him that they were going to the ruined farm near the trees and caused him to remain a little while in the road hidden by the willows lining the tiny tribut- ary of the Moselle that runs near Gravelotte to the river. There might be others interested in their movements. Although the hour was late, the midsummer twihght ren- dered all things visible. Through the quiet air came the hum of thousands of voices from the French camps dotted along the Metz road through Mars la Tour, Vionville, Rezon- ville, and Gravelotte, whilst fitful sounds of distant firing showed that the last remnants of the pursuit were dying away towards Metz and St. Privat. But Arizona Jim was a remarkably single-minded indi- vidual. Folliet and his companion filled his thoughts, whilst his eyes roamed restlessly over the hillside and among the trees. Steadily upwards pressed Folliet and the postman, the latter inclined to be talkative. " It was a great fight to-day, sir," he said, when FoUiet's questions had momentarily ceased. " Magnificent." 215 2 1 6 The Lost Provinces " And it covered just the same ground as the battles in September, 1870. It seems like yesterday since I saw the Emperor and the young Prince " " How long is it since you saw Schwartz, Francois ? " " Oh, it may have been last evening, or perhaps the day before. To-day's battle has almost dazed me." ' ' Where was he ? " " In the village, drinking at the Estaminet of the Black Dog." "Alone?" ' ' Oh dear, no. He was talking quite a long while with two men, one an officer, and the other an older chap in plain clothes. ' ' " What was he like, the man in plain clothes ? " " Well now, I don't know. Just a .sharp-looking fellow like yourself, if you will pardon me. ' ' " Frangois, you must leave the post-office." ' ' Now I have offended you. Believe me, sir ' ' " No offence. But anyone who can come to the point as you do, deserves a higher position than that of a village postma.ster. ' ' Folliet naturally puzzled the straightforward letter-carrier. They approached the dismantled farmhouse in silence, Noir covertly glancing at the other and wondering what was the hidden meaning of his words and actions. The place was dreary enough in ordinary times and now looked positively woe-begone. French shells had torn gaps in the roof and walls. The place looked deserted and for- bidding, whilst several dark objects huddled up near the verge of the wood gave ghastly evidence of the loss sustained by the Saxon battery which had temporarily held the posi- tion. Folliet was about to enter the main room when the soft cooing of pigeons fell upon his ear. Following the sound, he reached a sheltered loft in the rear of the premises, climbed to a small window by means of a ladder, and found Pigeons, Some Hawks, and a Telegram 2 1 7 three birds pecking at the remains of the last supply of grain given by their attendant. He quickly examined them. One bore a small quill, securely fastened. With this treasure-trove he descended the ladder and opened the rolled-up scroll. It read : " P 18, 6, 2 p. Soou, perhaps to-night. No fear of failure. "R." If, as he believed, the opening letter and figures meant, " Paris, June i8th, 2 p.m.," the fleet messenger had but re- cently arrived. Further, it had not come from No. 1 1 Rue Pigalle, as this was impossible, the house being in possession of Pigot and the other police agents. Here was proof positive that there were others in Paris who communicated with Schwartz. Who were they ? Who was "R." ? What would happen soon — or to-night — which could not fail ? Folliet was viciously vituperative for a moment. Why could he not drive from Gravelotte to the Prefecture of the Seine ? If only some inventor could equal the pigeon as a flying-machine ! Frangois Noir watched him. ' ' This rascal Schwartz gives information to the Prussians, then ? " he said. " Yes, and to me also." " But, monsieur " Folliet cut him short by darting towards the house. The interior was dark, and the Prefect stumbled over a corpse at the threshold. Producing a small electric lantern, he switched on the battery and examined the prostrate body, thinking that it might be the proprietor of the farm. But it was a German infantry officer, who had been shot through the forehead with a shrapnell bullet and now lay on his back in the smiling unconsciousness of one who dreams pleasantly. The chamber was long and low. It had a fireplace in the farther wall opposite the door — two windows, the panes shattered to atoms, on the left — and an open door, com- 2 1 8 The Lost Provinces municating with another room, on the right. A long table ran down the centre of the apartment. Folliet made the tour of the house, but the dead soldier was its onl)^ occupant. The place was so bare that a rapid scrutiny revealed the poor chance there was of jBnding aught likely to prove valu- able. Returning to the large room, the Prefect examined the table. In the table drawer near the fireplace was a bulky volume and some loose sheets of thin paper. Folliet could not resist a cry of surprise when he discovered that the book was a telegraph code in German. The user was a careful man. To make sure of the code words exactly conveying his meaning he had ticked off each one, and the detective promised himself an interesting hunt through the maze of phrases. On the title-page was the significant legend : " Strictly confidential. For State pur- poses only." Franfois Noir broke in upon Folliet's tumultuous thoughts. " That little machine of yours only lights up one spot, and this room is getting confoundedly dim. Shall I put a match to my postman's lamp which I always carry ? " " By all means. The more light the better." Noir ignited the wick of a small globular lantern he brought from his coat pocket, and when the oil burned up it cast a dull gleam upon the bare walls and blackened rafters overhead. Folliet examined the grate — the substitute for a waste- paper basket in many households. Some charred bits of paper were rescued, but they bore no writing. A larger piece of wholly consumed paper lay near the lowest bar, and Folliet stooped low with his electric ray to look at it minutely. If he touched it the black tissue would surely crumble to atoms. Nevertheless he could see quite plainly, showing white in the scratches of a pen, the single letter " R." Pigeons, Some Hawks, and a Telegram 219 " Now who the deuce is * R ' ^ " cried FoUiet aloud, and Francois Noir bent down that he also might see. " You had better ask those who know," came a deep voice from behind them. Both men sprang up and turned. A tall, rough-looking man, carrying a double-barrelled gun, was standing within the doorway, astride of the German officer's body. His eyes blazed at them with mahgnant pleasure, and he lovingly clutched his w^eapon as he poised it in the manner of one on the alert for a covey. ' ' Hans Schwartz ! ' ' cried the postman. ' ' Good evening, Hans ; this gentleman wished to see you, so I " " Are you FoUiet, the Prefect of Police at Paris ? " asked the newcomer, paying no heed to Noir's stuttered explana- tion. " That is my name." " I thought so. I was told you had left Paris, and I partly expected you." " Well, I am here, Hans Schwartz. Your game is up, so you had better save your own skin by making a clean breast of the shady business you are engaged in." Folliet spoke coolly enough, but he knew that he was in a desperate position. He felt certain that Schwartz would murder him and the unfortunate Francois in cold blood. For this man, with his excellent French and his calm, self-contained manner, was no bungling clodhopper, but an experienced and able member of the German secret police. " The game is up, is it ? " Schwartz showed his teeth in a ghastly smile. ' ' Well, Folliet, you are right. It is ended, and the loser pays. No. Keep your hands quite still. Otherwise I must shoot you at once. Perhaps — I say per- haps — if you answer my questions I may spare your life, and conduct you to Metz as a prisoner. After all, you are a professional like myself — a devilish clever one, too — and I should be sorry to be compelled to injure you." 2 20 The Lost Provinces Francois Noir, after the first shock of surprise, regained his nerve ; the ex-soldier was plucky enough. " Look here, Schv\^artz " he began. " Peace, fool. Another word from you, and you die." The German spoke to Noir, but his eyes never quitted Folliet. "Don't interfere, my poor friend," said Folliet, sadly. ' ' This quarrel does not affect you, and, however it ends, I hope Monsieur Schwartz will let you go unharmed." Schwartz scowled in another smile. " We shall see. Now, Folliet, tell me what was the message you took from my pigeon ? Please don't move. You can remember quite well." Folliet told him, wondering the while how this grim farce would end. Personally, he was quite sure that Schwartz would kill him. "Soon, perhaps to-night, eh?" repeated the German. " Good. If our arms cannot prevail against your mighty Vansittart, we will see what our wits can accomplish during his absence. Indeed, I may say during your absence, col- league. It would be most awkward for certain people were you in Paris just now." " Something is going to happen there, then ? " "Oh, yes. Something far better for us than a mere battle, even if we had been victorious to-day." " Really, you interest me." * ' I am sure of it. I have interested you for weeks, con- found you." " It is true. You are a clever man. And I hope you are a wise one. Monsieur Vansittart is rich. He will reward you beyond your dreams if you help us instead of plotting against us. ' ' " Ah, you would bribe me. I have taken care of that for myself. Your millionaire will pay me more in a week to tell him something he wants to know than he would now give me to rescue France. ' ' Pigeons, Some Hawks, and a Telegram 221 It was a new role for Folliet to be played with in this fashion. His pride was wrestling" with his reason. Soon he would rush at this taunting spy and spend his life in the effort to reach him, for he was unarmed, though Schwartz thought otherwise. In the madness of the battle he had wildly and uselessly emptied his revolver. But he bottled up his wrath for a moment. ' ' You take every trick, monsieur. But tell me, as a mere matter of curiosity, who is ' R ' ? " The other hesitated a moment. Then he laughed scorn- fully. ' ' There is no reason why you should not know. Your old friend, Ribou, aided by another old friend, Lacontel, is leading the new Commune. Paris is about denuded of troops. To-night, or within twenty-four hours, the revolu- tion breaks out and your King and Queen will be captured if they are unable to fly. It is going on now, Folliet. Whilst Paris rejoices at the downfall of the Kaiser's troops her own downfall is being arranged. You, yourself, have told me, and you, the Prefect of Police, are here in my power, wholly at my mercy. Strange, is n't it. Folliet was a small man physically, but he could have swollen with rage to gigantic proportions. He felt that what this man said was true, and he knew criminal Paris too well to doubt that a large measure of success would be achieved by the Communists. It was now or never for them. The very victory of the French troops only hastened their resolve. A few more such and the opportunity would have passed. Fool that he was to leave Paris without placing every sus- pect safely in jail ! His burning thoughts must have leaped from his eyes, for Schwartz half raised his gun. " Steady, Folliet, steady. You must keep still, else " A tongue of flame hissed through the window, accompanied by a sharp report. Schwartz dropped his gun and faced round with a roar of pain, for a bullet had smashed the thumb-joint of his right hand, just where it closed round 222 The Lost Provinces the stock. In turning lie stumbled and fell over the corpse. Arizona Jim, bringing revolver and head into sight be- tween the shattered framework of the first window, said : " The confab was gittin' warm, Folliet, so I just thought I 'd chip in." Even as he spoke, Folliet darted forward to seize the gun, which had fallen on the table, shouting the while,— ' ' Quick, Francois, a rope ! ' ' Schwartz rose to his knees and gazed at Bates with the glare of a wounded tiger. ' ' Herr Hebe Gott .^ " he cried ; ' ' who is this ? ' ' Though the words were German, Jim grasped their meaning. " You talk too much, mister. You '11 find out who I am, for you 've got my trademark on you." Francois returned with a rope. "Schwartz," said Folliet, "it 's my turn now. Place your hands behind your back until Noir ties them. Don't hesitate. I have no time to lose, and I will blow your brains out to avoid delay. You have told me all I wish to know. ' ' The German obeyed. His swarthy face was pallid with pain and desperation, but he managed to screw his features into one of his terrible smiles. " Not all, Folliet, not all. I still have my revenge left." ' ' Pooh, a telegram to Paris will clap your precious fellow- conspirators in prison." "Ah, yes! Ribou and Lacontel. They will be shot. But ask Vansittart to-morrow. He will explain." The man perplexed Folliet, but the urgent need of haste prevented further questioning. With a warm word of thanks to Jim, he asked him to help Noir in escorting the prisoner to the village. Then he tore off rapidly to Grave- lotte, for it was 10.30 p.m., and the Paris authorities must be warned of the Communist plot, if it were not already too late. Pigeons, Some Hawks, and a Telegram 223 At the council of war, discussion waxed hot as to the next move to be made. The advocates of a forward policy were numerous, but divided among themselves. One section, headed by General Daubisson, counselled the immediate investment of Metz, with the possible chance of isolating the Kaiser from his people. Another, with Le Breton as spokesman, urged the need of penetrating into lyOrraine and thus emphasising the nature and extent of that day's victor}". Vansittart, tired and worn after the fearful strain of the afternoon, superadded to the physical weariness of continuous riding for nearly fifteen hours in his crippled condition, did not at first interfere in the argument, until, in more than one instance, it threatened to culminate in a duel. Then he quieted Daubisson by a few tactful questions. " Have you seen Metz since the war. General ? " " No, but I am well acquainted with the situation of the town." ' ' Yet you have surely forgotten that the Prussians could not properly invest the French fortress with an army of two hundred thousand men. How much less can we hope to do so with even twice the number when the Germans have con- verted it into a fortified camp ten times the size. The very positions from which Prince Friedrich Charles menaced Bazaine are now important portions of the defences." ' ' Exactly, ' ' broke in Le Breton. ' ' That is my contention. March into the interior, I say, leaving a sufiiciently large corps of observation to hold the Germans in Metz until our supports arrive and enable us to reduce the place." " Your plan is bold, Le Breton, but, I fear, impracticable," said Jerome. ' ' The enemy will allow us no more surprises. Though we have won to-day it would be the wildest folly to underrate their resources, and if we were defeated some- where near the Vosges we should meet with irreparable disaster. ' ' 2 24 ^^^ Z^j/ Provinces " We must either advance or retreat," cried Daubisson. " Hardly." Vansittart rose and bent wearily over a map. " What I recommend is that whilst an armj- corps of fifty thousand men remains here, strongly entrenched, the re- mainder of our force should line the left bank of the Moselle, from Nancy to Bigny, and thence inland to join the troops at Gravelotte. Meanwhile, powerful columns should im- mediately advance from Verdun and Montmedy towards Diedenhofen, and complete the seizure of the Moselle. In other words, Metz will be partly invested on the French side, whilst we will be in a favourable position for advance in any direction when our lines of communication are com- plete and our supports arrive. ' ' As usual, his words carried conviction. More than that, he conveyed b}' his manner to both Daubisson and Le Breton the pleasant assurance that he had combined both their pro- jects to the best effect. There were other members of the staff present who re- called his attitude during the crucial period of the day's fighting, when he told Jim Bates how to emphasise his opin- ions if necessary. But that incident might reasonably be forgotten as quickly as possible. Once the main question of tactics was settled, the council devoted itself amicably to details. Vansittart had, with his left hand, drafted a long telegram to the Minister of War, urging him to forward another quarter of a million of troops to the front without any delay, when a field-telegraph orderly entered with a message. Jerome had communicated with Evelyn and the King about six o'clock. Henri V. had long since sent his con- gratulations, but there was no response from Eveljm, a fact that the millionaire attributed to the vagaries of the over- crowded telegraph service. A glance showed him that this message was from Evel5'n, but his wearied brain did not for a moment grasp its full significance. Pigeo7is, Some Hawks, and a Telegram 225 It ran : " I am more thau terrified, yet I rejoice that I shall soon be with 5'OU. Bear up for my sake. I come with the utmost speed." When Vansittart awoke to the actualities of the case he forgot the weariness, the anxieties of the day, no less than the physical agony of his slowly recovering disabled arm. He almost yielded to the hopeless agony of the moment. To his quick intelligence no protracted thought was needed to extract the terrible meaning of poor Evelyn's distracted message. Someone, a bitter and malignant enemy, had cleverly managed to send her a bogus message telling her that he was wounded. It was this false alarm that had disturbed the troops hours before, and now his wife had heard of it. She had left Paris to seek him. It was a decoy. Evelyn would be captured, perhaps wounded, in order to shake his set resolve to free France from her open foes. At that moment if the American's uninjured hand could have closed on the throat of the sender of that message he would have throttled the man without mercy. His pale face, with its tense expression and wildly staring eyes, alarmed the officers present. Eager questions broke from them, but he murmured incoherently that his news in no way concerned the army. Then he burst from the room, to encounter Folliet in the passage, just returned from the farm. " We must be alone ! " he hissed. One glance at Vansittart' s face told the Prefect that there was no time for ceremony. He rushed into the inn kitchen, roaring to the occupants, " Outside, quick." It was war-time and they required no second telling. ' ' Now ? " he said. " Read that." The Chief of Police rapidly devoured the words, and like a lightning-flash came the memory of Hans Schwartz's sneer. 2 26 The Lost Provinces ' ' Wait ! " he cried. ' ' I will bring definite news. ' ' He disappeared, to return instantly with Arizona Jim, Franfois Noir, and their captive. Face to face with the great Vansittart, the man at whom all the world marvelled, the German's self-assurance forsook him. His wound had weakened him, his puny strategies had failed, his intelligence had been dwarfed to the level of his own pigeons. But FoUiet gave him no time to recover. Producing a revolver, and speaking with the air of a dig- nified judge sentencing a prisoner to death, he said : " Hans Schwartz, if you fail to answer my questions fully and truthfully, I swear that I will in the next moment send you to answer for your crimes before the last tribunal. Who sent a telegram to Mrs. Vansittart, announcing that her husband was wounded and required her presence ? " " Herr von Ritterburg, the chief of the Berlin secret police. ' ' ' ' At what hour ? ' ' " When our troops retired — about five o'clock." ' ' From where ? ' ' " Some place behind the French lines. He managed to get through in the disguise of a French soldier." " What was in the telegram ? " The prisoner, livid with pain and terror, hesitated, and the revolver clicked. " I am not sure," he faltered. " I did not see it." " But you know what was intended to be said ? " " Y — yes. The Herr told me he would word it so that the lady would tell no one — to avoid panic in Paris." " M}' poor girl ! " broke in Vansittart. " She would obey too well. It is devilish. You hound — to fight with a woman! " He strode forward, and the stalwart German cowered be- fore the blaze of his ej'es, but Folliet restrained him. ' ' Who devised this infernal plot ? ' ' Pigeons, Some Hawks, and a Telegram 227 " I cannot tell. It was an order from high quarters— a last attempt to drive him away from the front— to leave the French troops leaderless." " You dog ; you dogs ! " cried Folliet, and he turned from Schwartz. "Take comfort!" he said to Vansittart. "Your au- thority will clear the wires. She will be traced and pursued within the hour." Then to Noir : ' ' Lead your prisoner to the guard and let him be taken to the village lockup." He went out, followed by the postman and Schwartz. Vansittart sat down near the table and buried his face in his arms in utter despair. Arizona Jim picked up the telegram and read it. With this testimony he grasped the meaning of much of the scene which had so rapidly transpired. Tears sprang to his eyes and he tenderly placed a hand on his master's shoulder. " It hurts, guv' nor," he whispered. " I know it hurts. But cheer up. God can fix things when a man feels that he wants to quit." Jerome raised his wistful eyes to those of his faithful follower. " Go, Jim," he said, " go to Folliet and tell him to bring her back to me. ' ' CHAPTER XXI THE STAB IN THE BACK TO Evelyn, sitting quietly and alone in a private apart- ment at the Tuileries, was handed a telegram. It was addressed from Troj'on ; it implied that Vansit- tart was gravely wounded, and in urgent need of her care ; it purported to come from him, and urged her to keep its de- tails a secret to avoid exciting the public. In reality, it came from one Carl Gottlieb Ritterburg, a man who was to the secret police of Berlin pretty much what FoUiet was to the secret police of Paris ; the same man whom the postman of Gravelotte had, as he told Folliet, seen con- versing with his pigeon-training associate, Schwartz. The scheme had arisen in the brain of Ritterburg ; but it was a thing so bold, so novel, so atrocious, that the man did not dare to put it in execution solely on his own responsi- bility. He went whispering ; he gave out his meanings in hints and darkly worded adumbrations ; he approached the leaders of German policy with suppositions of cases, with innuendoes of what one might do, if one would. And if the truth must be told, they listened to him ! they understood him ; they gave him to know that, as for them, he had a free hand — he might do his will. They did not say it in so many words ; but there are more ways of committing or countenancing a crime than one — a smile may kill, the pressure of a hand may destroy. Ritterburg understood, and was satisfied. He went away from his whisperings and negotiations, saying : " How shrewd a dog am I ! and a man likely to stand high in the estimation of the great ! ' ' 228 The Stab ill tJic Back 229 The object of the scheme was this ; to paralyse utterly, at one blow, the mind which was winning the battles of France ; once and for all to strike Vansittart low, beyond hope or help, to the earth. It was well understood by everybody in Europe that the marriage between the millionaire and Evelyn was no com- mon match. To win her he had forfeited a throne — he would have forfeited a thousand thrones. And it was easily conceived by his enemies that to touch her would be to de- stroy him as a general of armies quite as effectively as he could be destroyed by the drugs or dirks of the assassin. Only, let this one fact be understood, that of this dastardly stab in the back Wilhelm himself had, at first, absolutely no sort of knowledge or hint. But imagine the effect upon Evelyn, sitting there, all her thoughts bent upon the perils wdiich lay thick about her other life, when this inoffensive-looking message was placed in her hands. She leapt up, staring a moment with scared and blanched face about her. Then the instinct of woman for the help and sympathy of man in the hour of her ex- tremity arose at once within her. She ran from the room, making her way towards her brother's apartments near. Dick had just finished his dejetmer and lay back luxuriously in an arm-chair, thinking of nothing but the smoke-rings from his cigar. She handed him the telegram. He bent with knit brows over it. Then he said : " Oh, I say !" Evelyn's head fell upon his shoulder. " Well, by Jove ! " said Dick. " How soon — can we go ? " she murmured faintly. " Poor old girl ! " He smoothed her hair with one hand. She was sobbing now a little ; but her eyes were dry and red. ' ' How soon ? ' ' " It seems a strange thing, too ! It is quite possible, you know, that the thing may be a hoax. ' ' 230 The Lost Provinces " No, no." " I don't say it is. But such things have been. It is quite possible." ' ' No, no. I feel — How soon ? ' ' " I don't know, dear. We shall have to get a special train, I suppose. It may take an hour, or two, or three." " Oh, not so long ! I can't — I can't " " Poor old Evie ! Try and bear up, won't you ? " " Send a telegram — at once. Then the train " Gathering strength, she raised her head, went to an escritoire, and wrote with fluttering hand the message which Vansittart had showed to Folliet. Dick took the telegram, and summoned his valet. Then he dispatched another messenger for Honorine, and bore Evelyn to a couch. By the time the Queen arrived, he had already set out. No one else seemed to share his suspicion that the tele- gram might be a hoax ; even in his own mind there was no real distrust of its genuineness. The telegram was con- ceived quite in the style of Vansittart, making light of a wound, the seriousness of which he tried in vain to hide. Although the secret was kept in the palace it leaked out elsewhere. B}^ two o'clock it was bruited all over Paris that Vansittart had been wounded at the battle of Gravelotte. At half-past four Dick and Evelyn steamed away from the Gare de I'Est. They continued their journey safely until near nine o'clock. Night was then falling, and they had reached the little station of Vimes, a mere village. Here the railwa^^ oihcials had arranged to change engines, and Harland, in order to rest his sister, and procure her food somewhat more sustaining than any they could carry, settled by telegram to break the journey, and rest an hour in the local inn. All these facts were published that afternoon in Paris, both in La Presse and La Patrie. Everyone knew that the travelling pair, " upon whom the sympathies of all France were turned, ' ' would stop a little while at Vimes. The Stab i7i the Back 231 The station consists of a mere platform without any build- ing. Ten minutes' walk from it is the inn at the bottom of the steep street, which is paved with large square, slippery stones, grass-grown in the crevices, old and slanting. The inn bears on its ancient sign, in faded red letters, the words, " Le Dragon Dormant.'" It is of large size, rambling, and decayed. There is a tradition that down a secret stairway at the back, I^ouis XI. escaped in the fifteenth century, when pursued by the Duke of Burgundy, his enemy. At the time when Dick and Evelyn arrived at the station there were four guests at the Dragon Dormant. They had arrived there an hour before. While the brother and sister walked down the village street, two of these guests paid their bill, and took their departure. They drove away in their own carriage, in which they had come, and which was waiting ready for them in the stables. The other two re- mained in an upper front room, watching through the leaves of the jalousies the arrival in the courtyard of the pair. No one was abroad in the dull and ancient village street. The night was sombre and heavy with clouds, and unusally dark for the hour and time of year. Mine host received them in the courtyard with many a bow and the opening arms of invitation. On the first floor he introduced them into a large and faded old parlour, lit by two candles, and grey with the tatters of ancient arras and furniture. Here he left them, to serve a hasty meal. Evelyn was in a very uncertain and hysterical state of health. She fell with a deathly sigh from her brother's arm upon a couch. Her eyes closed, and she complained against the delay. " I think, dear, it would be a good thing if you would lie down a bit in bed," said Dick, " and have some real sleep. ' ' " No, no, I will stay here," she moaned. " Tell them to be quick, Dick — oh, tell them to be quick for me ' ' " But you must listen to me, Evie. You don't know how 232 The Lost Provinces dreadfully ill you look. I am going to make you have a little sleep, just to please me, now." He touched a bell-pull of colourless old worsted. The landlord appeared. " Just show us to your best bedroom," said Dick. And as the man preceded them, Dick went, bearing the languid and lingering steps of Evelyn, up a short flight of stairs to a room containing a broad Louis Quatorze bedstead — an apartment roomy and heavy-timbered, with slanting roof, and narrow mullioned windows with tiny panes. She, beyond doubt, was desperately drowsy, overcome by the long tension of her woe. As he laid her on the bed, her lips parted in a fluttering sigh of sleepy peace. Dick and the landlord descended again to the first-floor parlour together. As they passed from the bedroom, the two other guests, watching from behind the shadow of a door on the other side of the stairs, saw them. In a quarter of an hour Dick was eating a solitary and hearty meal in the parlour. This over, he rose and threw himself upon the couch, waiting. The house was absolutely still ; not a sound in the drowsy village. The silence made itself heard, and oppressed him. Ever and anon he glanced at his watch. Once, from the station, sounded faintly the whistle of the waiting train ; he seemed to hear it strangely, as in a dream. Then, again, all was sleep and silence. He rose and began to pace the room. After half an hour he again glanced at his watch, and started toward the bedroom to rouse Evelyn. He tapped at the door and received no answer. Then he entered. A candle had been left burning on the old mantle-shelf, but there was no light there now. It struck him with a vague surprise. He stepped toward the bed, saying, " Evie, dear, it is time " The room was now almost totally dark. He put out his hand over the bed, groping to touch her. His fingers met nothing but the ruffled bed-covering. He said : The Stab in the Back 233 ' ' Evie, dear — Evie ! where are you ' ' At the same time a blow, like the blow of a club, or the butt-end of a pistol, fell upon the back of his head. He dropped stunned, to his knees at once, his arms spread out over the coverlet. In a quarter of an hour a man came running from the train, asking when the travellers might be expected to con- tinue their journey. The landlord took the message up to the parlour, and not finding Dick there, proceeded to the bedroom. There on his knees he saw him, with his arms spread out over the coverlet. But of Evelyn there was no sign. Then the alarm was raised and spread through the village. By the time the apothecary had arrived, it was dis- covered that the other two guests of the inn had also mys- teriously disappeared. What was now to be done ? Dick remained unconscious. The apothecary, at his wits' end, hearing that the gentleman had come in a special train, advised that he should be put to bed in his saloon-carriage, and taken back to the nearest large town. So he was carried on a stretcher to the train. The train-men, on their side, were of opinion that their right destination now was Paris ; and when, after a time, Dick opened his eyes, he was asked whether they should not return to their starting-point. He moaned a dull and half- unconscious assent ; and some time after two o'clock in the morning, was borne up the great staircase of the Tuileries palace. About nine the next morning Folliet arrived at the Gare de I'Est. He had telegraphed that his carriage should await him at the station ; he had some rapid travelling to do that day. As he leapt from the train, he ran to the telegraph ofiice, and sent a message to the management directing the retention of a special train at his disposal ; then another to Vansittart, containing this falsehood : "I find already that much is in our favour. Absolutely no ground for despair. Please hope. ' ' Then he pelted himself into his carriage, and 234 ^^^ Z^i-/* Provinces went at a gallop across the breadth of Paris towards the Tuileries. In half an hour he was sitting by the side of Dick Har- land's bed, holding and patting Dick's hand. But Dick's hand was not easily held that morning. Honorine's fingers were seeking to lull and soothe the flushed forehead ; but Dick did not like that either. He was tossing with fever, and he was delirious. To FoUiet's questions he answered with mere ravings. ' ' Not much good to be got out oiyou ! ' ' muttered Folliet. But he got from the Queen a good description of Dick's wound, and decided that it had been inflicted by the butt- end of a revolver ; and he got this further light from Dick himself — the oft-repeated name of Vimes. " Vimes, 5'our Majesty," he said, " is where the event happened, I suppose ? " " Yes, monsieur. The addresses of the train ofiicials are here, and their detailed statements, also, sent from the Pre- fecture. All that could be done has already been done in the way of telegraphing to the police all over the country." But Folliet wished to see the train officials himself The}'' were off" duty and at home. This was his next journey. From them he got no guidance, except the details as to the length of time they waited, and the like. He galloped then to the Prefecture, had some hurried interviews, wrote some hurried instructions, re-entered his carriage, and started back for the Gare de 1' Est. But half way he looked at his watch, and pulled the check-rein. He was not far from the Rue Brevet. He told the driver to hasten to the Rue Brevet. At the end of the narrow street he got out, and walked to No. 6. He had there a message to deliver, and some instinct told him that in delivering it he was very far from losing time. Of the co7icierge he inquired if M. Armand Dupres was at home. No — Armand had flown to higher atmospheres. Armand had migrated to No. 147 Boulevard Malesherbes. Armand The Stab in the Back 235 was rich. Armand was luxuriating in the fortune which Marie derived from her uncle's will. Armand was living in a grand house, if you please, with a fashionable oitoiiragc. Armand had a silk hat, and Armand was wearing a frock- coat, and patent-leather boots, and an orchid in his button- hole. Never, surely, did fortune vanish so swiftly as, at that very time, was vanishing the fortune of Marie's uncle. Armand was cutting a dash. " Then we shall be poor again, and return to No. 6, and no longer be respectable like those of joyous life?" said Marie, when she saw him scattering the francs about with royal largesse and nonchalance. " My dear," replied Armand, " lay not up for thyself treasures upon earth, where moth and rust do corrupt. You think it was not a great man who said that ? It was ! I, who am also a great man, tell you so. And the words of great men remain true everywhere and forever. Let us spend, spend, spend, and be happy. What was the good of your uncle's scrapings if we do not pay him the compliment of spending them ? ' ' In two days the fortune was reduced by one half : in a week it had dwindled to its final francs. Marie shed a private tear or two, but in her perfect trust of his wisdom and luck, was not unhappy. Armand began to feel the pinch of inconvenience ; but he only laughed. He could suffer as greatly as he could enjoy. No. 147 Boulevard Malesherbes ! Folliet hesitated. Could he go ? Had he time ? He decided quickly. It was not far — he would lose only a few minutes. Armand occupied a troisihne, the whole of it, with half a dozen unnecessary apartments, all splendidly furnished. When Folliet was shown in he could hardly believe his eyes. "Ah, Monsieur Dupres," he said, holding out his hand, " you have seen me, yet, I fancy, you do not know me. I am M. Folliet, the Prefect of Police. I have only a few 236 The Lost Provinces minutes before setting out from Paris. Yet you see, I come to you. I have a message for you from Mr. Vansittart." " Pray be seated, monsieur," said Armand. " No ; this is what I have to tell you — and it is soon said : Mr. Vansittart spoke to me of you at a time when he was in a great hurry, and his words were not many. You have in- vented something ? " " Quite so, monsieur." ' ' What is it ? " " Oh, it is nothing ! something for killing Germans." " Mr. Vansittart certainly does not think it nothing, sir. Pray tell me what it is. I have reasons for asking." " In its present state," said Armand, " it is a contrivance for expelling from a generator a quantity of hydrogen ever}'- five minutes sufficient to cover the space occupied by about a thousand men. The hydrogen is mixed with oxygen, and also with carbonic anhydride — the anhydride adding weight to the flying mixture, so that it travels along the ground. The mixed oxygen and hydrogen, ignited by intense friction with the air, explodes at from nine to twelve hundred yards from the source of expulsion ; and you get a wide area of flying flame, burning to cinders all it meets in the most in- tense heat known to man. It is, you see, only an application of the well-known oxy-hydrogen fire. So now, monsieur, you know. Instead of shooting your enemy dead, you burn him dead. A flame darts along the ground, and, in an instant, he is not. It is a living cremation. It is a plague of fire. If the sun shoot forth his flames through the universe, who can resist him ? The rain of fire and brimstone from Sodom and Gomorrah you might escape, but he who is caught by this fury shrivels, and, like a vapour, he passes away." Folliet smiled at this grandiloquence. Was he dealing, then, with a mere wind-bag ? He did not yet know that with his high-flown manner Armand united the hard prac- ticality of the acutest mathematician. ' ' Ah, but monsieur, ' ' said the detective, ' ' what I specially The Stab in the Back 237 wished to kuow on the part of Mr. Vansittart is this : Is your contrivance simply made — can it be manufactured by practi- cal workmen without delay ? " " Oh, quite so," answered Armand. " You know that nothing is simpler than the preparation of the gases in question ; and as to the expulsion of gases through a narrow aperture at an intense rate, with that method I suppose you are already familiar. I have, by the way, a model of the thing somewhere about. I make it a present to Mr. Vansit- tart on the sole condition that he gives me no more bother in the matter ' ' " But stay, monsieur," interposed FoUiet ; " I am com- missioned by Mr. Vansittart to ask you, firstly, if you will undertake to have at least one hundred of your engines of destruction made in Paris so as to be available for the de- fence of the city if it be attacked ? And secondly whether you can do this or not, I am commissioned to offer you three million francs at once for the invention, the sole rights to all European patents, etc., to remain vested in Mr. Vansittart personally." Just for one instant, at these tremendous figures, Armand' s face paled. Then he was himself again. " I say, Marie," he called through a door ; " come here, will you ? Here are superfluities, and the arrogance of wealth, if you like " Marie had been listening behind the key-hole. She stepped blushing into the room, her eyes alight. "Well, you accept, I suppose?" said Folliet, with a smile. " We are told, M. Folliet," answered Armand, " to lay not up for ourselves treasures upon the earth where moth and rust do corrupt ' ' " Ah, that was in the old days," observed FoUiet ; " when you are as old a man as I am you will begin to understand that that won't do for modern Europe. But come — I must be going. If you will undertake to have the hundred 238 The Lost Provinces machines read)-, you will find no difficulty as to money- arrangements at Kasine & Lafitte's, to which firm I was to recommend you. Do you undertake it ? " " Yes, monsieur," Armand answered ; " as far as I am concerned ' ' "Good. ThenI'moflf." ' ' Where to, monsieur, if I may ask ? ' ' "To Vimes." " I thought so. To hunt for Mrs. Vansittart ? " By this time all Paris was discussing the news of the atrocity at Vimes. Armand had heard it with a flush of indignation, and then forgotten it. " Yes, monsieur," answered Folliet ; "just that — to hunt for Mrs. Vansittart." ' ' Are you likely to find her ? ' ' " Ah, would to God I could say yes. The truth is, I don't know at all." " Will 3'ou be at Vimes to-night, monsieur, at say nine o'clock?" " Very probably. Why do 3'ou ask ? " " Oh, nothing. I will not keep you. By the way, can you lend me a hundred francs. Thank you. So much obliged. Good-bye." " Good-bj^e, monsieur." As Folliet passed out of the room, Armand turned to Marie ; and with strong emphasis, with flushed face, and with knit brow, he said : ' ' This man Vansittart is a confoundedly decent person ! There is no doubt of it ! Just pack your trunk and mine. We are oflf to Vtmes this afternoon to find his wife for him." CHAPTER XXII HOW WII.HELM RECEIVED THE NEWS AT about the time when the news of the abduction of Evelyn reached Paris, it reached also the German corps at Metz. The great men laid their heads to- gether, and whispered and smiled. But there was one man who heard nothing of it — the Emperor Wilhelm. When he did hear, as undoubtedly he must, what would he say ? That became the question. And also this ; who should undertake to tell him ? One thing was certain ; an eye like Wilhelm' s would not fail to see the really, the directly, strategic importance of the coup. Already there were rumours in the town that Vansittart was no longer compos mentis. Men began to envy Carl Gottlieb Ritterburg as a man whom the king would surely delight to honour. And the next best thing to being Carl himself, seemed to be the one who should first announce to the Emperor the feat of Carl. A deep, secret eagerness to be first with the announcement throbbed in the bosom of many a young hauptmann, greedy of pre-eminence, of many an oberstlieutenant pining for a smile, and of many, too, both older and higher in the hierarchy of the approved. Yet some shook their heads, and were for hesitation and delay. There was an uncertainty as to hoiv Wilhelm -would take it ; Wilhelm was a queer card, not " of the centre," not always seeing eye to eye with the ordinary practical human animal. There was never any telling on what particular occasion his freakish point of view might manifest itself And then there was that flash of wrath which all dreaded, 239 240 The Lost Provinces the explosion, and, following swift upon the lightning, the thunder-clap and roar. To-day he was intensely practical, a man of the world, hard as nails : to-morrow you might find him composing operas, spouting magnificencies, half Rene, half Cagliostro. He had in him the stockbroker, and hero, and the charlatan ; something of the seer, and something of Caesar, and some- thing of the harlequin. Through which of his hundred-hued spectacles he would view this affair of the abduction of Evelyn, and what would be his line of conduct thereupon, no one w^as certain. Many guesses were formed ; but all the guesses were wrong. What really happened was this : William suddenly found himself the object of a steady persecution of all the men around him who could by any means get at his ear. To exclude one's self from the atmosphere is not easy. And his persecutors pressed upon him with the pertinacity and the omnipresence of the atmosphere. He became suspicious of every presence, of every turn of ever>' conversation ; ten times a day he grew red with rage ; he stamped with bitterness at the violation of the sacredness of his jealously guarded ears. It began in this way. About the same hour of the evening as that when the event happened at the inn of Vimes, but on the following night, Von Gossler was alone with Wilhelm. It was in an apartment of the Hotel de Ville at Metz. Wilhelm curled the uptending arc of his aggressive moustache, and then pointed to a spot on the map which lay open on the long baize-covered table in the room. " You understand, then," he said, " it is here — here about three miles east of Conflans, where the hills open. What the American's plans may be " Now was von Gossler' s chance. "The truth is, sire, that, at the moment, if rumour be correct, the American has no plans ! " How Wilhelm Received the News 241 Wilhelm glanced quickly up. " What do you mean ? " " I mean, sire, that something has happened to him which unfits him to manage any affair which even a child might direct." The General sought to read keenly the face of the Em- peror. Wilhelm's eyes were cast down, and hidden. For ten seconds there was silence. " What something ? " " His wife, sire — his wife has been kidnapped." The Emperor knew and felt that the eyes of the General was riv'etted upon his face : and felt, too, that from it every sign of colour had faded. But he did not speak. The clock ticked sixty seconds, and sixty more, filling a perfect silence ; and during that silence the devils were busy in the room. When Wilhelm raised his head, he was still very pale. He said : " You understand, then ; it is here, here about three miles east of Conflans, where the hills open ' ' " Yes, sire," returned von Gossler ; " that is quite plain. The idea arose in the brain— — " " What idea, sir?" " The idea of kidnapping Mrs. Vansittart, sire. It arose in the brain " " It has nothing to do with me. General." " It seems to me a piece of superb strategy, sire. The man who conceived it " " Deserves to be hanged, sir ! However, it was no one in the pay of Germany. It has nothing whatever to do with me." " But, sire, I was going to tell you, the man in whose brain the scheme originated, is, as a matter of fact " " Not what he ought to be, General von Gossler. Pray let the subject drop. I desire now to discuss with you the relative importance of these tw^o hills here " 16 242 The Lost Provinces The two heads went together over the map in a long colloqu)'. After an hour Von Gossler rose. In the very- act of his final bow he said, as a man who bursts with words and cannot be silent : " I may whisper — in your Majesty's ears — that he is said to be utterly prostrated." " 'He'— who, General?" " Mr. Vansittart." " What about?" " Well, your Majesty, about the disappearance of his wife." Now Wilhelm lost his temper. " God in Heaven, General ! " he cried; " can't you let me alone with this man and his wife ? Is it my fault if this man's wife is stolen, or hanged, or quartered, or the deuce knows what ? Where is your tact, your penetration ? Why should I be compelled against my will ? Confound you, man ! is it my fault ? ' ' Wilhelm stamped with his foot. Von Gossler cowered backward and was silent. With bowed head he walked from the room. At last, he understood Wilhelm ; not fully, for the man's nature was not cast in so good a mould as that of his master ; yet, dimly, he understood that here was a noble soul in the throes of a struggle with a huge temptation ; and it was clear that the soul had succumbed. But this was only the beginning of Wilhelm's troubles. Von Gossler, piqued at the snubbing he had received, took care to make no boast of his announcement to the Emperor of the event at Viraes ; and each of the other busy- bodies, anxious to break the news, still believed that the task yet remained to be accomplished. Wilhelm found himself in the midst of a nest of stinging ants. In his inmost heart there was the recurrent whisper that only by one of his own men could this deed have been done ; but the whisper was a still, small voice which he could stifle, provided only that its message was not confirmed by Hoiv Wilhehn Received the News 243 actual information forced upon his outer ear. How good if he could destroy his enemy, and yet keep his own hands clean ! But his hands would be stained the moment he knew for certain that it was one of his own agents who had accom- plished the act, if he did nothing to remedy the wrong. He did not wish to know ; his friends, in their eager self-adver- tisement, insisted that he should know. For the next few days he lived in perpetual prickly-heat ; continually inter- rupting, with stamp and hard words, the information which was coming to his ears, crushing hauptmann after haupt- mann, and general after general, into abashed bewilder- ment ; and, so corrupting is the beginning of sin, resorting to meaner and meaner dodges, lower hypocrisies, to avoid the knowledge he dreaded, and feeling more and more the growing taint of his guilt in his own secret consciousness. Every hour he became fiercer. To judge by the frequency of his stamps, it looked, in truth, as if he was treading out a nest of ants. At last, on the second day, the situation became intoler- able, and Wilhelm was compelled to acknowledge to himself the inner motive of his constant interruptions. He was then, early in the morning, riding down the Rue des Clercs towards the outworks in company with a bevy of officers. The mass of horses came with a slow clatter be- hind ; he himself rode somewhat in advance, in company with a Teilungs-major. The two had been discussing for some minutes Vansittart's device of presenting infantry before artillery. " It has only one element to recommend it, sire," the major had said, " and that is its success." " But we are engaged in a regular war. Major," Wilhelm answered. ' ' The tricks of an upstart are one thing, and the rules of tactics are another. The upstart may succeed once, twice, thrice ; but tactics will tell in the end." " He is said to be very low, sire." Here was Wilhelm' s sore point. He flushed. 244 ^>^^^' ^ost Provinces ' ' Who, sir ? " he asked, with averted head. " Mr. Vansittart, sire." Wilhehn did not reply. There was a minute's silence. Then the Teilungs-major cleared his throat. He said : " We need have little fear, sire, of further novelties pro- ceeding from that head." "Which head?" " Mr. Vansittart' s, sire." Would the man keep on repeating the same thing in in- finite iteration ? Wilhelm wondered. " I care nothing about his head, Major," said Wilhelm. There was a pause ; there was embarrassment. Then the Major said, — " No doubt you have heard, sire ? " Wilhelm had heard ; Wilhelm objected to hear again. He turned sharply in his saddle like a horse pricked by a sudden spur, saying loudly, — " Heard what. Major ? " " That Mrs. Vansittart " " What about her ? " " Has been " " You lie, sir ! " he shouted, all encrimsoned with sudden rage, brandishing his fist. At once he stopped his horse, turned round, and pranced into the midst of the bevy of on- coming horses. Then he lifted his voice, and a torrent of invective came from him. " Once and for all this shall be put a stop to! " he cried. " Are you officers of the German army, or babbling fish- wives met in conclave to whisper putrid gossipings ? Gott im Himmel ! am I, then, the keeper of Mr. Vansittart's wife, that I cannot have an hour's peace from the private affairs of these people ? Understand it, all of you ! and let every man in the army know it ! Woe to the man who comes with any more whisperings about this, that, and the other which does not concern him ! Why, the meanest of my subjects has a right to refuse to hear what — God in How Wilhelm Received the Neivs 245 Heaven ! let this be the last of it, I tell you, or, by the bones of my grandfather, some of you shall tremble beneath the terror of my frown. I " The officers round hung their heads in half-bewildered awe at this wholly unexpected outbreak. As Wilhelm once more turned his horse's head, and the procession moved on, the guilty major slunk quietly behind. Thus did Wilhelm securely seal his ears against the truth. Later in the day it became widely known that no whisper of the facts was to be permitted to reach the monarch. Wil- helm had crushed his nest of ants. But, in doing so, he had definitely admitted to himself that he had a motive for this imposition of silence ; and that the motive was not a good one. Within his bosom there began to swarm and sting another nest of ants — eternal ones, heavenly in origin — not easy to be crushed. CHAPTER XXIII THE QUEST MONSIEUR FOIvIvIET, Prefect of Police, was busily eating a long-deferred meal in the immemorial old inn at Vimes at nine o'clock in the evening, when there reached him the sounds of voices from the court- yard below, and presently there was a sound of feet on the stairs, and now the landlord entered backward, bowing, ushering in two new guests with hospitable amplitude. Folliet stared, almost starting to his feet. There was Armand, and there, bonneted and begloved, was Marie. That morning Folliet had left Armand in Paris with no apparent intention of coming hither. But now, with sudden remembrance, he recollected Armand' s question whether or no he, Folliet, would be found at Vimes that night, and he recalled the fact that Armand had asked it just after the de- tective's expression of uncertainty as to whether he would be able to find Mrs. Vansittart. In a moment the incom- parable self-assurance of the young man dawned upon him, and, in spite of himself, he broke into a laugh. He under- stood the other's whole motive ; stirred by some whim of gratitude toward Vansittart, the Conservatoire freshling had come to help the old ferret in his chase ! " Well, I 'm very glad to see you, sir," said Folliet, " and you, madame," extending his hand. " This is very unex- pected. Are you passing through ? " " No, not exactly that, monsieur," answered Armand. " I always make it a point to be surprising ; and Paris is 246 The Quest 247 getting insufferably dull just now. So I thought I would give you a shock. To be startling is my vocation ; omni- presence is with me merely an instinct. I see that the village is quite a charming bit of quaint antiquity. Are the wines drinkable ? ' ' Armand, within the last few days of wealth, had become a fastidious connoisseur of wines, though his extra travelling expenses to this place had only been obtained by two jour- neys of Marie to the Mont de Piete. "So so," said Folliet ; "but about the machines? I thought " ' ' Oh, quite so, monsieur. Those have been attended to. I had plenty of time for that matter. I have left my in- structions with the firm you mentioned, and the things will no doubt be ready within the specified time. But — Mrs. Vansittart ! Is there any hope, monsieur, if one might ask?" Now that Folliet' s laugh was over at the whimsical appa- rition of the pair, he was rather vexed at the intrusion. He wanted to be alone, to think. " Well, I suppose we must not despair," he said dryly. B)'- this time Marie had taken off her things, and sat at the table. The landlord's daughter entered with a roast capon and a grimy bottle of wine. Armand began to eat, and also to drink. " Here," he said, " is to her speedy rescue," and drained his glass twice in succession. " But if you drink much wine," whispered Marie, " how is M. Folliet to find her then ? " The relation between the amount imbibed by Armand and Folliet' s powers of discovery, though vague, seemed quite clear to Marie. Folliet, had he heard, would not have been greatly flattered, perhaps. Armand grew rosy and jovial, filling himself with good capon and contentment. He said : " I have been reading the Paris papers, Folliet. Of 248 The Lost Provinces course, they are full of nothing but the story of the ab- duction, as much of it as our host here could supply to re- porters. And I have been making a theory of the event. I am a theorist, sir — a born theorist. The difference, M. FoUiet, between the theorist and the practical man you will find to lie in this, that the practical man is always wrongly theoretical, and the theorist is, in general, rightly practical. If you tell me, sir, that I am a dreamer, I reply that to dream well is to hit straight on the head that central, inner nail which rivets the universe. Except the dreamer, M. Folliet, believe me, there is nobody worth mentioning. I find this wine good, sir." " It is not bad wine," said Folliet, meekly; " one has only to keep on drinking it, in order to arrive at a stage of abso- lute self-satisfaction." " Good ; then we will keep on drinking it. In vino Veritas — in wine is Truth. And it is Truth that we are now pursuing, monsieur. Puzzle — to find Mrs. Vansittart. An- swer — drink till you get at Truth." " Oh, Armand ! you are a one ! " said Marie, her eyes full of loving, humourous worship. " Well, he is perfectly consistent, madanie," the detective observed ; ' ' for, according to his view, it is the dreamer who hits the truth ; and we need only keep on drinking to be- come dreamers with a vengeance. I, however, cannot join in the experiment to-night, as I have to make " He half rose as he spoke. " Stay, monsieur — pray stay ! " cried Armand with a downward wave of the hand — a rather excited, impassioned movement ; " stay, I implore ! Give me leave to drink one — only 07ie more — half-glass of the wine, and I think I may then be able to tell you exactly where the lady we seek now is. Do you doubt, monsieur — do you donbt the truth of the adage that in wine is Truth ? " Folliet looked at the young man with wide, astonished eyes. Was he really a little crazy ? Even Marie glanced at The Quest 249 him with surprise. His brows were knit above eyes that had in them a strange look of fixed introspection ; his face was slightly flushed. In spite of himself Folliet sat still. There was silence for a full minute. During this period Armand had poured out another glassful of wine and borne it to his lips. But this time he took only the tiniest sip ; and he did not swallow even this sip ; he kept it on his tongue, opening and shutting his lips with a quick little sound, in an almost comic effort to get the exact flavour of the wine. At last he swallowed it, and then he spoke. " Yes," he said, " it is — it is Argonne wine. Monsieur, Mrs. Vansittart is at Argonne." The first thought of Folliet was that the fellow ivas crazy, or an idiot, and he smiled. But in another instant the swift- reasoning mind of the detective swung round upon itself. " No, no," he said inwardly, " the man who invented that for which M. Vansittart is willing to pay three million francs can't be such a fool as all this." He looked up and met Armand' s eyes. They were the eyes of a man elevated, but not drunk. Folliet was confused ; he could find no words to say ; his lids drooped ; Marie broke the silence. " Oh, I am so glad you 've found out, dear, dear, dear Armand ! " she cried, with hands clasped like a worshipper before a saint. It has been said that Armand during his fortnight of reck- less luxury had become quite a connoisseur of wines — more, he had become an authority, a theorist, a canonist on the subject. By means of his wonderful quickness of acquisi- tion, he, who at the beginning of this period was accustomed only to the cheap grape -juice and water of the restaurants of the Latin Quarter, was able in a few days to discuss the subtleties of distinction between sherry and Amontillado, and to apprise with nice exactitude the relative bouquets of Setian, Chian, Samian. He " went in for wines" with all the sudden flighty enthusiasm of his disposition. He ordered a dozen dozens of bottles of the wine of Mount 250 The Lost Provinces Vesuvius ; but sent them back to the dealer with his com- pliments, and a message to the effect that, at his time of life, he very well knew the difference between Lachryma Christi and Spendi. As to the wines of France he became recondite, a storehouse of lore, a palate of encyclpaedic nicety. He was taken by an actual minister of state, the uncle of one of his student friends, to test the genuineness of a sample of r Hermitage '94. Armand denied that it was 1' Hermitage '94 ; he said it was La Nerte of some later and unimportant date. Even a dealer, so rapidly had his new fame spread among the Bohemians, had coaxed him to give the testimonial of his taste to a sample ; and Armand had gone, and tested ; then, shaking his head mournfully, had said, " This is not wine, monsieur ; it is cider made of grapes." He was, for the moment, or the week, rather proud of this newly acquired science ; so that now, when he said, "It is the wine of Argonne ; Mrs. Vansittart is at Argonne," he was far more self-conscious of the cleverness of the first half of the dis- covery than of the deductive wisdom which enabled him to utter the second half FoUiet cast down his eyes. He decided that the young man must have some sort of meaning, not being a fool. All that remained to be said was this, which he now quietly and deliberately said : " What do you mean, monsieur ? " " That in wine is Truth, monsieur — sometimes quite un- expected. Truth, as now. I presume you are able to see some sort of relation between the fact that this wine is Argonne and the disappearance of Mrs. Vansittart ? " Folliet winked a little — meditatively, — then he lifted his head and looked round the room. No, certainly, here the chain of inference was too long for his ken ; and he had been able to see much in his time, too. " I do not see any relation, monsieur," he said simply. " No," rephed Armand ; " perhaps it is unfair to expect The Quest 251 that you should. The fact is, I believe that I have a far more intimate knowledge of French wines than you, monsieur. Let me, however, tell you two facts, and then, I think, you will be able to comprehend : first, that when I entered this inn I ordered our host, with threats which he could see I meant, to place before me the very best wine in his house ; and secondly, that, in spite of these threats, I never for a mo- ment supposed that he would give me Argonne, inasmuch as Argonne has lately become the rarest, as it is one of the most exquisite wines on earth." " And why did you not suppose that he would give it to you when you asked for his best ? ' ' said Folliet. " Because I felt sure, monsieur, that such a wine could not possibly be found in such an inn." " Yet here, you see, it is." " Yes, here it is, monsieur. But I am willing to wager you a thousand francs that if you offer our host a million louis for a dozen similar bottles he will be unable to produce them." Saying so, he rose, and tugged the bell-rope. The old man came shambling into the room. " Monsieur," said Armand carelessly, " this is excellent beverage you give me. I compliment you." " I am pleased you like it, sir," said the old man, bowing. " So well, monsieur, that I have determined to offer you four hundred francs per bottle for six bottles to-morrow when I continue my journey." " Four hundred francs ! " echoed the old man, in a kind of glee. " Four hundred francs." " But, sir, I have only four bottles left ! " " That is a pity," said Armand ; " four will be useless to me." He glanced at Folliet. " I am sure, sir — it is very unfortunate," said the old man, confused ; " you have one, the gentleman near you another — there are but four left. ' ' 252 The Lost Provinces " What ! 5'ou gave monsieur a bottle, too, without his asking for it ? You are generous, landlord." " It is, then, very excellent wine, monsieur ? " " What ! do you not know its name even ? " " No, monsieur, no — I forget its name. But I am aware that it is the best I have — for I tasted it." "So? when?" " A short time since, monsieur." " That is not telling me when, however." The old man hesitated. " When do you say ? " persisted Armand. " Yesterday, monsieur." " You only bought them yesterday, then ? " "That is all. sir." ' ' How I should like to buy some ! Pray tell me, whom did you buy them from ? ' ' Again the old man hesitated. Folliet's eyes, fixed on his face, saw it pale a little, though, so far, the detective knew not in the least whither this dialogue tended. "Ah! you are unwilling to tell me whom you bought them from," said Armand. " It is a trade secret, perhaps. Yet I know. Let me tell you — you bought them from the two guests who drove away from your inn last night at eight o'clock ! " The old man's eyes opened in some alarm. Suspicion, he knew, had turned upon these two as being connected with the two who had remained behind, and had presumably com- mitted the outrage. The old man begun to perceive clearly that these were none other than detectives from Paris before whom he stood. What if he, too, were implicated, and his neck endangered ? He shuffled, and stammered. " No, monsieur," he said ; " I swear " " Do not swear," interrupted Armand, " for there is no necessity : merely assert. You did not buy the wine, then ? These gentlemen gave it to you ? ' ' "Sir, neither the one nor the other," cried the land- The Quest 253 lord, resolving now to tell the history of the six bottles of Argonne ; " yestere'en, near six, there arrived at the inn yard four gentlemen ; two of them in a carrosse and pair, and about ten minutes later two others on foot. The first two did n't know the second two, or did n't seem to. But they all had dinner together in the parlour : and during the meal one of the carriage two sent my daughter down to the car- riage in the stables, telling her to look inside, and she would see a basket of ten bottles of wine in the squares, of which she was to bring four — which she did ; and all four drank of it, friendly like, though there was hardly a word spoken among them. Well, messieurs, about eight or thereabouts, the carriage two went off in their carriage, leaving the others ; and with them, of course, they took their basket of bottles. / did n't care about their wine ! / did n't want their wine ! But what was my surprise this morning, on going to the bottom of the garden, to find there the basket with the six bottles in it right enough, and the squares, half choked with mud and the rain which had fallen during the night. There 's all my fault, messieurs — a poor man who finds a windfall of wine ; what would you have ? " " Why did n't you tell me all that before, when I was questioning you ? ' ' asked FoUiet. " I thought it of no moment, sir — a poor man who finds a windfall of wine — where 's the harm ? " " No harm whatever," said Armand ; "on the contrary, to find a basket of Argonne at the bottom of one's garden is the eighth and greatest of the virtues. You may retire, monsieur." The old man bowed himself out. " And am I to understand, sir," said Folliet, " that you divined, or deduced, this tale which we have just heard from observation of your own ? ' ' " Something of that sort," replied Armand, still sipping at the wine with evident gusto. " Nor must j-ou think me omniscient as well as omnipotent, monsieur. There is abso- 254 T^^^*-^ Zf^?/ Pj'ovmccs lutely no m3-stery or magic about the matter. You are per- haps not so exquisitely familiar with the aspect of bottles that have long lain in old cellars as I ; and here is the key to my present penetration. The first thing, of course, a connoisseur looks at on the presentation before him of his wine, is the grime-stains on the outside. I, looking at this bottle to- night, determined first of all that it had never, even for a day, lain in a cellar at all. It was grimy ; yet, with abso- lute certainty, I knew that here was not the grime of the cellar. We now know that it was the grime left by soil and rain-water when dried, and this, as a matter of fact, I guessed. I expected, on pouring it out, to taste the wretchedest dregs ; guess my delight at finding delicious Argonne. ' ' Folliet was listening with as much wonder as interest. If he could get this man to join the Prefecture as a permanent official ! He had the thought that you might as easily get the winged horse of fable to join a brewer's cart. He said aloud : " Pray go on, monsieur ; I am all ears." Marie snuggled closer to Armand. He presented halt a glass of wine to her lips, and drank the drainings which she left. Meanwhile, he was saying : • " But, monsieur, it is impossible to express my perfectly immeasurable surprise when no doubt any longer remained in my mind that this was really Argonne which I tasted under these conditions — Argonne that had never lain in a cellar — Argonne begrimed with rain — Argonne, above all, whose bottle had no label on it, and whose cork had not been sealed with resin. I think 7iow, monsieur, that I need go no further. You draw your own conclusions ? ' ' " I do ! I do ! " cried Folliet, with some excitement. ' ' Yet let me hear yours. I know quite well that they are worth hearing. Monsieur Armand." " The first conclusion, at least," said Armand, " was at once obvious ; namely, that the landlord had, from whatever source, only just acquired the wine — it had never been in The Quest 255 his cellar. But the Paris papers assert that he declares that for some days he has had no visitors whatever except the four who interest us. I say the foiir, for Mrs. Vansittart and the two men who carried her off must have used some conveyance, and since none was hired in the neighbourhood, it can only be that the two in the carrosse having gone away, returned and waited for their confederates in the dark at the bottom of the garden. You have seen this garden, monsieur, and I have not ; my conjecture is that at the end of it runs a path large enough to admit a carrosse. Is that so ? " " It is, monsieur. Pray go on." " Then in that path the carrosse waited. We have there- fore to do with four, and not two. And you see how it was impossible for me to doubt that, somehow, by means of the four, our host had obtained his Argonne. But Argonne ! Really, M. Folliet, one cannot think of the superb goodness of this liquor, even if one knows nothing of the methods of wine-distribution, without knowing by instinct that it is never sent out without being sealed and labelled. As a mat- ter of fact, believe me, it 7iever is. Liquid light and joy is a precious thing. No one would dream of distributing it in that slipshod manner. In the district of Argonne itself, however, you will find many bottles without labels or seals. A wine, you perceive, is like a prophet — without honour in its own country. The vignerons of Argonne drink their wine as the peasants of Normandy drink their cider, or as the people of cities drink beer. If you see a company of four people going about with an indefinite number of bottles of Argonne without labels, drinking it prodigally at their ordinary meals, and casually leaving the rest of it behind at the bottom of a garden as soon as it becomes inconvenient to them, you may be quite certain that at least one of them is a denizen of Argonne, probably a wine-grower, accustomed to think as lightly of his Argonne as a peasant of Normandy of his cider ; and you may be sure that it is this one, who, having plenty of Argonne habitually in his possession, brought with 256 The Lost Provinces him, for the pleasure of the rest, these odd, unlabelled bottles." FoUiet's eyes were ri vetted on the young man's face. He did not speak ; he murmured and nodded assent. " I do not know, M. Folliet," proceeded Armand, " I do not know if there now remains any sort of doubt in your mind that at least one of the four confederates is a resident at Argonne ; as for me, certainly, there is no such doubt. But have you considered the enormous difficulties as to the placing and keeping of his captive with which the man had to contend in whose brain the idea of capture first arose ? He had to hide away for an indefinite period a loving woman in a country which, he knew, would at once turn itself through all its length and breadth into a lynx, myriad-eyed and alert, to re-discover her ; to hide her away here, in France, at a spot not very remote from that at which the capture takes place — a spot which can be reached for certain in the interval between night and morning, and reached in a carrosse, for the railway is out of the question. We thus see that the area of choice as to where Mrs. Vansittart should be taken was bounded by many, many limitations ; but it was bounded, above all, by this limitation — that the first mover, or movers, in this villainy was undoubtedly German. This we can say without any sort of proof ; every- one at once says it — and the plotter knew that everyone would at once say it. " He knew, moreover, that there must be no hiring of a house, no sign of preparation, no purchase or hire of a con- veyance, within many miles of the abduction as to space, within many days of it as to time. But, being German, he would not be likely to have these necessary things in France, or, at least, to have them conveniently where they were wanted ; and, being German, would draw upon himself doubt and remark if he attempted to procure them. I can almost fancy him in despair. There was, however, one obvious way out of the difficulty ; supposing he knew a The Quest 257 fellow-countryman willing to fall in with his plans, who possessed things of the sort he desired, and near the local- ity. He could then proceed with absolute secrecy. A whiff of chloroform delivered to Mrs. Vansittart previous to her journey through the night would be all the precaution he need take. ' ' "Such a friend, monsieur," said Folliet, ''was actually found ; for the landlord tells me that three of the four spoke with marked German accents, whereas the fourth spoke quite good French, but was fair-haired. He probably was a German, too, you see, but spoke good French, for the simple reason that he has lived a long time in France." " And if in France, monsieur," replied Arniand, " then in Argonne. That one of them came from there I have proved. To be certain that they returned there, one need only remember that Argonne at least fulfils the conditions as to remoteness, a friend, a house, and so on, and to re- member the extreme rarity of the chances that any other place would fulfil all the conditions necessary to the accom- plishment of the design. Two friends, conveniently circum- stanced for this design, our German plotter almost certainly did not have ; he had one at Argonne, as we know. I was able, therefore, to say, monsieur, that Mrs. Vansittart is at Argonne." Marie's head, leaning on his shoulder, suddenly nodded with a jerk. She was asleep. Folliet rose. " It is well reasoned," he said. " Through your acumen, monsieur, perhaps by this hour to-morrow night we may have ' ' " Discovered their motive for leaving their wine behind, monsieur," said Armand, with a rather strange laugh. CHAPTER XXIV THE RACE HOW tliey came to leave their wine behind seemed to FoUiet as simply- guessed as possible. With Mrs, Vausittart, there were five people to be squeezed somehow into the carrosse, and, when it came to the point, they must have found that there simply was not room enough for the basket to be wedged among their feet. Whereupon they had dropped it over the hedge into the garden. It seemed to him, too, that, even supposing there was room, they would be anxious to get rid of every ounce of additional weight, in their frantic haste, with a long journey before them. All this, lying on his bed, tired after the previous sleepless night, he was thinking. Arniand fell slightly in his estimation for his failure to see this simple ex- planation of the discarded basket. " Never mind ; he 's a wise fellow — a wise man. If only the lad's opinion of himself was a little more modest ! " he said, and fell asleep. Armand, too, not so tired, was lying awake thinking. Near him lay Marie, one arm across his chest, her lips parted like a half-opened flower close to his cheek. Armand, too, had thought of the explanation of the discarded wine which had occurred to Folliet, but this explanation did not quite satisfy him. They had apparently brought to the inn ten bottles, of which they had drunk four ; there remained six, and the whole of these six they had left behind. But if the carriage was not large enough to contain them and the basket, too, could they not have smuggled away at least one 258 The Race 259 of the six bottles somewhere — into some pocket, into some nook, under the seat ? How good would one such bottle be to them toward morn- ing, before they reached the end of their headlong, dusty journey ! It must be, he thought, that their discarding of the whole six was an idea, a design, some trick. But what ? He lay thinking. The course which the landlord had actually pursued with respect to the treasure-trove of wine could not, he thought, have been calculated upon by the Germans. The old man had cunningly concealed the matter till forced to disclose the facts. But the Germans must have expected him to find the basket and declare publicly the fact of his finding it. That was the natural course, the thing which most men, under the circumstances of alarm and commotion, would do. Hence they had taken the trouble to bear the basket from the carriage to the garden and lay it there, where the land- lord would be certain to see it. And the only possible motive at which Armand could guess, was this : that they wished to create an impression of careless opulence ; that, supposing they were seen and traced upon the road in the direction of Argonne, then the crudely-reasoning police might say, " They are people of position and wealth ; they have left behind them six bottles of Argonne ; they have borne Mrs. Vansittart to a palace or a castle, and in a palace or a castle we must seek her. ' ' " As for me," said Armand, " if I had to seek her, I should seek her in a hovel." And then he, too, fell asleep. At about four in the morning, Folliet knocked at his door, and roused him. " Monsieur," said the detective, " I am about to break- fast, and set out upon my search ; I need not say that I shall be delighted if you will share my investigations. ' ' " Certainly, monsieur," Armand replied ; " I, too, shall be delighted. Can you lend me a hundred francs ? " Folliet smiled in the half-darkness. 26o The Lost Provinces ' ' By all means, monsieur ! here is a note. ' ' Armaud turned to dress ; when the process was completed he bent over drowsy Marie and kissed her. She put an in- stinctive arm about him, murmuring sleepy contentment. He said, " I am going awaj\" "No!" She leaped up at once. "lam." " Armand ! what for?" " To find Mrs. Vansittart." ' ' And you are going to leave me ? ' ' " I must, darling." " How wretched j'ou will be, and I also ! Ah, cruel ! " " I can't help it ; one must be practical and good. I don' t quite know where I may have to go to, or I could take you. It won't be for long, our parting. Here are a hundred francs which M. Folliet has given me. With these you will pay your expenses at this inn ; and from Gravelotte I shall telegraph to you, telling you where to come to me. There are some novels in the trunks which you can read ; good- bye, sweet — ah, sweet ! " He undid her arms from his neck and ran away from her half- vexed, half-tender tears. In half an hour he was with Folliet in a train. As the engine began to puff and move, Armand said : ' ' And now, monsieur, your plans ? ' ' " They are simple," replied Folliet. " The distance be- tween Vimes, which we are now leaving, and Argonne, to which we are finally going, is about eighty miles. Just about midway between the two is a little station called Renne. I intend to stop at Renne. ' ' It was just possible that Armand was somewhat piqued by this hard-and-fast decision of Folliet without having con- sulted one whom he had taken into collaboration, and who was putting himself to a great deal of gratuitous incon- The Race 261 venience — rare for him ; for the young man said, with marked coldness, ' * What for, monsieur ? ' ' " You will immediately agree with me when you hear," said Folliet. " This distance of eighty miles it was evi- dently the intention of the kidnappers to traverse during the hours of darkness. Morning, of course, would be extremely dangerous to them. But their horses had already done some travelling when they arrived at Vimes, and the rest there was short. It is certain, then, that, by some contrivance or other, they managed to change horses during the night, and the place most advantageous to them for the change would be somewhere not far from the middle point between Vimes and Argonne, somewhere not far from Renne. Within a radius of twenty miles round Renne I intend, therefore, to make personal, well-directed inquiries. The descriptions given by our old host at Vimes of the horses, the carriage, the men, are as vague as they can be. All he can remember of the man who spoke good French is that he was fair ; that is no good to us, you know. But men changing horses in the small hours of the night leave a deeper im- pression. We may even get a sight of one of those horses still remaining in some stolid peasant's stall thereabouts, and that would be almost as good as having the name and address of the man who owned him. Renne is the place for us, then." " Excellent, monsieur ! " said Armand, "it we had only a year to spare." At these words the countenance of Folliet flushed to a deep and angry red. " Pray explain your meaning," he said, curtly. " I suppose that M. Vansittart is anxious for the recovery of his wife as soon as possible, monsieur ? ' ' " I suppose so, sir. That is why I propose the very speediest means of recovering her. ' ' Armand bowed. 262 The Lost Provinces " I differ from you, monsieur, that is all. I think we should go on straight to Argonne at once." " Verj' well ; then we must agree to differ, monsieur." " Very well, monsieur." Armand at once turned to the book he was reading ; Folliet to his memoranda. Till the train drew up at Renne, neither spoke a word. Folliet rose, collected his stick, mackintosh, and papers, and stepped toward the door. To his surprise, he noticed when he reached it that Armand had not moved. " This is the station, monsieur," said Folliet. " Which station, monsieur ? " answered Armand. " Renne." " I know." " Are n't you coming out ? " ' ' No — I am going on to Argonne. ' ' " Oh, very good. Good-morning." " Good-morning, monsieur. I shall find Mrs. Vansittart before you." Folliet flushed. " That time alone can show, sir." * ' Before you, monsieur ! ' ' Folliet had put out his foot on the step-board by this time. He half turned to answer : " Happy season of youth ! " His foot touched the platform. " Before you, monsieur ! " cried Armand. " Blessed innocence of childhood ! " sneered Folliet. " Oh, but M. Folliet ! " called Armand, " will you lend me a hundred francs ? I have no mone)'." Folliet put his hand in his pocket, and, without a word, handed the other a note. As he was about to pass through a doorway of the station, he heard the unrelenting voice crying after him : " Before you, monsieur ! " " Well, we will see about that ! " muttered Folliet, with " ' Oh, but M. Folliet ! ' cried Arniand, ' will you lend me a hundred francs? I have no money.'" The Race 263 tight-pressed lips. A moment afterwards the moving train whirled Armand away ; but Folliet, glancing round, could see a head popped from a window still bawling something at him. If ever he was on his acme of effort to do a thing well and swiftly he was so now. He had been challenged by a child. Armand, too, as soon as he found himself alone in the train, knit his brows. " Come now," he said aloud, " suppose we teach M. Folliet, the Prefect of Police, a lesson in modesty. ' ' Beneath this youth's froth was the elemental rock itself By Epernay, by St. Hilaire, by St. Menhould, passed Armand. The railway is circuitous — the train was slow. Not till ten o'clock did he get out at Clermont-en-Argonne. The district of Argonne is scattered and ill-defined, and it is not, properly speaking, recognised at all as one of the great wine centres, owing to the extreme uncertainty of its yields. A plot here, another far yonder, yet another over the hill — such is Argonne. One year the yield, all told, was ten barrels, another it may swell to hundreds — it is never much. Hence its fame hides modestly from the world be- neath the august shadow of Epernay and Rheims. But its grapes are far smaller and more exquisitely sweet than those of its louder rivals; and, to the connoisseur, Argonne is elect. Its cellars are goodly excavations cut far into cliflfs of chalk formation. M. Moet's, at Epernay, extend some nine miles. Two at Argonne are over three miles in extent. At the station Armand drank a large tumbler of genuine Argonne, for which he paid only about fourpence. He walked twenty yards down the street, stopped at an unpre- tentious hotel, and drank another, preparatory to dijefmer. Here was Paradise to the light of heart, and the quaffing of goblets in Valhalla ! His eyes began to sparkle, and his feet to tread on air. His problem was not merely to find Mrs. Vansittart ; but to souse himself with Argonne wine and find Mrs. Vansittart 264 The Lost Provinces as well. The thing was not easy; but with every additional glass his hopes grew rosier-hued. ' ' Do you know a German named — I forget his name — but a wine-grower about here ? " he asked a patron of his hotel. " A German, sir? No." " Just think, now." " I know none such, monsieur. But I have been here only six months ; you would be more likel}' to find what 5'ou want by inquiring in the villages." ' ' Ah, well, it is all one, ' ' said Armand to himself. ' ' Fol- liet can't be here before night, and I shall know by then. Another glass of '90, monsieur." He went presently, after breakfast, sauntering through the town, whistling loudly for the benefit of passers-by, his hat thrown far back on his head. Armand, as Mr. Arnold says of Heine, was so essentially ' ' disrespectable ! ' ' Just now he was being violently torn two ways. The sun was bright, the wine ran vividly in his veins ; he wanted to make a day of it, here, in this land beyond Jordan, flowing with milk and honey. In his pocket was a hundred francs crying, " Spend us ! spend us ! " On the other hand, there was his boast to Folliet. He felt sure that he was at least a step nearer the truth than Folliet ; it would be too hard, too poor, if he threw away his advantage. And Folliet all the time was probably working hard, straining every nerve. Every time Armand thought of this he quickened his steps ; every time he heard the cry of the hundred francs in his pocket he struck up a song and entered a drinking-house. He was not, in reality, a person of weak will, but he had two wills in him, both strong, equal, and opposite. This rendered his equilibrium unstable. He was " unsteady." But through all the ferment of his brain he did not for a moment entirely lose sight of the end in view, and his fine faculty of thought remained pretty intact, like a glowing coal under heaps of flufif and ashes. He stopped a passer-by, and said : The Race 265 " What is the nearest village ? " " Rouflet." " How far?" ' ' Four kilometres. ' ' " Is it a decent place ? Any fine houses in it ? " " It is rather a poor place." " Any vineyards near it ? " " Two or three round it." * ' Can one get good Argonne wine there ? ' ' "Oh, certainly. It possesses the best vines in the district. ' ' " Thank you, monsieur." He set off. He had already decided to seek what he wanted in a poor rather than a rich locality, and in a village rather than the town. Rouflet he found to consist of a steep street, flag-paved. He passed through it singing, and near the further end entered a diminutive cabaret. On each side of the door two men were leaning, talking. One was the proprietor, a burly figure with a thick black mane of hair ; the other was tall, wore rings and a heavy watch-chain, and had a nose with a distinct dent in the centre of the ridge. The proprietor of the brasserie spoke to him with a certain deference which Armand, as he entered, noted. He could hear that thej^ were talking about the war, and the rumoured probability of another great battle taking place on the following day. As Armand entered, the landlord left the door to serv^e him. The other man, who seemed to be merely lounging away a morning's hour at the inn-door, followed ; and, as he did so, said with a yawn : " Well, gossip Pierre, it is long since I have bought a glass of my own wine from you. I, too, will have a sip for good luck." " Ah, that 's talking," answered Pierre ; " we must mark it up with chalk." Yet the tip of the wine-grower's broken nose was of so 266 The Lost Provinces vivid a scarlet that it was certain the drinking of his own wine was not such a rarity with him as Pierre implied. " Now, here 's a spark from Paris," said the wine-grower ; ' ' you can see it from the very cut of his clothes, and the way he sips his %vine, as if it were dangerous. Is n't that so, neighbour ? ' ' With this playful sally he addressed Armand. They were standing side by side, shoulder to shoulder. " You are right," said Armand ; " I am from Paris." ' ' And what are j^ou doing our way — touring ? ' ' " No ; they sent me down here — doctor-people. Left lung. Argonne air, Argonne wine — and plenty of it." " You are quite a stranger here, then ? " " I don't know a soul." " What do you think of the chances of a battle to- morrow ? ' ' " I don't care a curse about the chances of a battle to- morrow. What does it matter to such as j'ou and me ? I am come down here to drink wine — and get health. My left lung is ba-a-d." " Well, I would n't have thought that to look at you. Do you play chess ? ' ' ' ' Rather. Do you ? ' ' " Hear him, Pierre ! He asks if I can play chess ! Why, man, of course I can." " Oh, that 's all right, then. Only — don't play with me. I shall certainly beat you." "You? Just hear him! Well, it 's wonderful what these Paris chaps think of themselves ! ' ' " Oh, it is n't that," said Armand ; " /learned to play at Heidelberg, which is the verj^ best place to learn." " What ! You have been in Germany ? " " Rather. My mother was a German." " Damn it ! Well, so was mine ; and I 'm not ashamed to own it ! " " Good ! I don't mind taking 3'ou at a game, then. But The Race 267 chess playing is n't what I devote myself mostly to. I have another hobby. ' ' " And what 's that ? " " Stamp collecting." Armand had seen a pocket-book end sticking from the breast of the stranger, such a one as is used for the temporary home of stamps, and, standing a little out, the serrated edges of some specimen sheets. The man was surprised. " No ! " he said ; " why, it 's wonderful ! It 's the very thing I do myself ! ' ' " I 've got a fine example of the suppressed Nevis '84," remarked Armand. " No ! Well, that 's a treasure ? Will you show it me ? " ' ' With pleasure. My stamp-book is in Clermont. Some day during the week, if you will pay me a visit." At this point the landlord presented to them the chess- board and the box containing the pieces. They proceeded to a little room back of the bar, and sat with the board be- tween them. Armand ordered a bottle of '90. At the end of three hours they still sat there. Of five games Armand won three ; and with every game he ordered a bottle of '90. The talk was all of stamps. At four o'clock, in a little village twelve miles from Renne, Folliet, on his side, was deep in talk with a small vigneron of the district. He had been hearing a tale about a carriage from which the horses had been taken at midnight in order to put in their places two of the vigneron' s own which had been bought from him during the day for ready-money down. " How many people were there ? " asked Folliet. ' ' Four, I fancy, monsieur, but I only saw one of them well." " A German? " "No— French." " How do you know ? " 268 The Lost Provinces " He spoke French quite well." ' ' "What sort of looking man ? ' ' " Tall, with fair hair and moustache." "Goon." " That 's about all I remember. He was a pleasant kind of man to talk to, too. Oh, stop ! There was something wrong with his nose. It had a dent in the middle of the bridge." " Why did n't you give information of all this to the police instead of giving me this trouble ? " Folliet, as he said it, glanced anxiously at his watch, with an exclamation of impatience. " I had no idea that there was anything wrong," an- swered the man. " All was square and above-board." " Well, here 's a louis. I may want you again." He jumped into a fly at once, and went galloping through the lanes towards Renne. Here he sent a telegram to the Bureau of Police at Clermont : " Find out at once address of man, fair, tall, broken nose, probably German, probably vintner, in district of Argonne. Promptitude of supreme importance. Will arrive next train. "F01.UET, Prefect." Then he went to the station, and, chafing with nerv^ous impatience, walked up and down the platform, waiting. CHAPTER XXV TO GRAVELOTTE FOLLIET did not arrive at Clermont till after seven that night. But he arrived full of hope. Momentous as the matter at issue was, his human nature could not resist a sardonic grin at the thought of Armand and his boast. If someone had told him (what w^as the truth) that Armand at that moment was snoring ofiF the efiects of a long day's debauch, he would have roared with victorious laughter. When FoUiet got the faintest clue of a mystery into his head, few things could balk the shrewd and practised scent with which he tracked it to its ultimate convolution. And this day he had been even luckier and swifter than he had expected. He had not a doubt that at the btireaii at Cler- mont- en- Argonne the address and name of the man he wanted were waiting for him. And there, in fact, they were. The detective who made inquiries was in attendance, and handed him a slip on his entry into the bureau des I'ejiseignements. There was a man who almost entirely answered to the description, and there was only one in the district. His name was Henri Reichen- berg, and he was the owner of the vineyard called La Piblouette, about two kilometres north-east of Rouflet, which in turn was a village four kilometres north of Clermont. Folliet sent an officer for a cup of coffee, swallowed it in big gulps, and ran out into the street alone. He had to spy — to make sure — and then With joy he saw that there was no moon, and that the sky 269 2 JO The Lost Provmces was covered over with black clouds. He took a cab to Rouflet, dismissing it just outside the village. The night was then confirmed and dark. He drew the collar of his mackintosh high over his ears and chin, and passed quickly- down the street. Then he struck north-east over the open country. He met no one anywhere. In three quarters of an hour, following a winding road, he came upon a chalk cliflF which stretched right across his path. Its bare white cragginess just loomed upon him in the darkness before he butted upon it. The edge of the cliflf ran about fifteen feet above his head. Folliet had received a description sufficiently minute of the place. He turned to the left along a footpath which ran along the base of the rock. In his course he passed by a square spot of deeper blackness in the rock-face. He tapped it ; it was wooden. It was a door, the entrance to the cellars of Henri Reichenberg. He walked on, and in three minutes came to a break in the continuity of the cliff ; it was a narrow, steep flight of stone steps cut out of the rock to the upper level of the cliff. He ascended. At the top he found the entrance of an extremely long avenue of lindens which met overhead. Here it was very dark. He pro- ceeded up the avenue with intense caution, though in reality there was little need for it, for not a sound broke the silence of the world, and the moss underfoot was deep and con- tinuous, rendering the footfall noiseless. Presently, at the far end of the avenue, where the trees almost met in per- spective remoteness, he saw the glimmer of a light. But it vanished almost at once. He went on. " That light," he said, " is a light in the house of Henri Reichenberg. Someone has opened and shut a door or a window — hence its appearance and disappear- ance. Is Mrs. Vansittart really and truly behind those shuttered apertures ? I wonder — I wonder. The mere shuttering of them is suspicious. I shall know, Henri Reichenberg, within fifteen minutes." To Gravelotte 271 But he knew sooner ; he knew within five minutes. Suddenly, as he walked through the now dense darkness on the absolutely soundless moss, he came into sharp collision with someone coming in the opposite direction down the avenue. It was a man bigger than himself and heavier. Folliet nearly fell backward. " Pardon, m'sieur," said a rather thick and drowsy voice. " Collisions are natural to Erebus and modern civilisation alike." The remark was quite in the tone of the Latin quarter. Folliet, with a start as violent as though he had heard the Devil speak, recognised Armand. " Ah, M. Armand — you " he gasped. "What, you, M. Folliet?" " It is I," admitted Folliet. Armand' s hand went out and hit upon Folliet's in the dark. He gave the detective a hearty grip. " M. Folliet," he said, " allow me to congratulate you. You are a great man ! ' ' "How!" exclaimed Folliet. "It \^ you ! You were here first !" " That is true, monsieur. But, then, I did the right thing. You did the wrong — and get here all the same. That is what I call greatness. ' ' " Well, if this fellow is n't a gentleman to his mar. row ! " said Folliet to himself. He added aloud : " But, monsieur, this is the mere sophistry of generosity. Don't you see that it is you this time at least who are the great man." " Monsieur, we are both great men," said Armand with large sententiousness. But — but — how long have you been here ? " About two hours." Good Lord ! not in the house ? " Yes, in the house. I have just left it." And is Mrs. Vausittart there ? ' ' 2/2 The Lost Provmces ' ' For the last hour and a half I have been sleeping in the room adjoining hers." " Sleephig ! Oh, this is incredible." " Only at first, monsieur. Not when you know the facts. The truth is, monsieur, I have been — drunk on Argonne wine. Or if drunk is too coarse a word to apply to the effects of Argonne, say transfigurated. It is not an intoxi- cation — it is a sublimation. Nectar is not a wine — it is an essence. I doubt, monsieur, if I am sober now." " Yes, you are. I believ'e you are soberest when you are drunk. Pray tell me — how did you manage ? ' ' " There is a man, monsieur, who, according to my present recollection, is called Henri Reichenberg. This man, almost as soon as I saw him, and as soon as I heard him, I knew to be one of the four. It is not true that he speaks perfect French, though his French is near perfection. He has, in fact, lived half his life in Munich. Having understood this, I persuaded him to get drunk in my company. When I am transfigurated, monsieur, I do not fail to retain a certain empire of my soul, a little light amid the gloom ; but in the case of Henri Reichenberg, if that is his right name, you get a gloom which is the primeval gloom itself. I played chess with Reichenberg and beat him only sufficiently to induce him to keep on playing. Finally, as we are both ardent philatelists, he took me home to see his collection of postage stamps, and while he was showing me we both fell asleep. Reichenberg, believe me, still slumbers." " But — Mrs. Vansittart ! You saw her ? " " I saw her, monsieur. She will die soon if not rescued." He said it in an awed whisper. And in an awed whisper Folliet answered : " How ! die, you say ? How do you mean ? " " I only caught one glimpse of her face. The house, I may tell you, is a small, mean one — two stories, built of white freestone — not more than eight rooms. But six of these rooms are crowded with men, armed, soldier- like people, To Gravelotte 273 Germans. The seventh room, on the first floor, is Reichen- berg's, who has her under his immediate surveillance ; the eighth is Mrs. Vansittart's. As I passed into Reichenberg's room I saw through a slightly open door a woman. She appeared to be slowly walking to and fro ; it was evident at once that she was harassed to the point of lunacy. But her face, monsieur ! Anything as wan, and drawn, and pity- kindling you can hardly imagine. If this lasts ' ' He stopped. " Ah, but it won't last ! " cried FoUiet, with clenched fists. " It is you who have found her. What do you advise ? " " I don't advise anything, M. Folliet," said Armand ; " a practical point like that I leave to you. But I have one warning to give — doyi't make an attack upon the house un- less you are quite sure that your force of gendarmes very largely preponderates over the force of armed men within it. Bring a merely equal force against the place, and we lose Mrs. Vansittart." " Ah, that 's the point," said Folliet — " can I bring a sufficient force ? Look here, this is a matter which no man but one should take into his hands, and that man M. Van- sittart." " I entirely agree with you, monsieur." ' ' Then let us go to him and consult him. ' ' " By all means, and at once." " Can you ride ? " " Is there no train ? " ' ' Not for some time. Two swift and strong horses — that 's what we want. Twenty miles or so — the distance is nothing. lyCt us go back to Clermont ; I can get two oi\.h.Q gendarmerie mounts." They at once set out at a rapid walk. On the road near Rouflet they met an empty cart, and offered the driver a louis to take them at a gallop to Clermont. In twenty minutes they arrived in the town. As they went toward the burcati de police^ they passed a 274 1^^^ Lost Provinces post-office. Armand entered, and dispatched a telegram to Marie at Vimes : "Take the first train to Gravelotte. I shall be there looking out for you." Then he joined FolHet at the btireau over the way. In ten minutes they were mounted on two stout coursers, and clattering through the town. Twice only they drew rein to knock at cottage doors and make themselves certain of the route. The rest of the journey was one long, silent, intense gallop. They passed through the French army, and about midnight dashed into Gravelotte on horses panting and wet with foam. Vansittart was staying at the inn called Cheval d'Or, He had retired to bed, but a chambermaid was able to give the positive assurance that he was not asleep. He could be heard walking still in his room. She took up a message, and returned with the command that Folliet should wait in the salon. Armand had not sent up his name. Presently Vansittart entered, wrapped in a dressing-gown of crimson silk, with a gold-wrought ceinture. " Ah, M. Folliet," he said, " this is a surprise. And do my eyes deceive me ?— surely here is M. Dupr^s." He spoke quite heartily. But his pretence of non- chalance was as hollow and shallow as possible, making him still more an object of pity. He could not hide the haggard glare of his eye, or the care which sat on his faded cheek. " We are now arrived post haste from the neighbourhood of a small town called Clermont, in Argonne, M. Vansit- tart," said Folliet. I may tell you at once that we have found Mrs. Vansittart — or rather, to be exact, this gentle- man here has found her." " M. Dupres?" " Yes, sir." "^•.f^wher?" i8 To Gravelotte 275 His face was screwed into an expression of gaunt, distorted inquisitiveness. * ' Yes, I have seen her, ' ' said Armand. "Really? You have? My God! you have seeyi her, then?" His knees gave, and he sank backward upon a couch. ' ' I merely caught a glimpse of her face in passing, ' ' said Armand. ' ' And she is — well ? Did she seem — well ? To think that you have seen her ! ' ' Armand, in pity, said : * ' Oh, she is well enough — a little pale, perhaps — no more than is natural under the circumstances. ' ' ' ' A little pale, perhaps," Vansittart repeated, mechanically. " She is in a healthy locality," ventured FoUiet. "But where — where ? " " At a house surrounded by vineyards in the Argonne district." " But, M. Folliet, you have left her there ? " " The place is full of armed men, monsieur. I did not at the moment feel mj-self in a safe position to attempt a rescue without consulting you. An attempt which failed would make matters only worse." ' ' How many men ? ' ' " I should say between thirty and forty," replied Armand. ' ' How far away ? ' ' ' * About twenty miles. ' ' ' ' Then — we will go at once ! ' ' He staggered to his feet. " M. Vansittart, this is a matter for coolness and deliber- ation. There are extensive wine-cellars beneath the house, a labyrinth of hiding-places, doubtless in direct communica- tion b}' stairs with the building. During an attack which is not also a complete surprise, your wife could be " ' ' Ah, I see ! Taken down into the cellars, eh ? An excel- lent plan ! Is your object, then, to drive me mad, monsieur ? ' ' 276 The Lost Provinces " No, no. It is merely a suggestion which I make. Find me the men and I will undertake the rest. You must not come. You must see that you are not in the right frame of mind for such an enterprise. And the army here cannot spare you." Vansittart's head was bowed down to his knees. For some time he sat so. Then he said : " Leave me, M. FoUiet, for half an hour — an hour — leave me. I must think. Monsieur, pray leave me " — to Armand — " I — I must think of this matter." But as Armand passed by him he put out his arm and gave a momentary pressure to the hand of the young man. " Ah, thanks ! " he said. CHAPTER XXVI vansittart's temptation THE reason why Vansittart wanted time to think was this : that it was confidently believed in both armies that at the next dawn an attack would be made by the Germans. If he was at Clermont he could not be at Grave- lotte ; and if he was not at Gravelotte, he would be away from the army in its hour of need and conflict. He would have deserted his post. He lay half-stretched on the couch, and one side of his face lay flat on the dark velvet of the couch-head. Anyone looking at him would have seen him writhe, and would have seen the pain upon his face, and his closed lashes moist and clotted, and would have heard the groans that broke from him. Whether it was a foreboding of what really was to happen, or whether he had some extraordinary insight into the facts of the situation, he felt not the least doubt that whoever he might send to recover her would somehow fail, if he himself were absent — that he would lose her again, this time per- haps forever. "No, I can't bear that," he moaned ; " Oh God !— I cannot." And as he writhed, on his face was the stamp of keen physical pain, and his eyes were closed. After all, what was France — or the world — to him com- pared to her ? A man has one little life which, to him, is more important than the ruin of all the remaining universe. There are times when it is the duty of a man to be selfish, surely. Every fibre within him, every instinct of his hu- • 277 278 The Lost Provinces manity — impelled him towards her ; a thousand voices shouted to him to fly, only to flj', to the luxury involved in one renewed sight of her face, one kiss of her lips. But he did not move. He lay there crouching, half on his knees, his distorted face against the couch-end. He mechanically repeated several times Armand's words : ' ' A little pale, perhaps — a little pale, perhaps. ' ' He easily divined that this was a confession compelled only by the force of a truth far more emphatic than stated. " A little pale, perhaps," meant, probably, that she was dying. Vansittart started up. Suddenly hesitation seemed to him absurd. He rang the bell violently. But when a man entered the room, he had again flung himself upon the couch. He waved the man away backwards. He had changed his mind. Was it to be France or Evelyn ? The momentary thought flashed through his mind that, by means of extraordinary dash and enterprise, it might be both. But the notion soon vanished. It was going on to two o'clock. To set out for Clermont, reach it, remain there engaged for even one hour, and return to Gravelotte could not be accomplished before seven or eight in the morning. The attack was expected two or three hours earlier. It could not be both, then ; it must be one or the other. That he could save Evelyn he felt confident : he, with his own hand, felt the prowess and the might to fight and beat down in her defence a score of men ; he felt that, for her, at the critical moment, his brain would have the clearness of an angel's to think and contrive. If he went, he could save her. If he stayed, could he save France ? No one else, certainly, believed that he could. More and more, for the last two days, had he become incompetent to direct, a sorry general of armies. Was it likely that on the morrow, while he still hung in uncertainty as to the fate of his wife, he would be able to interest himself capably in the direction of great schemes of generalship ? Vansittart's Temptation 279 This thought decided him. He jumped up again. He had found an excuse, with the same readiness that a mass of rushing water finds a channel down a hill. His heart and brain were at that moment as unreliable as quicksilver. His whole nature was tending in a strong current toward Cler- mont ; even his reason tricked him, and, when he attempted to use it, slipped back at once into the general trend of the rest of his being. He stood upright, his eyebrows lifted in eager outlook ; and he said decisively : " I will go ! I will go ! " Again he rang the bell. As he did so, his eye happened to fall upon the mantelpiece near, and there caught sight of a tiny watch set in a long handle of filigreed ivory. It was a watch which he had brought with him, and which, when he was at home, usually lay on his dressing-table. He wished to know the exact time, and took it up. In the handle was a miniature photograph of Evelyn. For the moment, all his mind turned in another direction. He had forgotten the fact that in lifting the watch he would see the photograph ; and its sudden apparition before his sight pro- duced upon him a startling effect. He bent looking upon the mild lineaments of his wife with eyes wide with interest. At that moment a servant entered in an.swer to his summons. " Never mind," said Vansittart ; " I will ring again when I want you." He bent once more over the photograph ; and so bending, for five minutes stood. Then, with the reverence of a neophyte kissing the cro.ss, he kissed it, and laid it down. The effect of this pure woman's pictured face upon her hus- band had proved the very opposite of what might have been expected. Instead of wildly moving him to rush to her, it had said to him in words which he could almost hear, and with the mildness of an angel's reproof, " I expect of my hero that he act heroically." 28o The Lost Provinces The consideration of what she would wish him to do threw a new and a sudden Hght over the whole question. For the first time, the magnitude of the impersonal claims upon his presence here grew clear to him ; a nation had trusted him — though his heart broke, it must break at his post. Once more he was down on the couch, on his face, fighting it out in his torn brain. If he should lose her ? If they should kill her slowlj' ? If he never saw her again, at all, forever ? This was the contingency, on the one side ; on the other was poor, perishing France, and his honour, and the upward-pointing finger of Evelyn reminding him of the old hero-souls, and of the iniseen eyes that regard the brave in their struggles and secret triumphs, and of that fulness of reward which, beyond doubt. Nature keeps in store for them who love not their own lives. Lying there, he gave one deep groan, as though in it he would deliver up his spirit. Thus a minute passed. Then he rose, a peaceful smile curving his lips. Vansittart, as was the way with him, had emerged from the fire purified and strengthened. He ran hurriedly up some stairs, entered his room, threw off his dressing-gown, and put on some clothes ; all this, very rapidly, yet with perfect calm. Then he ran down to the room where he thought Armand and Folliet were prob- ably awaiting him, and found them there. They had been wondering what he could possibly be doing. Now, looking at his face, they wondered still more. He seemed a new man to the distracted person they had lately left ; he was more than calm — he was genial. " Well, M. Folliet," he said, " if you will come with me, I think I can put at your disposal at once whatever force we may think necessary for a rescue. As for myself, I am sorry I cannot accompany you ; things here, you see, will probably require my presence." The three left the inn together, and proceeded down the street to a private house where Colonel Montsaloy, a man Vansittart' s Temptation 281 whose activity and resource Vansittart had observed, was now lying asleep. They roused the house, and in a few minutes the four men were in deep colloquy. Vansittart recommended a contingent of sixty chasseurs as a suitable escort, insisting upon the necessity of secrecy, and reminding them of the wine-cellars beneath the house. In case of need, the local gendarmerie might be called into re- quisition. " If I have the happiness to see you here by nine o'clock to-morrow morning, monsieur," he said to Montsaloy, " you will possess my lifelong gratitude." They walked toward the west end of the village. Within twenty minutes Armand and Vansittart stood listening to the hoof-beats of the troop lessening in the distance and darkness. CHAPTER XXVII MARIE ACTS AS early as four o'clock, after a brisk sleep, Vansittart was awake and up. Thenceforward, as the hours passed, he was all anxiety, awaiting two things : first, news from the front of movements on the German side preparatory to the anticipated attack ; and second, the return of the c/iasseurs from Clermont. But the hours of suspense passed. Six o'clock came — seven — and nothing happened. At seven Marie was in the arms of Armand, having travelled the greater part of the night. From the station he took her to the Cheval d'Or. Her first exclamation was this : " But, oh Armand, is she here ? Have you got her ? " ' ' Mrs. Vansittart ? ' ' "Yes." " We have found out where she is, but we have not got her." " Not ! Oh, Armand, the pity of it ! And where is she?" " At a vineyard near a place called Clermont." ' ' How do 5'ou know ? You have not seen her ? ' ' " Yes, Marie, I have seen her." " Poor thing ! She is so awfully ill. One saw it already weeks ago. Does she bear it well ? Is she well, Armand ? ' ' " To me her face seemed almost like the face of a dying woman, Marie." " Oh!" shrieked Marie, burying her face, pierced with 282 Marie Ads 283 pity. " How gentle, how good she is ! And to be treated so !" "It 's hard on poor Vansittart, certainly. He was a pitiable object last night, I can tell you." ' ' I pity her. Who is it, really, who has done it, Arniand ? ' ' " Oh, the Emperor Wilhelm, no doubt." " Well— I can't, I can't think that ! " she said, frowning with thought. "Why not. Birdie?" ' ' Could any gentleman do such a thing ? ' ' " No — but then he is not a gentleman." " What ! are n't all kings gentlemen ? " " Not by any manner of means." " Well, I can't understand it." " That is the fact, pretty." ' ' He has such a noble face ! ' ' " Who, Wilhelm?" " Yes." " He did not do this wickedness with his face, he did it with his merciless heart and brain." * ' Suppose — I only say suppose, Armand — that all the time he knows not one word of the matter ! ' ' " Oh, Birdie, that is impossible, you know." " It may not be." " But it is." Armand was seeing with his eye, which is reason ; Marie, with that deep, inner eye, which is instinct. The wisest man is foolish in comparison with a woman who sees with her soul. " Suppose," she said, after a silence, " that you went to him and told him the whole truth ? " " That who went to whom ? " " That you went to Wilhelm." ' ' All right, I can see that you are tired of me. You want me to go and get hanged." " Oh ! would he hang you, then ? ' ' 284 The Lost Provinces "He would." " What a wretch !" " But there is no need. In an hour's time you will see Mrs. Vansittart hce. Vansittart has sent a troop of chas- seurs to fetch her." So Marie was comforted, and waited. But in an hour's time Evelyn did not come, and the troop of chasseurs did not come. At ten o'clock they had not arrived. For Vansittart the waiting was killing ; he hid himself away where no eye could watch his now craven and de- moralised despair. As he ran up the stairs, Armand pointed him out to Marie, and she saw the abject woe of his working face. Arizona Jim, miserably distressed, did not even dare to question his master. At half-past eleven, half a dozen of the chasseurs of the ex- pedition, with Folliet and Montsaloy among them, arrived with blackened clothes and scorched faces. They had a tale of piteous defeat to tell. While it was yet dark they had surrounded the farmhouse, secretly as they thought. Then, finding ever}' aperture closed, they had set to work to pick the lock of the front door. The operation, however, was neither noiseless nor very speedy ; and while it was in progress they must have been heard from within. Finally they broke in a body into the house, only six or seven of the troop remaining without as guard. When they entered the house, they found within it not a single living being. As they searched round in wonder, the building, and they with it, went skyward in a fearful explosion. The occu- pants of the place, before descending into the cellar, had lighted a slow-match communicating with a heap of powder. Most of the chasseurs inside and surrounding the house had been scorched, and two killed. Folliet had then posted to Clermont for the gendarmerie, with the idea of bombarding the cellars ; and it was the bombardment of the cellars which had retarded the return of the remaining chasseurs to Grave- Marie Acts 285 lotte. But they found the cellars empty. The Germans had escaped under cover of the dense darkness, presumably by distant egresses, taking their prisoner with them. Such was the tale of defeat and disaster which Folliet had to tell. He had come in person to tell it, undertaking the bitter task as a self-imposed punishment for his failure. Where now was hope ? Evelyn had vanished as utterly as she had vanished before. The truth was that there was no hope — if it was not to be found in the head and heart of Marie. She lost half an hour in useless weeping ; then when she understood definitely that everybody, even her god-like Armand, was at a loss what next to do, she slipped away from him, ascended to her room, put on a dainty little Parisian bonnet, and her gloves, and by a back stair, stealthily went down into the garden of the inn; thence into the village street ; and at the end of it, asked someone this strange query : what was the way to Metz ? The way was pointed out to her, and she took it, without any idea of the difficulties and dangers she would have to surmount that day before reaching her destination. There were the French lines — there were the German lines ; these had to be passed. At the first she met with jests, but escaped contact. At the second she was roughly kissed several times on the mouth by a sentinel, and then ordered back on the road she had come. But with every defeat the wild fluttering at her heart with which she had set out lessened. Her will congealed within her. She escaped from the kisses of the sentinel, weeping no longer with fear, but with rage. At every step she grew bolder. She made a wide detour, and crossed the Moselle. By the eastward gate, through which the market-people of I^orraine streamed to bring their produce to the citadel, she entered Metz. But instead of the five miles from Gravelotte which she had thought to travel, she had travelled fifteen. 286 The Lost Provinces She was faint now, and pale, and verj' wear>\ It was late in the afternoon. Her e3'es had in them the wistfulness of the pilgrim. Her object was to speak personally, face to face, with the Emperor of the Germans. Several times, now, she stopped dead, appalled by the bigness of the enterprise. She remembered the difficulties she had encountered once, when she wished to speak to Mr. Vansittart. And this was an Emperor ! If she had run with the footmen and they had wearied her, how could she contend with the horses ? To her immense surprise and joy, destiny so ordered it that she found not the least difficulty in speaking with Wilhelm. She had asked the way to the Hotel de Ville, and as she came to it there was Wilhelm, just descending the marble stairway outside the entrance portal, surrounded b}' officers. A moment, and Marie's heart gave one tran- scendent bound ; the next she had darted agilely up two steps, pressed through the throng of men, and, hardly recognising her own voice, was speaking : " I wish to speak to your Majesty — Pray ! Pray ! " She fell on her knees before Wilhelm, At once a favourable omen came from the Emperor — he answered her in French. " Well, now, what is all this, ma'm'selle ? " he said. " I want to speak to you, sir ! " ' ' Well, you have invaded my presence, willy-nilly. Speak on, ma'm'selle." " Your Majesty, Mrs. Vansittart is djdng ! She is very ill ! " Wilhelm turned as white as a corpse. Then, flushing into scarlet wrath : " Here, drag this wench from my presence, you men ! How dare you let her come here to annoy me ! ' ' Marie sprang upright. Several hands caught at her shoulders, pulling her backward. " She was rouirhlv kibseil several times on the mouth bv a sentinel. Marie Acts 287 "I will speak," she cried. " Oh, it is a shame — Mrs. Vansittart ' ' " Be silent, you ! " exclaimed Wilhelm. " I am not gomg to be ! " shrieked Marie, at the same time throwing herself bodily down on the steps like an ob- stinate child. " I thought you did not know about it. I took you for a gentleman — and I came to tell you that it was your man — a man called Ritterburg, M. Folliet says — who carried her off— oh ! oh ! let me go, will you ! ' ' Now, it was out — Wilhelm had heard it, chapter and verse. He had been able to guard his ears from an army, but not from the shrillness of a woman's tongue. His right hand dropped with a gesture of abandonment. " Unhand her ! " he cried out. " Leave the wench alone with me. Now, woman, speak your full." Marie, speaking in sobs from behind her handkerchief, began to pour out her tale. " I thought — your Majesty did n't know — because my husband says no gentleman would — have done it. And I thought — I 'd come and tell you — it was a man called Ritter- burg — so M. Folliet, the detective, says. And she is dying ! she is very ill ! and she is my friend — so good — and sweet. And I — don't think your Majesty knows, to judge from your face. And the men M. Vansittart sent to get her last night have been blown up — and there is n't any hope at all — and Mrs. Vansittart will die — except your Majesty " She stopped, choked with sobs : and Wilhelm stood, look- ing at her, and said nothing. The next day, for certain, there was to be a battle ; if only for that day the mind of Vansittart could have been kept in a state of paralysis : the fool of a girl should have waited at least a day. This was not quite what Wilhelm was thinking, but it was not remotely dissimilar from what he was feeling. ' ' Where are you from ? " he asked suddenly. " From Gravelotte, sir." 288 The Lost Provinces ' ' Then you had better get back to Gravelotte as quickly as you can." " And will your Majesty ? " " Be silent ! Here, some of you see this young woman taken safely through the lines on the road to Gravelotte. You, Schlegel, find out at once where a man named Ritter- burg is now, and let me know by sundown. ' ' CHAPTER XXVIII IN THE emperor's carriage NOT a word did Marie speak of her expedition at Grave- lotte ; on her arrival there she fell a-faint into her husband's arms, but he thought her overcome by the ill-fate of Evelyn, as before. Only, late at night, she wept out the facts to him. " Ah, I thought there was something," he said — " these expeditions of yours, Marie " " I did it for the best, Armand." ' ' I know, Birdie. But the very worst might have come of it. As it is, nothing at all will come. I told you the man was a ruffian." " Well, I suppose," said Marie ; " though it is very strange — I don't know — he was not altogether unkind to me. At first he broke into a terrible rage. But afterwards — and Armand ! — I saw him give such a sidelong look into my eyes, and then at my lips ; it made me blush." " Hm ! he does n't know who it is you belong to, evi- dently." " I told him my husband said no gentleman would have done it ; so that was one for ///;;/ to swallow ! ' ' " But the ruffian ! Did n't he say anything? Did n't he even attempt to excuse himself in any way ? make any sort of promise ? ' ' " No. Not a word. When I was going to ask him he said: ' Be silent ! ' with such a frown. He can frown, I can tell you. And such a mustache, with hard tags at the end ! it is not a mustache, it is a weapon." '9 289 290 The Lost Provmces So, babbling together, they at last fell asleep, and Marie's last murmur was, " Poor Mrs. Vansittart ! " It was the intention of Armand to take her out of the neighbourhood by early morning ; for there was no doubt that either at dawn or sunrise some hostile movements would begin, and that long before midday the whole locality would be rolled in war. But he had an intense curiosity to see at least the begin- ning of actual fighting, and hung on in Gravelotte till the sun was high, and the clocks pointed to eight. At that late hour there was still, however, no sign of anything in the way of blows. Vansittart was riding slowly across a meadow about half a mile out of Gravelotte in company with some eight or ten persons. His eyes were hollow, and his careworn face all faded; but with a certain toughness, characteristic of him, he had stuck to his guns. In his heart, however, as he rode, there was nothing less than black and blank despair. Defeat or victory now — he did not greatly care. He was merely doing his duty. His life was in ruins about him. Armand, wandering and loitering here with Marie before their departure, saw and approached him. " What ! " said Vansittart, assuming a woeful blitheness ; "is this good-by, then? And Mistress Marie is running from the fire and smoke ? Well, good voyage ! And thanks, thanks, endless thanks, for your presence here. Are you off to Paris? " " I am going to join M. Folliet at Clermont," said Armand. ' ' Ah ! ' ' sighed Vansittart, and turned his face away. At this point thej^ heard an unexpected sound behind them, a trundling sound, and looking round, they saw near to them, coming from the direction of Gravelotte, a gun- carriage drawn by two horses, but without any gun on it. Instead, there was a massive cubical box— a strange object to the conservative eyes of the old campaigners. In the Emperor s Carriage 291 " Stay !" said Vansittart, " is not this — yes, it is — your engine of flame. I ordered one to be sent for experimental use. By nightfall, monsieur, all Europe will know that the victory of this day was due to the genius of Armand Dupres. ' ' He said it with a visible touch of enthusiasm, and even Armand' s eyes glistened. " If it does its work, M, Vansittart," he said. " It will do its work, monsieur. It has been tested, and I have telegrams confirming its absolute efficiency from the manufacturing firms and the War Office. If I have not dis- cussed the matter with you since you have been here — if I have seemed ungrateful — you must put it down to my — my trouble. ' ' His voice broke, and he added, ' ' I — I am not fit for anything." ' ' ' Wir heissen euch hoffen, ' ' ' said Armand. ' ' So says the German poet. ' ' ' ' Well, then, I will ' hope, ' if I can. But— what is that ? ' ' He pointed across the field. " That " was a body of horsemen, some thirty Germans, coming toward him from the direction of Metz. Uplifted in their midst there fluttered on the morning breeze a white flag of truce. They were escorted by a French officer. They came forward at a rather slow pace, for the reason that one of their number — a short, squat man, with a fat neck — was on foot. He was in front of all, and his dress was peculiar. It was a black robe reaching to his feet ; and on his head was a skull-cap. Then, after a minute's breathless surprise, Vansittart, rising in his stirrup, could see that in the midst of the horse- men was an open carriage, and that leaning back in the car- riage was a woman. " In the name of God, what is it ? " he cried, his face lighted with wildly inquisitive scrutiny. His heart was thumping against his ribs as though he would die. The troop approached, approached, in a silence which was 292 The Lost Provinces absolute. A minute — two ! Vansittart's field-glass was at his eyes. Suddenly, with a cry, he dropped it and at the same instant had leaped to the ground. As though the avenger of blood was after him, he flew to meet the advanc- ing body. In another minute, Evelyn was sobbing on his shoulder. Her new hiding-place on the German side of the Moselle was known to some men high in the German councils. During the night, Wilhelm had discovered it, and sent a messenger ordering her immediate conveyance to Metz. The whole party, Marie holding Evelyn's thin hand in the carriage, proceeded to the Cheval d'Or. The carriage was blazoned with the royal arms of Hohenzollern — it was Wilhelm' s own private landau. The man dressed in the long black robe was Carl Gottlieb Ritterburg. When Vansittart had come near him, he had seen that around the man's neck was a rope ; and on the black skull-cap, which was of the shape worn by condemned criminals in Saxony, had been fastened a band of white paper bearing these words in red ink : "To M. Vansittart, with the Emperor Wilhelm' s com- pliments." " But observe — observe, M. Armand," said Vansittart, hardly able to get out his words in the wildness of his trans- port — ' ' only observe the time which this man selects to make me this present — it is just before a great battle ! When he has ever>'thing to lose and nothing to gain from his act ! Was there ever such generosity in this world be- fore ? Oh, what return can one make to a man for largeness of heart such as this ! " " We will give him back one of the Lost Provinces when we have won them from him," said Armand ; " and Marie and Mrs. Vansittart shall go and spend a fortnight at the imperial palace ! " ' ' He shall have a return ! ' ' said Vansittart, musingly. " He shall-! Do not imagine that I shall lie under this bur- In the E^nperors Caj^riage 293 den of debt — and, stay — it shall be done at once ; but at your expense, monsieur ! " An hour later, after Wilhelm's messengers had been feasted, they returned. They took with them Ritterburg, and a letter from Vansittart — -and a specimen of Armand's engine of fire. Vansittart, in the letter, declined to hang Ritterburg, though he admitted that he should be glad to hear that he had been shot by the proper German military authorities. As for the machine which he sent, it was the invention of a great genius, never before used in war, and certain to effect a revolution therein. Mr. Vansittart, in his unbounded gratitude to the Emperor Wilhelm, sent it with a view to its impartial use in both armies, or, if the Emperor preferred, to its abandonment on both sides during the re- mainder of the present war. An explanation of the method of making and using the contrivance was enclo.sed therewith. But toward noon Wilhelm returned the specimen, with a letter written by himself. He appreciated the extraordinary character of the contrivance, and its value ; also, he appre- ciated to the full the great-mindedness of the gift ; but he preferred to avail himself of Mr. Vansittart' s second alter- native — that during the present war the engine should not be employed by either party. Whilst these mad pranks were being indulged in by the leaders, General Kreuznach was leading a host of two hun- dred thousand men from Diedenhofen across the Moselle. Within three hours the left flank of the French army was turned, and men were murmuring that Vansittart had be- trayed France in order to secure the release of his wife. CHAPTER XXIX A REVERSE WHEN the Kaiser struck, he struck " with mailed fist." The physical and mental collapse of his powerful rival gave him time to formulate his plans and opportunity for their development. During Vansittart's period of weakness it was General Daubisson's duty to attend to the needs and disposition of the army, and Daubisson's essential principle of strategy was to await the enemy's attack, according to accepted theories of warfare. But the German Emperor had learned something of the Ky'iegspiel (war game) as played by his opponent, so the flanking movement carried out in force by Kreuznach was only intended to blind Daubisson's ej-es to its real intent. It succeeded perfectl}-. Earl}' in the afternoon Daubisson and his staff hurried northwards to the village of Ea Chapelle. In their eager- ness to drive back the unexpected intruder, they placed far more men in motion than was absolutely necessary. The whole French anny buzzed with excitement and conflicting rumour. About four o'clock Arizona Jim perpetrated a colossal mistake in the French language, a mistake the consequences of which went farther than a mere outrage on French gram- mar and pronunciation. Jim had made some slight progress in the diplomatic tongue under the tuition of a red-cheeked and black-eyed waitress employed at the hotel. 294 A Reverse 295 When Jerome and his wife had poured forth tumultuous narratives of their sufferings and fears, they changed roles and Eveljai became the nurse. Vansittart expressed a desire for a hearty meal, but this she would not hear of. " What you want, dear," she said, " is sleep, much more than food. Take a little wine and some biscuits, go straight to bed, and sleep until you wake of your own accord. Then you will be yourself again. I will lie down in Marie's bed, and I challenge you to eat more than I do at supper- time." He smiled acquiescence, but first went to the door of the little sitting-room and called Bates. "Jim," he cried, "go outside and see if anything is stirring. Ask if there is any news ? I want to rest for some hours. ' ' Jim soon came back. " There 's nothing fresh, guv'nor. All the talk in camp is that General Daubisson has lost his hat." "Lost his hat !" " Yes, an' a rare fuss they 're makin' about it — chaps gallopin' like mad. I should n't have thought they 'd kick up such a shindy if it had bin his head. ' ' The millionaire looked puzzled, but he was already nod- ding with sleepiness. He lay down without undressing, and was soon as one dead, so utter his fatigue, so overpowering the exhaustion of reaction. What Jim had heard was that Daubisson had lost La Chapelle, but the difference between ' ' chapelle ' ' and * ' chapeau ' ' was far too minute for the unpractised ear of the Texan. Meanwhile, as the day wore on, some desperate fighting took place in the north. Kreuznach's strong and deter- mined force was not to be denied. Careless of all odds, the Germans carried position after position, until, when night fell, they were wholly surrounded by the huge masses set in motion against them by General Daubisson. 296 The Lost Pi'oviiices At last it seemed that the invaders must be annihilated, and the stout little Frenchman was congratulating himself on having won a notable victor}'. Kreuznach was fairly- caught in a trap. Let the bluebottle struggle ever so fiercely, he must be crushed in this all-pervading web of men and guns with the first beams of returning day, as the staff reported that the Germans apparently intended to hold I^a Chapelle during the night. A brilliant idea then occurred to Daubisson. His own men, no less than the Germans, were spent with the fight. Why not, during the few hours of darkness, assemble a fresh force of forty thousand troops and carry La Chapelle by a superb assault at dawn ? Such a body, eager, high-mettled, anxious to show their comrades why they had been kept in reserve, would simply sweep the invaders into nothingness. Such a glorious achievement would be the chief event of the war. True, he would be compelled to weaken the French front, but what did that matter ? The Kaiser had evidently played Kreuznach as his trump card. He, Daubisson, would now show that he held the ace. So the aides rode forth, and the German Emperor's plan was made more easy than he had ventured to hope. For Wil- helm, at that moment, was attending to the final disposition of eight strong columns, which, marching by parallel roads, and acting quite independently of each other, were destined to cross the Moselle, fall upon the French lines at midnight, throw the whole French army into disorder, and make clear the path for two army corps to advance from Metz at day- break. Kreuznach was instructed to maintain his dogged hold on La Chapelle, and the Emperor believed that if the combined scheme was even partially successful, he would be able to throw back the shattered and dismembered French army across the Meuse. The hours passed and men marched through the dark- ness, yet Vansittart slept. Arizona Jim kept anxious vigil at the door of the Cheval A Reverse 297 d'Or. He well knew that an action of some magnitude was in progress on the left flank, as the incessant cannonade and roar of magazine rifles betokened the numbers of men engaged. So he bethought him to take counsel with the aforesaid serving-maid as to the exact facts bearing upon General Daubisson's hat. Then he quickly discovered that it was a large village, and not his headgear, that had been taken from the worthy commander-in-chief, and with the knowledge came the re- flection that his master's slumbers, excellent though the purpose they served, might not be the best thing that could happen in the interests of France. Should he awaken him to allow the indomitable spirit to force the weakened body into the saddle, and snatch the army from peril or possible disaster ? Jim was well aware of the powerful reasons that obtained on both sides of the torturing question, so he turned for guidance to Armand. Marie had constituted herself maid to Mrs. Vansittart, and positively refused to leave Gravelotte without her mis- tress, so the pair still tarried in the village. Armand was quite fluent in the English tongue, and ex- pressed his opinions with an air of conviction that satisfied Bates. * " Wake Mr. Vansittart ? Not for worlds. He is a great man. His rest is more important than other men's actions." * ' But things seem kinder unsettled, ' ' urged Jim. ' ' Every- body is dancin' about like a turkey on a hot plate." ' ' That is a national characteristic, my friend. Excitability is the fundamental cause of French genius. It is the same with the Americans." Armand' s philosophy was lost on Jim. " I guess nit," was the rapid answer. " If this crowd hailed from the States it is the Germans that would be doin' the quickstep." The war correspondent of the Gaulois rode into the village 298 The Lost Provinces en route to the telegraph office. He drew rein in front of the inn. " Where is M. Vansittart ? " he cried. " Within," answered Armand. " What is he doing ? " ' ' He sleeps. ' ' " Sleeps, when such a battle is in progress ? " " A battle can take place any day. Vansittart has not slept for a week." The correspondent laughed. " Well, it is all right, I suppose, as Daubisson has got the Germans in a tight corner." He went on to despatch his message, and did not forget to add to the gossip of the past few days about the millionaire that during the long-deferred action he slumbered peacefully in the Gravelotte inn. A staff-officer clattered up in furious haste. " Where is M. Vansittart ? " he demanded. " Monsieur," cried Dupres, " the question becomes monotonous. ' ' The officer, believing that Armand' s civilian attire be- tokened a secretary, roared at him, " Confound you, where is he?" Armand's steel-blue eyes sparkled. He took a cigarette from a case, moistened it with his lips, and answered with a jerk of his thumb, " Within." ' ' Then take him this despatch from General Daubisson, ' ' and the newcomer tossed a folded paper to the other. " I thought as much," obser\'ed Armand, speaking to himself, as he struck a match, applied it to the paper, and lit his cigarette. ''Milk to?inerres ! ' ' shrieked the aide-de-camp. He leaped from his horse too late, for the charred remains of the docu- ment were fluttering to the ground. " What have you done, you rascal! " he hissed, as some- thing in Armand's face restrained him from the physical vio- lence he contemplated. A Reverse 299 ' ' Saved your General from an indiscretion. ' ' ' ' How, miserable one ? ' ' ' ' Daubisson blunders when he speaks ; he commits a crime when he places his thoughts in writing." " The General, in that despatch, announces a great victory." " Impossible, unless the Germans have evolved another Daubisson, ' ' and Armand turned on his heel as though the matter were worth no further discussion. When, late at night, Jerome awoke to find Evelyn bend- ing over him, it was with diSiculty he realised his surround- ings. He thought at first they were back in their summer home in the Adirondacks, and gazed with wonder at the queer, old-fashioned furniture of this village public-house. But Evelyn's sweet voice restored his wandering senses, and he sprang up to clasp her in his arms with an alertness that showed the efficacy of Nature's only restorer. Though pale and attenuated from the strain of recent events, his mind had regained its normal balance. Could the French troops have seen him at that moment they would have shouted, " Vive I'Empereur ! " with all the old vigour. As it was, they believed him to be broken down and half demented. They were forgetting the wonders of the past in the delays, the uncertainties, the weaknesses of a few doubtful hours. And, whilst the army of France swayed in its allegiance to the one man capable of leading it to victory, the Kaiser was silently preparing the most terrible and effective blow yet struck in fair fight during the campaign. Of both these elements of disaster Jerome was happily unconscious. He only knew that Evelyn, whom he thought dead, was alive, nay more, tremulous with joy in his arms. Mrs. Vansittart and Marie had long been superintending the preparation of a meal to which Jerome and Armand were now ready to do full justice. Another messenger had arrived from Daubisson, and this time the General's missive reached the right person. 300 The Lost Provinces It read : "As announced at 3 p.m., I have surrounded Kreuznach's corps at La Chapelle. At this hour, 9 p.m., a complete cordon is established, whilst the 7th, 8th, 13th, and 17th divisions will march forthwith to take up positions for an early assault. " I have made full arrangements, and these cannot be altered in any way, but I will keep you informed of events, so that you may understand movements of troops which might otherwise seem inex- plicable to you." Jerome read the second paragraph twice and smiled con- temptuously. It was his first conscious intimation of the new aspect of affairs. " Daubisson speaks of a German force surrounded at La Chapelle," he said to Armand. " Have you heard anything of this?" ' ' Yes, ' ' said Dupres. " I lit a cigarette with his announce- ment of the fact." " Indeed." Jerome lifted his eyebrows in mild surprise. " But how comes it that the Germans are established in that village, the very heart of our left flank ? ' ' " Exactly because they desired to get there. Daubisson thinks they have lodged themselves there to enable him to smash them with ease at daybreak. That is just what Dau- bisson would think, and what they know he would think." " Then this successful attack by Kreuznach is simply a prelude to a larger effort elsewhere ? " " That is how I regard it." Jerome started to his feet. " It must come direct from Metz. Where are these corps stationed that Daubisson speaks of moving to-night ? Surely not at the front ? " He hastily searched among his papers for the daily parade state of the army. The last supplied to him was three days old. Evelyn, watching her husband, saw his lips tighten and his brows knit. ~" What is it, dear ? " she cried, coming to him. A Reverse 301 " Only this, my sweet, that the worst curs are those most ready to bite the hand that feeds them, I am going to teach them the art of fawning to-night." " But what has happened ? " ' ' Simply this : that a few days of neglect on my part has made my staff forget their duty. By Heaven, it will not occur again ! " Strange things happened at that period. Jerome, after regaining his senses, had lost his temper. He went outside. In the next building, where his per- sonal staff were wont to assemble, there was a forgotten sentry on duty. The man was a chasseur of the i8th, our old friend Pierre Laronde, whose promised promotion had been forgotten in the rush of events since the memorable ride of the Five Thousand. He presented arms when he recognised Van- sittart in the gloom. ' ' Where are all the officers of the staff, soldier ? ' ' said the millionaire. " Gone off to the picnic at La Chapelle, your Excellency." ' ' Have they all gone ? ' ' " Well, your Excellency, General le Breton was here until half an hour ago. I reminded him of my promised commis- sion, and he went too." " Why was 3'our commission promised ? " " Because I cut the wires that night at L,onguyon," * ' Is your name Pierre Laronde ? ' ' " It is, j^our Excellency." " I remember now. Bring General le Breton to me within ten minutes, and I will introduce you to him as a captain on my staff." The chasseur rushed to the nearest stable for a horse, and clattered along the Metz road, in which direction Le Breton had departed. Jerome listened to the hoof-beats dying away in the distance. There were fitful sounds of firing towards the north, but in the direction of Metz all was quiet. 302 The Lost Provinces He returned to the inn after a few minutes of deep thought, having evidently made up his mind to a definite course of action. His own spacious travelling-carriage stood in the yard of the Cheval d'Or, and he gave orders that it should be prepared for a journey forthwith. And now a bustle in the village street showed that some- one had arrived. Laronde had returned, bringing with him General le Breton, Montsaloy, and several officers of the brigade stationed on the main road to Metz. They were surprised to receive the trooper's message, and Le Breton essayed to explain his absence : " We thought, monsieur, that you were indisposed." ' ' I was, ' ' said Vansittart, " So on hearing General Daubisson's orders we went to visit the outposts." ' ' Excellent ! Where is the parade statement showing the disposition of the army ? ' ' After a pause, Montsaloy answered : " It has been sent to General Daubisson during several days past." "Why?" ' ' Because, monsieur, when it was placed before you, you paid no heed to it. Someone must command. Bad orders are better than none with an active enemy in front. ' ' The blunt cavalry leader stated in plain language what Jerome knew to be the fact. However unpleasant the truth might be, it was useless to disguise it, but there was a tinge of irony in his tone as he went on : " I have quite recovered, Colonel Montsaloy, and if the gentlemen present think I am capable of resuming control, I will do so, as there is little time to be lost," " Ma foi!'' roared Montsaloy, " I am glad of it. Now we sha'n't be long ! " A chorus of acclamation gave undoubted proof of the gen- eral opinion — the dazed army was simply hungering for Vansittart 's leadership. A Reverse 303 ' ' Then tell me, ' ' said the millionaire, ' ' where are these corps stationed ? ' ' and he read aloud the note sent by Daubisson. ' ' They command the left front and centre, ' ' exclaimed Le Breton. " I feared as much. Ride, some of you, quickly, and countermand their orders. If they have moved, bring them back. Stay, I will give you written instructions." He dashed into the house and hastily scribbled imperative com- mands to the respective brigadiers. When these were despatched, he bethought himself of Daubisson, and he wrote the following note : " HEADQUARTERS, GRAVEI.OTTE, lO P.M. " Delighted to hear of your success, but have good reason to believe that Kreuznach's march is a feint. The Emperor will probably at- tack our front in force to-night. Come to me here with whole staff at once, but first send out orders for immediate concentration of all available troops on Mars-la-Tour. Leave corps of observation only to look after Kreuznach. Guns and cavalry must be massed in rear of infantry, ready to move with daybreak. I have already dealt with brigades mentioned in your second despatch. I look to you for im- plicit obedience, irrespective of any conditions that may have arisen since your last communication with me. "Jerome K. Vansittart." He read the document to I,e Breton, who rubbed his hands, crying : " That 's the style ! No humbug about that ! " " Who will carry it to Daubisson ? " said Jerome. They looked through the doorwa}^, and saw Laronde standing there, saluting, with a grin on his face. He had been forgotten again. " If I were only an officer " he began. " You are ! " cried Vansittart. " Here is your first mis- sion. See that it is well performed. Le Breton, place his name in orders as a captain on my staff, and provide him with an outfit at my expense." Pierre lyaronde required no second bidding. Daubisson 304 T^h.e Lost Provmces was six miles away, with difficult country intervening, but within thirty minutes he was in possession of Vansittart's message. " Ha ! " he yelled to those near him. " The madness has left our chief. Hurry now ; he means what he says this time. All the same I should like to have a smack at Kreuznach in the morning. Here, soldier " ' ' Captain, my General ! ' ' interrupted Pierre. " Oh, Major, if you like." " Certainly, General — Major by all means ! " " Confound you, shut up! Take my answer to M. Van- sittart. Say to him, ' I come.' " " He will know that when he sees me. General." " Tell him that General Daubisson said * I come,' block- head ! " " Major ! " growled Pierre, as he swung himself back into the saddle. " By gad," he went on, as his charger broke into a gallop, " my luck has turned. I shall be a colonel before daybreak. Get up, mare ! ' ' In the meantime Jerome had accomplished a difficult task. He had persuaded Evelyn, with Armaud and Marie, to drive off to Bar-le-Duc in his travelling-carriage. He explained the need for this journey by telling Evelyn that it was more than probable the Germans would occupy Gravelotte within a few hours. Most certainly they would make the effort, and he would feel so much more at ease if assured of her safety. Jim Bates, with half a troop of chas- seurs, would provide an escort. And so, after a too brief reunion, they parted, but only on Jerome's solemn assurance that he would see his wife again next day, when the present dangerous situation had been dealt with satisfactorily. Shortly before midnight Daubisson arrived. His un- feigned joy at Vansittart's reappearance on the active list dispelled the last shade of resentment in Jerome's mind at the apparent neglect shown to him by his associates. A Reverse 305 Daubisson eagerly detailed the steps he had taken to fulfil Vansittart's orders, and concluded by saying : " Perhaps we may have to attack Kreuznach to-morrow, after all." Before the other could answer, a sudden roar of musketry came through the still night air from the direction of Metz. It was sharp and continuous, betokening a very lively affray at the French outposts. Even as they listened the fighting area widened until the crackle of small-arms spread through an extended section of the front. Daubisson was as impulsive as he was brave. Tears came to his eyes as he realised the frightful nature of the error in which he nearly involved the whole of the magnificent army under his command. He came near to Jerome and said, in a voice deep with emotion : " Monsieur, if you retain my services I shall perhaps learn something of generalship by the close of the war." " General," cried Vansittart, " one cannot have all the virtues. Believe me, I depend wholly upon your splendid co-operation." But if Daubisson's mistake had been seen in time, it still required to be rectified. At several points the French front was rapidly driven in before reinforcements could arrive. Le Breton's brigade, strengthened by two others hurried up from the rear, was able to hold back the assault delivered from Metz along the main road. But it was a fierce and uncertain combat, in which small knots of men sought out their enemies in the darkness, and fought with equal ferocity and determination. Three quarters of a mile farther north, where the French line was weaker, the German advance was rapid and un- checked. The watchers in Gravelotte were able to discern the pro- gress of this attack by the gradual approach of the sounds of combat. Although several staff-officers had been sent fly- ing to bring up regiments from the rear, there was no appre- ciable pause in the enemy's advance. 3o6 The Lost Provinces Matters began to look serious about one o'clock. At this moment Pierre Laronde growled to himself: " I must back my luck, even if I get snubbed." He came to Vansittart and said : " I think, sir, I could lead a couple of squadrons of chas- seurs across country and take the Germans in flank if you will permit it." " Very well. Try it, Captain." " Major, sir, if you please. General Daubisson gave me a step for bringing your despatch." * ' Did he ? I agree with him. If you dispel that column you return a colonel." Montsaloy found the troops for Laronde, and they clanked ofif along a lane. But thej' soon quitted the high-road and made for a tree-crowned hill beyond which the conflict raged. Laronde knew quite well that with two hundred sabres he could do little against a compact German division of eight or ten thousand infantry. He counted wholly upon surprising the enemy and creating a panic, thus giving the French in- fantry a chance to rush the Germans at the point of the bayonet. Pierre's luckj' star was certainly in the ascendant that night. He and his comrades came upon the second German brigade at the moment it was deplo3'ing to support the fighting line. Some farm buildings gave the chasseurs splendid cover until they were right in the midst of the Prussian regiment, and in a few seconds the orderly and compact mass became a torrent of disorganised humanity, fleeing in abject terror before the furious charge made by the chasseurs. Fighting by night is an eerie and ticklish business at the best. The awesome effect of the mounted arm is magnified tenfold when maddened horses thunder from out the dark- ness. Nor had Laronde forgotten to send a trooper to the commander of the French infantry to inform him of the ex- pected charge, so that he might take advantage of it if suc- cessful. In fifteen minutes one at least of the German A Reverse 307 columns was shattered into atoms, its officers and men hurled into hopeless rout, its leaders stampeded by their own troops, and its fragments rushing wildly to Metz for safety. So Pierre got his colonelcy with comparative ease, though none marvelled at his good fortune more than he did himself. CHAPTER XXX WHAT HAPPENED IN PARIS THE struggle went on through the night with no very certain results. Three of the eight columns launched by the Kaiser made good their lodgment on the left bank of the Moselle — those operating on the north, where they were supported by Kreuznach's strong corps. When day broke, the French left and centre had been swung back, with the result that the French line now formed a crescent, of which the left rested near Verdun on the Meuse, the centre lay at Gravelotte, and the right touched the Moselle six miles south of Metz. So great was the confusion in both armies that it was absolutely impossible for either the Kaiser or Vansittart to attempt an extensive battle. In this uncertainty, commanders of divisions simply held their respective positions until further orders were issued. Wilhelm seized the opportunity to hurry up reinforcements to his new centre bj^ way of Diedeuhofen, and Vansittart consolidated his own array by bringing all the available troops from Nancy and Bar-le-Duc. All this took time. Though both men chafed under the delay, it would have been folly and useless loss to undertake a number of small, isolated engagements over a wide expanse of country. So the armies halted within striking distance of each other during the whole day, and not one man among the million of Frenchmen and Germans gathered in that fertile province dreamed of the tremendous events that were then shaping themselves at Paris. For the Soldiers' Battle, as the pre- 308 M^/m^ Happened in Paris 309 vious engagement came to be called, had its issue in the metropolis rather than amidst the low hills of Gravelotte and Conflans. If the Queen was distracted at the loss of Evelyn, the King and Liancourt were more concerned with the lethargy displayed by Vansittart at the crucial period of the campaign. Everything depended on those few days. France will suffer grievously and cheerfully if her troops march to vic- tory. So far the successes of the war lay with the French arms, but everyone was now anxiously awaiting the decision of the momentous question : Would the Kaiser burst through the bonds that confined him within the walls of Metz, or would the American lead the French across the Rhine ? But the period of inaction, of depression, of vague rumour and mysterious inference, was rapidly undermining public confidence in Paris. "It 's always a woman that ruins France," exclaimed the peripatetic philosopher of the boulevards. " Our heroes' strides are hindered by petticoats," wrote the moralist of the Figaro, and he cited apt historic parallels to lend weight to his already heavy epigram. The people's gratitude was still too keenly alive to the value of Vansittart's services to render possible an open howl for his suppression. So, in default of attacking him, the newspapers fell foul of the King and his advisers. In a word, Paris was fermenting, and in such a city the process is a dangerous one. When Folliet reached the metropolis, after a naturally fruitless search at Clermont, he received the first news of Evelyn's safety and restoration. It came in a characteristic telegram from Dupres : " Wilhelm has sent back Madame Vansittart with compliments. The situation appealed to his dramatic instincts. There is hope for the man yet. Armand." It was some minutes before the Prefect of Police fully 3IO The Lost Provinces realised the import of this message. Not until he had read a brief account in Le Soir of Evelyn's arrival at Gravelotte did he clearly grasp the situation. Then he drove to the palace. He was promptly accorded an audience with the King. " We have missed j^ou, monsieur, " said Henri. " There are troublous movements on foot in ill-defined quarters. Some powerful force is controlling a certain section of the press. M. Vansittart's indisposition has resulted in a bitter attack upon me personally and the chief members of the government. It was deemed inadvisable to accentuate the position of affairs by authoritative action, so I need hardly say that we will await j'our early investigations with anxiety tempered by confidence." " Your Majesty may rely upon me fully. May I ask if events indicate any marked channel of hostility ? What, for instance, is the most definite incident that has led to your Majesty taking note of the temper displayed by the news- papers ? ' ' The King paused a moment. He frowned as though he disliked the question. Then, with the air of one who has resolved to make a clean breast of an avowal, he answered : " I fear, M. Folliet, that I erred greatly in not listening to your advice concerning M. Ribou's proposal to form a Na- tional Guard. We hastily jumped at the idea. Once it re- ceived official sanction it developed with amazing rapidit3^ Men were enrolled, clothed, and armed at the rate of many thousands daily, and ere we well knew what was happening, we had gathered in Paris some sixty thousand armed citi- zens, who are under very lax military discipline." ' ' Why not start a patriotic expedition to the front ? ' ' " Liancourt has tried, and got laughed at for his pains. They declare that they were constituted to defend the metropolis." ' ' Defend the metropolis ! From whom ? ' ' ' ' That is what we are all asking each other now. I tell What Happened in Paris 3 1 1 you, monsieur, that I would be glad if these too willing levies were disbanded and their arms safely stowed away in the arsenals. ' ' Folliet's face clouded at the news. " Sixty thousand," he muttered. ' ' Probably the scum of Paris. What madness ! ' ' The King heard him, but paid little heed to this outspoken criticism. What he keenly watched for, and in vain, was some gleam of confidence in the Prefect's troubled features, " And Ribou, your Majesty, where is the apostle of loyalty at this time ? ' ' " There, again, we are at fault. No sooner were these haphazard battalions created than he disappeared. No one has seen him for some days. Your subordinates believe that he has left Paris. ' ' ' ' And who commands the new regiments ? ' ' " Reserve officers were selected by the Minister for War. But they are useless. They report that their control is nominal, that the men have elected leaders of their own whose names are not known save in isolated cases. Your question, monsieur, reaches the very vitals of the affair. It was by reason of this fact coming to our knowledge that we first realised the gravity of an action taken by us solely in the interests of the country." " By your Majesty's leave I will hurry off to the Pre- fecture. ' ' FoUiet was now genuinely alarmed. He had not the slightest doubt that a most formidable organisation had been called into life during his absence in Auvergne. Never had dragon's teeth produced more certain crop of armed men. His only hope was to strike rapidly and effectually at the leaders. Not a moment was to be lost. Those sixty thousand vagabonds were a greater menace to France than the German legions. On his way to the Prefecture he noticed great excitement in the streets, people eagerly buying the newspapers and de- vouring their contents. 3 1 2 The Lost Provinces At last he stopped his carriage, and secured a copy of V Echo de Paris. It announced the flank march of the Ger- mans across the Moselle, and gav^e some details of Daubisson's magnificent victory over Kreuznach at La Chapelle. Sneer- ing allusions were not wanting at Vansittart's exchange of courtesies with the German Emperor. Arrived at his office, he was received by Carot, the official next to himself in rank. " Well, M. Carot, what 's the news ? " "It is hard to say, sir. I wish there was some news of some sort. This is the sort of thing that is going on, and I don't like it." Carot displayed before the eyes of his amazed chief a placard, printed in glaring letters, containing the words : " Treason ! Vansittart has sold to the Kaiser the invention of a patriot which would have destroyed the Germans. Citizens, the story will be printed and given to you to-day. We must save France ! ' ' When FoUiet had read the poster, Carot produced a small leaflet. " Here is the story alluded to," he said. The sheet gave a sensational and distorted account of Armand's machine and Jerome's action in forwarding it to the Emperor Wilhelm. From beginning to end the narra- tion read very convincingly, even FoUiet's visit to Armand being cleverly distorted into an alleged co-operation with the millionaire's attempt to betray the national cause. The Prefect himself was not yet aware of the negotiations between the two leaders on the frontier. " This is a farrago of nonsense," he cried. " M. Vansit- tart has not, to my knowledge, seen the invention in its completed form." Carot scratched his head. " Perhaps so, sir, but if you are right all the newspapers have been terribly misled." He searched through several files of papers and produced a number containing varied accounts of the incident from What Happened in Paris 313 their war correspondents. They were guarded in tone, and mostly inaccurate in detail, but they all united in deprecation of the millionaire's unheard-of act of generosity to an armed foe in the field. Folliet was quickly assured of the truthfulness of the main facts recorded. He knew how Vansittart had suffered ; he knew how a man like Vansittart could reward. But, in view of the excited condition of the fickle Paris mob, the damaging nature of the transaction could not be disputed. If Folliet had been inclined to swear at Armand in Au- vergne he now bitterly reviled him as the unconscious cause of a possible calamity. " Whence come these precious productions? " he said at last, turning fiercely upon Carot. " They sprang into existence all over Paris an hour ago. The police have seized them in thousands, yet they appear to be in everybody's hands." " What have you been doing, you imbecile, to allow such things to happen during my absence ? " An angry gleam shot from the other's eyes. " I have done my best, sir, to look after affairs, but I neither knew where you were nor the extent of my re- sponsibility." The answer was so absolutely justified by circumstances that it mollified Folliet's wrath. " Well, well," he exclaimed testily, " I am here now. Where is Ribou ? Let us find Ribou ! " But this was not an easy task, as he soon learned by his deputy's statement. Ribou seemed to have been swallowed up bodily. He might have passed off into an astral exist- ence, so utterly had he vanished. As the day merged into night Folliet became convinced of one thing — he felt, rather by intuition than by reason, that a Commune was brewing. When France trembles on the brink of downfall Paris always changes her political faith. RepubHc succeeds 314 ^-^^^ Lost Provinces monarch}', and monarchy republic with monotonous regu- larit}' in the face of national disaster. But events on the frontier had not yet reached the stage when the government could be justly charged with failure. Indeed, a decided victory for French arms must mean the utter collapse of the revolutionary spirit. But it was useless to deny the existence of such a spirit, and FoUiet was not one of those laissez-faire individuals who believe that a thing will not happen because they hope it will not. Shortly after ten o'clock he was summoned in hot haste to the Tuileries. Sensational news had come from the front. Daubisson had defeated Kreuznach whilst Vansittart slept in the inn at Gravelotte. The sharp-tongued French correspondents made much of the millionaire's prolonged rest. It was the outward and visible token of the utter prostration that had lately seized upon him. The representative of La Soir went so far as to say that Jerome's brain had given wa)' before the rush of domestic trouble so unexpectedly added to the cares of* the campaign. " I fear more for him awake than asleep," was this writer's caustic comment, and the phrase was a dis- astrous one. No sooner had it sunk into the public mind, to take root there and blossom forth in the rank maturity of malicious rumour and careless falsehood, than there came the startling intelligence that Vansittart's first waking act was to upset the whole of General Daubisson' s masterly plan of campaign, and withdraw the troops intended to crush Kreuznach at daylight. No wonder that the King frowned and the Queen mar- velled, whilst on the faces of the courtiers settled an expres- sion of anxious doubt. As Folliet was the last official in Paris who had seen and talked with Vansittart, Liancourt urged Henri to take counsel with him before sending a long telegram to Jerome asking for some explanation of the extraordinary news that was flying about Paris. What Happened in Paris 315 But Folliet was hardly the best witness possible. " I can- not deny," he said, " that M, Vansittart was quite unable to attend to the details of the campaign when I last saw him. But he has marvellous powers of recuperation. His wife is restored to him, and the absence of anxiety on her behalf has induced physical exhaustion. He has slept long, say the papers, and is now awake and directing events. Trust him, sire ; his is a noble nature. He would not seek to con- trol were he unfitted for the task. ' ' ' ' But, ' ' urged the distracted King, ' ' these later telegrams presage ruin. They indicate an absurd interference with Daubisson's arrangements. If aught goes wrong with the army as the result of Vansittart' s fresh dispositions, the effect in Paris will be incalculable." " Hardly that, your Majesty," said Liancourt, quietly. "What then?" " There will be a popular outbreak, a revolution, possibly an attack on this palace, and a demand for the establishment of a republic. ' ' " Yet you stand there telling me these things and in the same breath implore me to leave unlimited power in the hands of Vansittart ! ' ' " Yes," said lyiancourt firmly. " My confidence in him is unshaken." " And mine ! " chimed in Folliet. ' ' Then Heaven help us, for I know not what to do ! " The distracted monarch was on the verge of tears in his misery, but he allowed himself to be constrained by his ad- visers, and sent no word to Vansittart of events in Paris. What no one thought of doing was to advise the million- aire of the ticklish state of affairs in the metropolis whilst expressing the fullest approval of his arrangements in face of the enemy. This, the middle course, was the safe one, but it was not thought of until too late. Leaving the King and Liancourt to devise some means of 3i6 The Lost Provijices checking the turbulent and unruly National Guard, Folliet set out again in his search for Ribou. The first thought that occurred to him after perusing the latest report of his unsuc- cessful myrmidons was, " Now I wonder what Armand Dupr^s would do in this case." Clanking to and fro over the stone floor of a room in the Hotel de Ville at Metz, the Emperor of Germany listened attentivel}' to the statements made to him by various mem- bers of his stafif. The dogged persistence of Kreuznach's division in reach- ing and holding La Chapelle, followed by the rapid march of the German columns to the new front on the Meuse, con- stituted the first real German success of the war. It did not mean much. It was chiefly a tactical advantage, and it was hard to see how best to utilise it. The Kaiser's heart had been set upon driving the leaderless French army before him into the Meuse, and he would have accomplished his desire had not Vansittart so suddenly and effectually checked him. Without being quite sure of the fact, Wilhelm felt that his redoubtable opponent had again resumed control of the French, and in his rage at the failure of his pet scheme he railed at himself for his absurd generosity in endowing his enemy with fresh life. So the imperial staff" was more elated with the present phase of the struggle than the Emperor himself, and it was with clouded brow — though intently enough — that the chief heard the lucid reports of his splendid Intelligence Depart- ment. Suddenly an aide-de-camp entered. " A man without, your Majesty, who says his name is Hans Schwartz, asks audience of your Majesty. He says he is in possession of most important intelligence affecting j'our Majesty's interests vitally." The Emperor paused in his walk. " Show him in," he said. What Happened in Paris 3 1 7 In a moment, Hans Schwartz, pallid, unkempt, but con- fident as ever in demeanour, entered. "Well, you rascal, what is it?" The Emperor's tone was such that few men would have cared to face him boldly. But Hans Schwartz, what between the pain of his shattered wrist and the collapse of his projects, was in desperate plight. " I have news for your Majesty's ear alone," he said, glancing defiantly around at the oflficers scattered through the apartment. "Of what nature?" " I am Hans Schwartz, who helped Ritterburg to capture Madame Vansittart. I ' ' " You villain ! Seize him, someone, and have him shot at daybreak with his associate." Several ofiicers sprang forward, but Schwartz stood his ground. " I tell you," he shouted, " that I can enable you to con- quer France fairly in the open field within a week. Can you not listen to me ? You can always have me shot at your pleasure. ' ' The man's determined attitude, his contempt for danger, and the earnestness of his tone impressed the Kaiser if they did not convince him. " Quite true," he said, with a sarcastic smile. " Leave me with this fellow, gentlemen, and have a guard in readi- ness to march him off. ' ' General von Gossler protested. There might be danger to the imperial person. Though the Emperor laughed at the idea, the Chief of Staff carefully searched Schwartz for concealed weapons before he was satisfied. Then he left the two alone. " Well ? " said the Emperor, seating himself on the edge of the table. "In the first place, I must state my terms." " Of course. I expected that." " I demand freedom for my friend Ritterburg to leave the 3 1 8 The Lost Provinces country within reasonable time. I know that in honour you cannot grant more than this for him." " 'T is a sturdy scoundrel ! " thought the Kaiser. " He first asks a favour for his companion in villainy." " For mj'self," went on Schwartz, " I ask a substantial pension, as I can no longer work," and he held up his maimed hand in explanation. " Goon !" " I will not say another word until your Majesty assures me that if my information be really of the utmost value, you will grant both my requests." The Kaiser reflected for a moment. " I will give you the pension," he said finally, " but Ritterburg must be shot." " Then call your guard. I will be shot with him." Wilhelm could not help being impressed by this dog-like fidelity. And the thought came, too, that these men had been trying to help him by their machinations. Perhaps some lingering memory of his own doubts and temptations came to his aid, for he quietly agreed to the other's stipula- tions. ' ' I have kept up communication with Paris by means of my pigeons," said Schwartz, " and even when the French police seized the house where some German friends were established, they did not discover that my birds were trained in two sections, to fly to and from two places in Paris to my house near Gravelotte." ' ' Yes, ' ' growled the Emperor. " I was wounded in a scuflBe at my house, captured, held prisoner for some days, and escaped during the excitement following Madame Vansittart's arrival at Gravelotte, and the attack by your Majesty's troops. I hid all night and to- day in the wood on my farm, and to-night visited my for- gotten birds. One of them had just arrived from Paris, and it bore a message written in a cipher which I alone under- stand." ' ' Ha ! ' ' Wilhelm was obviously interested. What Happened in Paris 319 " It contains news which all the world will know in three days, but which may be worth much more to your Majesty at this moment than I have asked. ' ' ' ' Let us have it, then. ' ' " An absolutely overwhelming Communist movement has been organised. Within three days, perhaps sooner, there will be a general rising ; the city will be sacked, the King and Queen driven from Paris, if not killed, and a republican government proclaimed, with leaders anxious and ready to make peace with you on very favourable terms." " Gott im Himmel ! '' roared the Kaiser. "Can you prove this ? " ' ' Beyond a shadow of doubt. Here is the cipher. I will explain it to you." Schwartz produced a scrap of flimsy paper and read a message, of which his explanation to the Emperor was an accurate summary. " But how am I to know that this is reliable ? Who are your authorities for the statements made ? They are almost incredible without substantiation." " I am faint," said Schwartz, sinking into a chair. " Give me some wine and a morsel of food, and I will tell you everything. My wound has weakened me, and the difficulty of crossing the French lines has quite exhausted me." So within a few minutes of ordering him to be shot, the Emperor was waiting on Schwartz, and helping him to such eatables as were in the room. Whilst the spy ate and drank he talked, and the Emperor listened. Half an hour did the wondering staff remain in the ante- room before the Kaiser called them, and there was an eager- ness in his manner, a settled purpose in his words, that had long been absent from the imperial methods and utterances. " With our present troops between here and Verdun we can keep the French fast in their new position ? " he asked of Von Gossler. 320 The Lost Provinces " I think so, sire." " Zounds, man, ca7i we do it ? " "Yes!" ' ' Then why qualify your answer ? ' ' The General was nettled at this rating before the other officers, so he answered warmly : " Because I never know what we can do with such a firebrand as Vansittart in front of us, and people say he is all right again now." " Well, well. Surely it is impossible for the French to dislodge us if we simply resolve to stand fast and intrench ourselves. ' ' " Oh, yes, I am sure of that." " Good. We have one hundred and fifty thousand re- servists gathering at Diedenhofen ? ' ' "Yes." " They are now all mobilised, and completely equipped for the field?" ' ' Fully. They are under orders to march to-morrow at daybreak." " Then send additional instructions that they are to take the shortest route to Paris." " To Paris, your Majesty ! " " Yes, I said Paris, not Berlin." " Who will lead them ? " " I, myself. I will issue a proclamation from the French capital within a fortnight, as my march will be positively unopposed. But above all else, you and Kreuznach must hold Vansittart fast on this bank of the Meuse. If he re- treat, attack him. Do not leave him night or day. It is matterless what happens so long as he is unable to bring a large body of troops to Paris before I do." Wilhelm had his opportunity, and he was not slow to take it. -£-2^^^/^/!^ " The Emperor was waiting on Schwartz and lielping him to such eatal)les as were in the room." CHAPTER XXXI THK RKVOI^UTION FOLLIET could not lay hands on Ribou. But he felt quite certain that the republican ex-minister was in Paris, and actively engaged in controlling the some- what feverish energies of the National Guard. The aspect of affairs was now so threatening that attempts to conceal the alarm felt by all responsible persons were abandoned as useless. There were less than ten thousand regular troops in Paris, and of these two thirds were required for the mere duty of guarding the extensive line of forts that girdle the city. As a precautionary measure the Minister for War ordered two regiments to encamp beneath the trees of the Champs ]§)lys6es, but the appearance of the soldiers in that unusual locality almost precipitated an outburst. Even in the Chamber of Deputies there were not wanting expressions of resentment at this exhibition of monarchical distrust of the people. Several advisers besought the distracted King to tempo- rarily withdraw a considerable portion of the garrison of Chalons, and, by adopting a bold front, put an end to dis- affection by disarming and disbanding the precious National Guard, which had been the cause of so much trouble. Per- haps, had Henri acted with firmness and rapidity, this drastic step might have resulted in success. But he hesitated, hop- ing for some thrilling news from the frontier to give another bent to the easily diverted sympathies of the Paris mob. The news came, but it was appalling. Not only were the French close pressed by a superior German force, but the ai 321 322 The Lost Provinces Kaiser had crossed the Meuse at the head of a gigantic and well-equipped array, and was marching at all speed by way of Damvillers and Montfaucon towards the capital. A tele- gram from Vansittart to Liancourt gave the first intelligence of this tremendous development. It read : " Strong German force of four divisions, estimated numbers between 150,000 and 200,000 of all arms, commanded by Kaiser in person, has crossed the Meuse above Verdun. Let Chalons troops move out to meet and delay German advance. There must be no general engage- ment until further orders from me. Utmost pains should be taken to note exact direction taken by enemy, and, if possible, to ascertain his object. No cause for alarm." Vansittart himself, together with every officer on his staflf, imagined that the German Emperor's coup was a bold attempt at a flanking movement, intended to cut off the French main body from its reserves and base of supplies. But the consternation caused in the Tuileries by this mes- sage was greater than would have resulted from the explosion of a mine beneath the royal palace. Madness and chaos for a while reigned supreme. Liancourt alone preserved his senses. He persuaded the King and the Minister for War to obey at once Vansittart' s instructions so far as the Chalons force was concerned. They then drew up the following answer : "Chalons force despatched as requested. Regret to inform you of serious state of affairs here. Revolution arj- movement hourly gain- ing strength. Unfortunate circumstances have led to arming of over- whelming numbers of citizens, whose intentions we now know to be hostile to government and monarchy. Can you advise us ? " This astounding communication reached Vansittart about midday at Verdun, whither he had gone as the most central point between the new and the old spheres of operations. It must be remembered that he knew nothing of the forma- tion of the National Guard, of the political unrest of the The Revolution 323 capital, of the doubts and fears that had perplexed the King and the responsible ministers for days past. To his mind the people of Paris, and of all France for that matter, had abundant reasons for self-elation at the progress of the cam- paign. Up to the present, from the cool, common-sense point of view, the invaders had been soundly beaten. Their splendid organisation was seriously damaged at the very out- set of hostilities. They had sustained crushing loss in two engagements of the first magnitude. They had been driven back across the frontier, and the major part of the French forces were actually lodged in Lorraine. Against these achievements — marvellous when the unprepared state of France at the declaration of war was taken into account — the trifling offset was the turning movement resulting from Daubisson's blunder and the theatrical march of the Kaiser. No wonder that Vansittart became scarlet with indignation when he realised the purport of Liancourt's telegram, nor was it surprising that he sent the emphatic reply : " Crush this nest of traitors with a strong hand. Proclaim martial law, demand immediate disarming of suspects, and let available troops shoot down all unauthorised persons found with arms in their hands." This explicit counsel was placed before Henri V. about two o'clock in the afternoon, and a majority of the council- lors called to consider the situation advocated its immediate adoption. But the Bourbon monarch sprang from stubborn if not stiff-necked stock. " We are asked to deluge Paris with blood," he cried, " simply because M. Vansittart himself has bungled in the conduct of affairs at the front. I will not be a party to it. Rather would I proclaim myself the undeviating leader of the people in their legitimate aspirations to drive the invader from our soil." Liancourt, white with anger, sprang from his chair at these words. 324 The Lost Provinces " I will not remain silent," he said, " in face of such un- warranted statements. Your Majesty must well know that were it not for M. Vansittart's foresight and splendid quali- ties France would now be suing for mercy beneath the iron heel of a conqueror, whilst another French king would, if he escaped with his life, be seeking a dishonoured safety in England, that asylum for distressed monarchs." Henri also sprang to his feet. * ' You forget that you speak to your King ! " he shrieked. " Not I ! I speak to no king ; I speak to a weak puppet, who in the hour of danger whines like a frightened child, and strikes at those who would protect him." " I have still suflScient kingship left to protect my dignity. I demand your immediate resignation, sir." " You have it, and God help France ! " During this furious scene the other members of the Cabinet sat with blanched faces. None of them dared to speak. The rage of the King and the impassioned avowals of Liancourt, by far the ablest man in the room, rendered them dumb spectators of this unheralded quarrel. Iviancourt was about to withdraw, when Henri flung him- self into a chair, threw his head and arms on the table, and burst into tears. The action softened Liancourt as naught else would have done. He hesitated a moment, and then walked to the stricken monarch, to place his hand kindly on his shoulder and say : ' ' We both spoke in anger, sire. I beg you to forgive me. My only excuse is the distress of France. I could not bear to think that the King was disloyal to himself by reviling the only man who can save the country. ' ' The King, too, sobbed his regret, and peace was restored. But the fateful hours were slipping by, and nothing was done. Meanwhile scenes of violence were enacted in the Chamber of Deputies, and all Paris was electrified by the news that the German Kmperor was marching straight on the capital. The Revolution 325 Whence came the tidings, or who was responsible for their authenticity, no one knew. The fact suddenly thundered into existence and was shouted by a million voices. The city forthwith went mad. It was seized with alternate fits of wild movement and complete paralysis. Men and women gathered in crowds or went whooping through the streets. Trains and omnibuses stopped running, shops were closed, even government departments ceased work. The Chamber of Deputies adjourned amidst uproar and disorder. In the frenzy of the hour it was stated and believed that the Germans were already in possession of Versailles, though the nearest German troops were actually two hundred miles distant as the crow flies, and a strong fortress, with a large army corps, barred the way to Paris. Folliet, who had lived in the city through the Commune, recognised the signs of the coming storm. He rushed to the Tuileries and broke in unannounced upon the assembled council. " Within an hour," he cried, " the Palace will be sacked. Your Majesty must fly with the Queen at once. It is a question of minutes, if you would save your lives." Though impulsive and excitable to the degree of folly, the King was no coward. " What do j^ou mean, M. Folliet ? " he said coolly enough. " What has happened to so upset your reason ? " " Your Majesty has not heard that the people believe the Germans to be already within a day's march of Paris. They have been told that the government has purposely deceived them, that our army on the frontier is annihilated, and Vansittart a captive. To try to persuade them would be to dam a torrent with a pebble. Let me implore you to leave the city at once, if it be still possible. Even now the streets of Montmartre and the Faubourg St. Martin are crowded with armed hordes intent on mischief" But we have troops. We can crush these reptiles. ' ' " Impossible ! It would need an army and you have but 326 The Lost Provinces two regiments. In an hour, or less, you will not have these, as the men will believe the popular cry and probably join the revolutionaries." FolHet's earnestness was convincing, 3'et the King hesi- tated. " How can I leave Paris to the mercy of its criminal classes ? Surely I must remain, whatever be the conse- quences to myself. I^et some of you safeguard the Queen. My place is here ; I cannot desert it. ' ' The Prefect of Police wrung his hands with impotence. " Let me beseech your Majesty to do as I ask. I have de- vised means to stamp out this outbreak, but I need time. Of what avail will it be for your life to be uselessly sacrificed ? " lyiancourt now joined his powerful voice to that of FoUiet: " If things have reached this desperate stage, it is certainly advisable for your Majesty to leave the city. "Why should you not join the army in Lorraine ? I think the Cabinet should insist upon this course being taken." Every minister present echoed this view and the King yielded. Folliet had not exaggerated the condition of affairs. When, half an hour later, the royal carriages dashed through the gates leading towards the Champs Elysees, where a strong escort of dragoons awaited them, a horde of the so- called National Guards were beating in the doors on the Louvre side. Without much difficulty the fugitives gained the open country by way of the Bois de Boulogne, and a circuitous route brought them to a wayside station of the Chemin de Fer de I'Est. They had to wait here over an hour for a train to be brought from the nearest junction, the Paris terminus being already in the hands of the mob. Through the gloom of advancing night a great glare suddenly suffused the sky over Paris, and when the King asked Liancourt what it meant, the statesman sadly replied : " I fear, your Majest}', that the palace of the Tuileries has a second time provided a national bonfire ! ' ' The Revolution 327 The King was so downcast that he uttered no word, but Honorine, who had comforted herself with splendid sang- froid throughout the harassing anxieties of these last miserable days, looked proudly around as she smilingly said : " It is well. Let us regard it as a torch of defiance, not as an emblem of despair ! ' ' The Queen's hopeful utterance was worthy of her, 3'et the position was desperate enough in all conscience. With the quickness of a tropical tornado the revolutionary blast had struck the royal house of France. For over a century every ruler of that remarkable country has had to fly from the clutches of an enraged people. Few of them had the chance of escaping with such dignity as was possible in the case of Henri ; one lost his head as a sequel to the attempt. Truly the throne of the powerful monarch is built on no more stable foundation than the hut of the poorest peasant. When the telegraph flashed throughout Europe the news of the Communistic outbreak, and the flight of the King and Queen, it created a fierce sensation. The sweet unreason- ableness of the whole business was the most puzzling part of it. Already the Conservative English press — which early in the fray had predicted the immediate successes of the highly trained German army — was beginning to find some saving virtues in the French nation. Russia had serious thoughts of making a cautious move towards renewing the Franco-Russian entente which had proved such a lucrative investment for Muscovite politicians and bondholders. Italy and Austria were openly felicitating each other on having broken loose from the entanglements of the Triple Alliance. Yet in view of this roseate aspect of afiairs, here was Paris in flames, the Tuileries sacked by a mob, and the Court flying, panic-stricken, to the protection of the troops on the frontier. Everything happens in France, indeed, but occurrences are strictly governed by historical precedent. That wonder- ful nation can never fight a war without kicking out a king. That is why there are no campaigns under republican 328 The Lost Provifices government ; they could not be conducted with the requisite scenic accessories. Three men in Paris kept their heads cool and their intel- lects on sharp edge during the troubled hours that succeeded the departure of the royal party. Pompier, who, it will be remembered, was placed by Van- sittart in charge of the stores and arsenals, doubled his trusty guard of sailors and awaited events. Ribou, the arch-plotter, directed everything from his secret abode and awaited the arrival of the German Emperor. Folliet, disguised so as to be unknown to his own sub- ordinates, awaited the appearance of Ribou. The Prefect of Police, though he mixed freely with the mob and even attended a sitting of the bogus revolutionary Tribunal that met in the Grand Hotel, was unable to find out the whereabouts of the man whom he believed to be the prime mover, both in brains and mone}', in the uprisal. The visible leaders were noted criminals ; the onl}' genuine motive of the common horde of patriots was lost. The few troops in the cit}^ having been withdrawn to the outlying forts, all authority was, of course, at an end. Anyone in the uniform of a policeman was at once bludgeoned to death, and the rioters amused themselves by indiscriminate firing at shop windows, at public monuments, and, when sufficiently drunk, at one another. Late at night, when the streets were crammed with tumult- uous mobs intent onl)' upon robber}', an idea came to Folliet, and he acted upon it without a moment's needless delay. Making his way to the chief commissariat stores on the south bank of the Seine, he reached a quieter area than the dis- orderly thoroughfares across the river. The reason for this change was obvious, as the pavements were strewed with corpses wearing the uniform of the National Guard. Pompier and his sailors had got the better of a slight argu- ment that took place earlier in the evening as to the posses- sion of the government stores. The Revolution 329 Folliet had not gone twenty yards long the Quai before he was gruffly ordered to halt. He obeyed, calling out : "I am M. Folliet, Prefect of Police, and I want to see Admiral Pompier." ' ' Very well, ' ' came the answer. ' ' Wait till the officer of the watch comes. If you move either way I will shoot you. ' ' After a delay an officer arrived. He surveyed the diminu- tive Prefect in his artisan's blouse, and said kindly enough : " Look here, my good man, you are not built for barri- cades. Be off, before ill happens to 5^ou. ' ' Folliet repeated his request. " Don't you understand ? " said the officer. " If you are an impostor the Admiral will have you shot forthwith, ' ' ' ' Lead on ! " was the dry response. Without further parley the Prefect was marched off be- tween a couple of men-of-war's men, and the officer's surprise was unfeigned when he saw the warm greeting extended to the suspect by his chief. ' ' This is a nasty business, ' ' said Pompier, when they were alone. " Yes, and a perplexing one." * ' I agree with you. Even Communists must have a method in their madness. That is, I mean, the leaders. The rank and file, of course, care only for plunder, but what the people meant who planned this outrage I cannot, for the life of me, imagine." ' ' Pray proceed. I want to see if our independent views are identical. ' ' " In my opinion, the thing can be stated very simply. Elaborate skill and preparation were necessary to foist this National Guard on the government. Then money must have been spent wholesale. But to what end ? Even a Socialist dupe must see that the revolutionaries will be wiped out of existence when the royal troops come to sweep the streets clear of them." 330 The Lost Provinces ' ' Then what do you assume ? ' ' ' ' That someone at the head of affairs believes that the regular armj' will be unable to re-occupy Paris, because the Germans will keep them busy until, by a forced march, one of the enemy's army corps arrives within striking distance of the city. ' ' " Precisely. The rumour was even spread to-day that the Kaiser and his men had reached Versailles — by telephone, I suppose. ' ' "Well?" Both men looked at each other. Pompier knew the ques- tion uppermost in Folliet's mind. After a pause it came : " We will assume, as the only possible hypothesis, that Vansittart can upset the German Emperor's plans. This gang of ruflSans in Paris will soon run short of ammunition. How long can you keep their hands ofiF the stores 3'ou have here?" Pompier looked around to make sure that they were not overheard. " I have only one hundred and fifty men on guard here ! " he said. " We employ two thousand men and women filling cartridges, and fortunately I emptied the stores 3'esterday in making up a very heavy consignment to complete the reserves at the front. But there is nearly a hundred tons of gunpowder on hand, and the work-people can soon suppl}^ deficiencies. We had a skirmish with a number of the National Guards this evening, but if they attack in force by daylight, well — you know my numbers." " Briefly put. Admiral, earl}' to-morrow all your stores will fall into the hands of the Communists. ' ' " I fear so. Indeed, I can see no other result." " Then they are already lost to the government. Being lost, they may as well be destroyed. I^et us waken up Paris." The project was a diverting one. Both men laughed with schoolboy glee at the sensation such an explosion would create. It would establish a record. But they The Revolution 331 quickly realised that it would probably bring down in ruins Notre Dame and the Ivouvre, and every other large building within a mile's radius. So they adopted the safer expedient of opening every case of powder and playing upon the contents with a hose. The sailors made short work of this task, and long before day- break the whole party marched off towards the Porte d' Orleans and reached the fort at Montrouge without meet- ing with any striking adventure. Folliet telegraphed full details of his achievement to Van- sittart, and the latter promptly ordered several train-loads of reserve troops to be concentrated on Paris from the west and south during the early hours of the following day. The rioters were so much taken by the attractions of shop- pilfering, and carousing on the well-stocked cellars of the wine-merchants, that they paid little heed to the lack of ammunition. It w^as not until the regulars commenced to converge to- ward the centre of the city that they realised their desperate position. At first there was some hard fighting, but such scanty supply of cartridges as was available soon gav^e out, and the rest of the business became mere slaughter ; for the royal troops, mostly steady-going provincials, had no sym- pathy with the miscreants who had laid bare the most pros- perous streets of the beautiful capital, defaced many of the public buildings and memorials, burned the Tuileries, and murdered many inoffensive people. They were shot down in hundreds and hunted like rats. In ten minutes the in- surgents were beaten; in two hours annihilated. Folliet, as he watched the sport, was gleeful. " When the war is over," he said, " the Prefecture will be a sinecure, as ev^ery gaol-bird in Paris will be dead." But his joy at the thought was chastened by one damping fact — he had not found Ribou, CHAPTER XXXII STRAINED REI.ATIONS AS the King of France steamed slowly eastwards, along lines congested with traflBc — reservists and munitions of war going to the front, and thousands of wounded coming west to the great hospitals of the interior — he re- solv'ed, when he met Vausittart, to give him what is vulgarly known as a piece of his mind. "It is intolerable," thought the diminutive monarch, " that I should be driven from my capital, and the fortunes of France imperilled, simply because the Germans chose to run off with Madame Vansittart. Why should the kidnap- ping of his wife affect his reason ? Does an American think more of his family circle than a Frenchman ? Anyhow, I will take care that the weight of blame is removed, in public estimation, from my shoulders to his." Few people will doubt that this line of reasoning was ab- surd and dangerous. Had it been suggested to Honorine or Liancourt they would have strongly condemned it. They were fully conscious that the self-important Henri V. was a mere puppet dangling at the end of a chain of circumstances — that the future of France lay in the hands of two men, Vansittart and the German Emperor — that the war had re- solved itself into a simple duel between them — and that any- thing the hot-headed, passionate King might do would not affect the situation in the slightest degree. But of this possible explanation of events Henri was sub- limely unconscious. He nursed his wrath and formulated cutting speeches until he reached the station at Verdun. 332 Strained Relations 333 Here a somewhat unfortunate incident added to his ill- humour. Evelyn was present to meet the Queen, and General le Bre- ton was the official head of the troops that lined the platform. "Where is M. Vansittart ? " growled the King after a cursory inspection of a somewhat ragged guard of honour, obviously composed of second-class reservists. " He awaits your Majesty at the Hotel de Ville." "Oh, does he? And were there no more presentable soldiers of my army available than these scarecrows to greet my arrival ? ' ' General le Breton, profoundly surprised at the King's manner, answered pithily : " M. Vansittart has taken every trained man from the garrison of Verdun, among others, to constitute a corps for special service this afternoon." " Oh, indeed ! I want you. General le Breton, to counter- mand all orders until I have personally examined into afifairs. I am here, and I will command. ' ' The General saluted, but said stiffly : " Your Majesty, I beg of you to convey such instruction to me through the Commander-in-chief, General Daubisson. I have not the authority necessary to give effect to your Majesty's orders." " Oh, bosh ! " cried Henri, walking rapidly towards a carriage in which the Queen was already seated with Madame Vansittart. Addressing the latter, he said, with a wintry smile : ' ' Your husband was too busy to spare a moment to greet us, madame." " Yes, indeed. He has been at work since before day- break. Some great movement is on foot which requires a tremendous lot of careful organisation, and he is superintend- ing every detail himself. I have not seen him. He sent me a verbal message telling me 01 your arrival, and I came to the station of my own accord. ' ' 334 "^^^^ Lost Provinces "So thoughtful of you, dear," interposed Honorine tenderly, in blissful ignorance of the storm brewing. ' ' What does he think of this frightful outbreak in Paris ? ' ' went on Henri. " The news reached us about seven o'clock last night. At first Jerome was greatly concerned, but when he was assured of your safety he laughed. He said it was sensational, but unimportant — thoroughly Parisian, in fact." And Evelyn's pleasant face dimpled into a smile at her little joke. " Unimportant, eh, that the King and Queen should be expelled from their capital by the bludgeons of a mob ? We shall see ! " Henri's tone was so fierce that the two ladies gazed at him in wonder, and a sudden turn seized the Queen lest perhaps her headstrong consort should commit some foolish act at this crisis in the national history. But it was too late now to reason with or repress him ; they had reached the Hotel de Ville. Not quite, though. In the bustling activity that presently possessed that pre- tentious building, no thought was given to ro3'al personages or the ceremonial attending their movements. The pave- ments were crowded with soldiers, through whom mounted orderlies or bicyclists continually pushed their way ; and in the main thoroughfare was drawn up, surrounded by a curious and surging crowd of officers and men, a couple of strong-looking vehicles — roomy, quaint, warlike structures on wheels — whilst to the pair was harnessed a gigantic motor-car. The block in the main street was so complete that the equipages from the station could not get through, and the occupants had to force a passage through the crowd as best they could until a couple of staff-officers cleared a little space for the party by vociferating : " Room for their Majesties ! Back there, you rascals ! ' ' In a boiling ferment, breathless with spleen and exertion, the King gained the entrance to the Town Hall, and was at once conducted to the apartments prepared for his reception. Strained Relations 335 But he needed neither rest nor refreshment in his present temper. " Tell M. Vansittart," he shouted to the officer in attend- ance, ' ' that I require his presence at a council of war in ten minutes. Also warn M. Liancourt, General Daubisson, and the other ministers who accompanied me to attend." " Why this haste, Henri ? " said the Queen anxiously. ' ' There is much to be determined at once. Now that I am with my troops they must learn of my presence. The idea that we should be hustled through the streets like tradespeople ! " " Henri," said the Queen, and there was an ominous tightening of her firm lips, " this is no time for etiquette. There was even less display last night when the mob was thundering at the gates of the Tuileries." The King flung himself ofi" on the pretence of searching for some papers. When he returned, an official announced that the council had gathered. Henri followed the man, but stopped when he saw the Queen coming close behind. " What do you want, madame ? " he said. " I want to attend this council, and hear what is said." " But " ' ' There are no buts ; I am coming. ' ' When they entered the spacious apartment in which the chief officers of state were gathered, Vansittart was not there. The King placed Honorine in a chair, seated himself at the head of the table, consulted some memoranda without acknowledging Daubisson's greeting, and at last pettishly inquired : " How is it that M. Vansittart is not here, although I ex- pressl}' requested his presence within ten minutes ? ' ' " Here I am," came a cheery voice behind him, for Jerome had entered at the moment by a side door. ' ' I heartily bid your Majesties welcome, and hope that the disagreeable in- cidents of yesterday have in no way distressed you. ' ' 33^ The Lost Provinces The Queen rose and cordially shook hands with the millionaire. Henri, somewhat taken aback by Jerome's sudden appearance, welcomed him with less effusion, and pointed to a chair. " I have convened this council," he said with as much dignit)' as he could summon to his aid, " to discuss the ex- ceedingly grave situation which presents itself." Jerome, aflfecting unconsciousness of the King's distant manner, which he put down to the turmoil of events in Paris and the fatigues of his journey, said briskly : " I hope your Majesty will either postpone it or excuse my non-attendance. It is no exaggeration to say that I cannot spare a second of my time to-day, beyond telling you the latest developments at Paris." He half rose, but Henri said coldly : " Pray be seated, sir. We know them too well." " But let me assure you that I cannot pretend at this moment to enter into any full discussion. If you will come with me and sit by my side for half an hour I will in the intervals of receiving and answering telegrams, and other messages, explain to you the reasons for my extreme pressure just now." The King's tone gave serious emphasis to his words : " I insist, M. Vansittart, that you remain." Jerome could no longer maintain the pretence that the King's attitude was due to weariness. He hesitated a moment, with a slight flush on his face, whilst Liancourt looked imploringly at the Queen, as if to say : " Can't you restrain him ? ' ' Honorine placed her hand on the King's arm, but Henri quietly removed it. " The fact is, M. Vansittart," he resumed, " I have much to say that yoM should listen to, and it will, perhaps, be better if the preparations you have in charge — presumably aflfecting the future movements of the army — be left until they have been approved of by myself and my advisers. ' * Strained Relations 337 The millionaire now saw that a quarrel was imminent. He sat down, pulled out his watch, and said calmly : " I will listen to your Majesty for five minutes." This was very unlike the opening the King had privately rehearsed, but the exceeding tension of the assembly, the strained expression on every other face in the room nerved him to desperate coolness. " I meet yo\x here, M. Vansittart," he said, " virtually a dethroned monarch, solely by reason of your acts." He paused, expecting some outburst on Jerome's part, but the other merely toyed with his watch-chain. Henri was about to state his case, elaborating it by quota- tions from the Paris press and other such reputable authori- ties, when some final glinmier of reason saved him from adopting this ludicrous course, so he contented himself with the straightforward question : ' ' It must now be settled once and for all whether you or I rule France. Which is it, M. Vansittart ? " The reply came with stinging quickness : "I have never disputed the point since I chose your Majesty to reign in my place." " It is a sample of your good taste, monsieur, to remind me that I occupy the throne by your favour. It cannot be disputed. But since I do happen to be King I am surely not straining my prerogatives by seeking to restrain you from not only ruining the country, but plunging this unhappy land once more into the vortex of revolution, republics, and bad government." ' ' Henri ! " — the Queen's tone was one of agonised entreaty. " Your Majest}'," said Liancourt, " will you then repeat the folly of j-esterday ? " " Of yesterday ? " said Vansittart. "Am I given to understand that the King held these views before even a possible justification for his words was provided by the Paris tempest in a teapot ? ' ' " Yes, I did. Your meddling interference and ridiculous 338 The Lost Provinces dealings with the German Emperor had already precipitated the crisis of which the imeute in the capital was the first and most serious outward sign." The King was now helplessly committed to hostilities, and in his wonted pig-headed way, adhered steadfastly to his programme. " Oh, M. Vansittart," smiled the Queen, " for the sake of France, for my sake, do not heed him. He only means well for all of us, and has taken this course absolutely without the knowledge of those who would advise him difierently, m3'self included." Honorine's appeal obviously checked the bitter retort which trembled on Jerome's lips. By a powerful effort he restrained himself. " Listen to me," he cried, his vehement voice ringing through the room. " Were I not wholly devoted to the cause of France, I would gladly leave you. King Henry V., to work out your own salvation. As it is, I have no choice. To desert the army now would be a grievous error, to leave it to your direction would be a crime. If all goes well, within forty-eight hours the war will be ended. How, is my affair, and I will not be questioned, or hindered, or re- strained. He who attempts it will have to abide by the wish of the gallant troops now gathered in this city, for, by Heaven, he will either lead them or be imprisoned by them. Do you understand me ? ' ' ' ' You threaten me ? ' ' shrieked Henri. ' ' Call it what you will — my meaning shall be made clear to you." " So I am not only to be driven from my capital, but dis- graced in the eyes of my own army as well." The King groaned the words out with difficulty, as even in his supreme excitement he could see that the Queen and the members of the council were opposed to him. " Nonsense ! You can, if you wish, return to Paris to- day. Telegrams I have received from Folliet and Pompier show conclusively that the troops I have ordered to proceed Stra ined Relations 339 there will clear the streets of every Communist before night- fall. I would have told you this sooner had you even per- mitted me to welcome you as the King of France, come to see his troops annihilate their enemies. For the rest, it lies in your own hands to undo your folly by striving to help rather than cripple those who are working might and main to preserve j-our kingdom. ' ' ' ' Monsieur ! ' ' broke in the Queen, ' ' I beg you to leave us and attend to affairs. lyCt us forget this wretched wrangle, and remember only the great cause committed to our, to your, care, for I, the Queen of France, by whose ex- istence and your generosity my husband solely derives his position, solemnly declare my unabated, unshaken, unde- viating trust in you. ' ' Honorine's pathetic and heart-broken words evoked a deep murmur of assent from the others, and the King fiercely bit his lips to restrain the tumultuous thoughts that surged within him. Jerome was visibly touched. " I am keenly conscious of your Majesty's confidence," he said, " and I will add that in the many diflSculties we have faced together it has never, in my humble judgment, been more justified by circumstances than in this trying hour. I repeat my prophecy, that in forty-eight hours this unjust and iniquitous war will have closed, most favourably so far as France is concerned. I must now leave you with the hope that the King will, after reflection, see fit to modify his harsh views in regard to events for which my own private affairs may have been, in some sense, responsible." He bowed and walked to the door, where he turned to ask General Daubisson to accompany him and I^iancourt to come to him at the earliest moment. A deep silence fell on the council when Jerome and the Commander-in-chief had quitted the room. The Queen was sobbing quietly, and Henri sat with elbows resting on the table and his head propped up between clenched fists. 340 The Lost Provinces At last he spoke, querulously and complaining : " Am I to remain dumb, then ? Can I not even ask a question concerning events in the theatre of war ? ' ' Liancourt, rapidly interpreting the King's mood as one of submission, turned to the Chief of StafiF and adroitly led him on to a general statement of afifairs, and, in particular, to a detailed history of recent operations. The officer naturally expatiated on the highly dangerous situation from which Vansittart's re-awakened genius had extricated the French army. He showed that the German successes, of which so much had been made by the disreput- able Paris press, were in reality mere changes of location, and in no wise denoted a tactical triumph for the enemy. The Kaiser's march, too, whilst disconcerting enough at the first blush of the intelligence, was now regarded as a grave blunder, especially since the staif had learned the means whereby Vansittart hoped to deal with it. As the King listened he felt his house of cards crumbling away before the officer's simple and explicit analysis. Poor Henri was rash enough in all conscience, but he was as prone to fits of extravagant humility as to the other extreme. The final blow came when Vansittart forwarded for his informa- tion a telegram from Pompier detailing fully the steps taken to annihilate the insurgents. Seizing a pen and some paper he dashed ofi" a few hurried words and handed the document to the Queen, saying : " There, Honorine, I mean all that I say this time, so, with unusual wisdom, you will think, I have been brief. ' * This is what she read : " My dear Vansittart, — It is useless to apologise. I have been a fool. My only excuse is that I arrived at conclusions on faulty information. Forgive me, and find me work. Surely I can do some- thing to help you. "Henri." The Queen sprang up and kissed him before them all. Strained Relations 341 That is like my own dear, ' ' she said. ' ' I,et M. Liancourt take this message of conciliation. ' ' " Assuredly," he cried, with some of his wonted enthusi- astic animation. " But first let me make my amende com- plete." And he gravely read the note to the council, pausing melodramatically at the end of the second sentence.' The council hummed with admiration. It must not be forgotten that they were all French. Vansittart, on his side, exhibited equal magnanimity. Soon came the reply : " Your Majesty's co-operation will be invaluable. Pray join me at a stand-up lunch whilst I explain matters." The King hurried oflF, whilst Honorine went to sob out her thankfulness on Evelyn's shoulder. CHAPTER XXXIII the; march of the motor-cars WHEN the German Emperor crossed the Meuse near Damvillers, he headed a superb army of one hun- dred thousand veteran infantrj-, thirty thousand cavalry mounted on hardy and powerful Westphalian horses, and three hundred guns. In physique, equipment, and stamina, in every soldierly quality to endure and to accom- plish, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to surpass throughout the world this splendid expeditionary force. The men, like their leader, were imbued with the spirit of daring which recks not of defeat. Too long had the great armies of Germany been pent up in the narrow valleys or arid plains of Lorraine. From causes almost wholly unavoid- able, the German advance had been delayed far beyond the period assigned to it by military experts at the outbreak of hostilities. The Germans believed, as did the Kaiser, that the reverses they had sustained at the hands of the French arose from accidental circumstances which favoured the latter. At Troyon Vansittart's "luck" in attacking the enemy's columns at night whilst they were taking up positions for an assault at daybreak, at Mars-la-Tour the success of his " trick " in fighting shells with bullets — these were explana- tions at least of the failure of the Teutonic spider to entrap the French moth. But now the coast was clear. Vansittart, even if he were restored to health, was hopelessly blockaded to the north and east by Kreuznach and the army of Metz. If he attempted 342 The Alai'ch of the Motor-Cars 343 to fall back towards Paris he laid bare his extended flank and line of march to disastrous attack. If he marched southward he would be hard pressed in pursuit, and could do nothing to resist the Kaiser. In a word, the road to Paris lay open, defended only by the garrison of Chalons, which Wilhelm could swallow during the course of the ordinary day's routine. The distance to be traversed was one hundred and thirty miles, and the Emperor told his troops that he expected them to bivouac in the Forest of Bondy, on the outskirts of Paris, at the end of the sixth day. In mere statement this task, to the trained military mind, seems almost impossible. The movement of an army num- bering one hundred and fifty thousand fighting men, with a vast army of commissariat, medical, and other subsidiary services, at the rate of nearly twenty-two miles each day, has never yet been efifected over anything like the distance stated. But the clockwork accuracy of the German machine manifests itself with telling force precisely in such a stupen- dous undertaking. Every man, from the general oificer commanding a division down to the humblest driver of a commissariat cart, knew exactly what his personal share was of the many duties which resulted in the satisfactory com- pletion of each day's march. Every animal had been care- fully selected to withstand the severe strain entailed by the operation. Every nut and bolt and screw, every button and ever>' shoe-lace, had been tested to insure good order and serviceableness when the final tussle came at Paris. Nothing is forgotten in the German army, nothing left to chance. The only thing the wonderful German staff cannot do is to make quite sure of the intentions of their adversary. Could they achieve this they would indeed be irresistible. During the war of 1870-71 they came very near to perfection. Their famous cavalry screen, always pushed out between twenty and fifty miles' distance from the main body, not only shut off the French from all knowledge of the Gennan movements, but kept Von Moltke and Prince Frederick 344 '^^^^ ^ost Provinces Charles accurately informed of ever}^ change of direc- tion and attempted combination of the French troops. So Wilhelm did not forget his cloud of Uhlan vedettes — hence the great proportion of the mounted arm in his ex- pedition. But the great coup that the German Emperor evolv^ed in the Hotel de Ville at Metz, when he heard of the incipient Paris Commune, had, strangely enough, been foreseen and discounted by Vansittart before he left New York. It will be remembered that Jerome had set in motion an expenditure of nearly twenty millions sterling before he sailed in the Sea- farer. Much of this vast sum had gone in the immediate purchase of a great variety of stores and animals, in which he knew the French defences to be seriously deficient ; but a huge sum was devoted towards the construction and equip- ment of motor-cars solely designed for the rapid transport of troops across country by means of ordinary roads. In the United States a tremendous development had been given to internal traffic of a heavy nature by the adoption of motor traction. The quick-witted American manufacturers soon saw that the horse would never be displaced as a means of conveyance by the pleasure-loving public. It was quite a different thing where the haulage of goods was concerned. Here was the true future of the horseless carriage, and the result of a general activity in this direction enabled the mil- lionaire readily and promptly to secure the multitude of motors he required. So secretly and efficiently had his agents worked, that large consignments of the road-engines were shipped from the States and landed at Toulon without public notice being directed to the event. Meanwhile the artificers of Lyons and other metallurgical centres in the south of France were busily engaged in con- structing the carriages intended to be used in conjunction with the motors. As these vehicles will figure largely in the history of the The March of the Motor-Cars 345 forthcoming operations, it will serve to elucidate matters if they are described with some degree of minuteness. The engines were compact, extremely powerful, and so simply and strongly designed as to be capable of withstand- ing rough usage. Small, broad-tired running wheels, with seven clear feet of axle width, gave ample margin for security in rapid running over roads of steep gradient. They were capable of drawing a load of fort}' tons at an average rate of twelve miles an hour, whilst on level, straight roads, and for short distances, this rate of progress could be greatly ex- ceeded. They were protected by plates of tough steel fixed at reclining angles, and it was estimated that even artillery fire, unless exceptionally accurate, would fail to do them material damage by isolated hits. Against musketry they were practically impregnable. The motive power was petro- leum, fused to a high explosive temperature by intermixture with a small jet of steam generated by a tiny subsidiar}- boiler, and it was possible to carry sufficient fuel to last for a run of one hundred and fifty miles without replenishment. Each engine drew two cars, similarly armoured and run- ning on bogies, whilst a marvellously effective set of spiral buffers gave cohesion and fairly comfortable resilience to the whole turn-out, even when travelling very rapidly. Each of these cars accommodated, at a squeeze, thirty men or eight horses, besides carrying rations and forage, whilst one in every set of ten was fitted for the conveyance of two guns without limbers, the recoil being absorbed on the quick- firing principle. At the very moment when Vansittart received ample as- surance from the Lyons arsenal authorities that motor-car carriage for one hundred thousand men was available for immediate delivery, he received the news of the German Emperor's march on Paris. He did not then know the real object of the German movement, but this catastrophe in the metropolis revealed to him the full extent of the plot. Instantly he jumped to 346 The Lost Provinces the conclusion that the Kaiser was hurrying to the assistance of his confederates, for such, he was convinced, was the true description of those who inspired the revolutionaries. The German army had set out on its six days' race before the situation was fully revealed, and the paramount question now was — Could they be intercepted and beaten en route ? Acting with his accustomed rapid and final decisiveness, Vansittart ordered the mobilisation of the motor-car army at Vitry. He chose this town as being south of the German line of march and consequently less liable to sudden attack. He ordered the general commanding at Chalons to throw his whole force in the way of the Emperor and to delay him as much as possible, but on no account to destroy bridges or tear up roads, even if retreat became thereb}'- imperative. Above and beyond every other consideration the French cavalry must keep the Germans from scouting to the south of Chalons, else they would infallibly discover the prepara- tions being made at Vitry. Vansittart, in his own mind, fixed upon Rheims as the probable scene of conflict between himself and the Kaiser, and, as a matter of fact, the subsequent battle centred round Verzy, a village only ten miles to the south-east of that his- toric city. This plan of action once settled, he threw him- self into the mass of details necessary for the mobilisation at Vitry, at twenty-four hours' notice, of the one hundred thousand troops selected for the enterprise and the strange means of locomotion which they were to use for the first time in warfare. It is not to be wondered at, then, that he resented the waste of time caused by the King's stupid attempt to inter- fere in the direction of affairs, or that he thought more of a loss of five minutes in the work of organisation than of Henri's unwarranted and childish outburst of temper. When the King came to him he was holding a glass of wine between the thumb and forefinger of one hand, a sandwich similarly in the other, and between the remaining fingers The March of the Motor-Cars 347 were stuck telegrams or memoranda which he was dealing in rapid monosyllabic words to staff- officers and short- hand writers. The floor was littered with paper ; telegraph instruments clicked incessantly from tables ranged along two walls ; and the place rang with the clatter of spurred boots as men came and went in a constant stream. Henri gazed round at this scene of activity with a kind of dismay. " I shall be worse than useless here," he said plaintively. " Not a bit," cried Jerome, after bolting a large mouthful. "Sit down there. Read that" (indicating a type- written document), " as it gives all the details of the men selected to go from Verdun, and then go off with Beaumarchais to in- spect them. They entrain at four o'clock, and I cannot possibly get away. Tell them that you and I follow to- night, and that we will beat the Prussians the day after to- morrow. And, by the way, have a look at the specimen motor in the street, so that you can give me your opinion of it when you return." The King looked at his watch. It was 2.30. " When do the troops parade ? " he said. * ' Sharp at three. ' ' " Then, please, let me share your plate of sandwiches. I am famished." The unfortunate little monarch had not tasted food since he left Paris on the previous evening. Misery oft takes the place of a good dinner. " Jim," shouted Vansittart, " more sandwiches and wine, and see that a charger is provided for his Majesty." Bates left the doorway on his errand, and all the employees in the room looked up. It was the first intimation they had received of the King's presence. The incident was not lost on Henri, When men are work- ing for their country and obeying the orders of a man whom they believe to be the saviour of their countrj-, a king is an insignificant item. The lesson did him good ; it was a fit- 348 The Lost Provinces ting sequel to the trials and cross-purposes of the past few hours. Henri rode off with Beaumarchais to inspect the Verdun contingent, some twent}- thousand of all ranks, the picked men of the army. The right of the line was taken by the Foreign Legion, and the bosom of the brave soldier who rode at the King's side swelled with honest pride as he gazed at his gallant regiments. The King passed down the long ranks in silence. The troops were drawn up in half-battalions — the largest tactical units which, in the opinions of Vansittart and his staff, could be eflfectivel}' controlled under the peculiar conditions evolved by the presence of the motors. He addressed a few inspiriting words to the men each time he halted, but otherwise was unusually silent and pre- occupied. Not until the end of the tour of inspection did he turn to Beaumarchais with the question : " General, whence do we get all these veterans ? " " Your Majest}^, they are not old soldiers. They are picked men, but, beyond the Foreign Legion, few of them exceed three years' service." " Am I to understand, then, that a month's experience of war has developed my army from striplings into seasoned veterans ? ' ' " Well, your Majesty, a few stiff fights have a remarkable efifect in turning boys into men." " I wish I had joined 3'ou earlier. It might have had a similar effect on me." The remark nonplussed the other. The best thing he could think of to say was : " If your Majesty accompanies this expedition, I think you will see plenty of fighting." " You think so ? Do you believe these motor-cars will be effective ? ' ' " They are new-fangled notions, your Majesty, but what The March of the Motor-Cars 349 M. Vansittart approves of turns out all right as a rule. We, of the older school, have ceased argument, and simply obey him." ' ' That saves a lot of trouble, I should imagine. ' ' " It does, your Majesty." Henri could not tear himself away from the troops. When, with colours flying and bands playing, they marched off to the station, he placed himself at the head of the leading regiment and rode with them. He saw each train start, passed along every carriage, had a pleasant word and smile for everyone, and generally succeeded in leaving a very good impression with the men. When the last train-load had left, joyous and cheering, he returned to the Town Hall, there to find Vansittart still deal- ing with the clicking telegraphs and the stream of mes- sengers. The millionaire naturally looked pale and worn. The effects of his recent indisposition were still visible ; he could not yet use his right arm freely for a long period without feel- ing pain in the shoulder ; and the strain of the terrific work he was now engaged upon was sufficient in itself to upset a man of less heroic mould. ' * When will you be able to take some rest ? ' ' said the King. He already found himself marvelling how Jerome could undergo so uncomplainingly the trials of his position. What would he have thought had he seen him during that awful night in the inn at Gravelotte ? " In an hour," said Vansittart. " Even at this moment I can light a cigar." And he suited the action to the words. ' ' Do you hope to have everything in readiness to make a start to-morrow ? ' ' " Without doubt. Every car and engine, with complete equipment, is already packed at Vitry. I do not think any- thing has been forgotten. I had provided for ropes to drag them out of the way if disabled, when it occurred to me that should any of them be captured by the enemy, they might 350 The Lost Provinces be used against us with disastrous effect, so now steps are being taken to place a dynamite charge in such a position in each vehicle, that when exploded by a fulminate the car or engine will be destroyed. All the stores are at Vitry, and are now being loaded into the cars. You have seen a fifth of the expeditionary troops start from this station. Three- fifths are drafted from the main body, and travel to Vitr}^ via Bar-le-Duc, and the final contingent is drawn from Nancy. ' ' " Have you no fear of failure through the inexperience of drivers or the unaccustomed nature of the contrivance to the men who will use it ? " " None whatever," said Vansittart, with a smile at the King's evident hesitancy to accept all he heard without reservation. " Kwy man who can drive a horse can drive this motor, as it is guided by steel reins precisely as the animal is by leather ones. As for the men, they are saved all fatigue, and, if only the officers obey me implicitly, they will fight nearly all the time under shelter, protected by these small movable forts." ' ' It will be the most wonderful event of your wonderful life, if this battle really comes off, as you believe." Jerome now laughed outright. " Oh," he cried, " I can- not have )^our Majesty dubious on that point. I can spare a little breathing space. Come, you shall drive a car yourself ' ' When Henri had with his own hands — guided only by the simple instructions of an officer who stood beside him — navigated a motor and two cars, laden with four field-pieces and a full complement of gunners, at a high rate of speed through the streets, and found he was able to turn corners with as much ease as though he were handling a coach and four, he was converted. He returned with Jerome to the Hotel de Ville. A mes- senger handed a telegram to the millionaire, who read it with a gesture of annoyance. "What is the matter?" cried Henri, anxiously. He The March of the Motor-Cars 351 feared lest the Vitry mobilisation had collapsed, or Pompier had failed to recapture Paris. " It is too bad, ' ' said Vansittart. ' ' I cannot get any cigars and cigarettes, not even tobacco. ' ' " Is that all ? I have a supply. Pray use " " Not for myself. I wanted some for the troops during the march and afterwards. Everything smokable has been cleared out of Verdun, and there is none available from the military stores. Supplies were requisitioned from Paris, but Pompier has been too busy with recent events to forward them. It is disgusting. I did hope every possible item was in readiness this time. ' ' " Tell me," said the King with much gravity ; " have the men got matches ? ' ' " Oh yes ! Let me see ! " Vansittart consulted a note- book. " They are stored in cars No. 18, no, and 187." " And pipes ? " ' ' Pipes we were compelled to omit because they occupied too much room. Cigarette-papers are in the same cars as the matches." " But, supposing the men had tobacco, how would they know where to obtain it, as I have been working out in my own mind that you require at least nine hundred engines and eighteen hundred cars to convey the expedition." " That is simplicity itself. Every officer to-morrow morn- ing will be given printed lists containing all articles carried, arranged in alphabetical order, with the numbers of the cars opposite." " Then," said Henri tragically, " since 3'ou have done so much, I will complete the task. / will procure that tobacco. ' ' Jerome could not help laughing at him. " How?" he cried. But the King had gone. He had found something to do, something which he could honestly say was his own definite task. Late at night he reappeared, dishevelled, covered with oil and soot, but triumphant. 352 The Lost Provinces " I have done it," he shouted delightedly when he met Vansittart. " I went on an engine to a tobacco manufactory at Troyes, and at Ravigny Junction I detached a truck-load of tobacco, cigars, and cigarettes for Vitry, whilst I tele- graphed instructions to the Commissariat ofi&cers at Vitry to allocate the proper cars for them so that thej' may figure in the printed lists. That is all right, I think ? ' ' " Excellent. And now we must start to join the troops. I can onlj' give 3'ou half an hour. Everything waits us in a special at the station. We will sup en route." There was not much time for leave-taking. Honorine and Evelyn would possibly have borne the separation un- flinchingly had they been alone. But the knowledge of each other's misery rendered their efforts at stoicism unavailing, and the}' unfeignedly broke down when they were called for the farewell embrace. " Dearie," said Evelyn to her husband, " come back to me ! The parting will not be for long in any case. If any evil befall you, I cannot live without you." " Eh, what is this? My brave girl full of forebodings? Surely you do not fear now at the ver}^ eve of success ? ' ' " No, no, not that. If I could only come with you I would be sure that all was well." " M}' darling, that is impossible. Come, let me kiss away your tears. We will meet the day after to-morrow." Evelyn did not tell him the cause of her terror. The very aspect of the murderous- looking motors in the street had frightened her more than all the warlike paraphernalia she saw around. But the Queen of France smiled even in her grief. She rejoiced at the fact that Henri had made peace with Vansit- tart, and was now so ready to work loyally with him. After a brief rest in the train, Vansittart and the King rose at dawn and rode off to see the troops start. Early the previous evening a strong force of cavalry had marched along the road to Chalons. Telegrams from that city showed The March of the Mo I or- Cars 353 that a detenniued attack by the Germans was expected during the day at Valmy, where the Chalons Army Corps held a strong position. Vansittart's final orders were that the expedition should move at a regular pace not exceeding eight miles an hour, that ten cars should constitute half a battalion, with an eleventh carrying the officers' horses and some machine guns, and that intervals of not less than fifty yards should separate each set of vehicles, thus minimising the risk of col- lision in case of a break-down. All the available country roads were utilised, and a large plain in the west of Chalons was fixed on as the halting- place. At the outset the motors were grouped on an open space, and it was now patent to any observer that for concentration of a vast force of fighting material this arrangement could not be surpassed. The motors and cars were about the same size as an ordinary railroad-goods waggon, and three thou- sand of these, when arranged in long parallel lines, stood upon a comparatively limited area. Each ofiicer in charge of a car had a sketch-map, showing the road he was to follow, irrespective of all eventualities save an absolute break-down. In the latter event the car was to be at once hauled on one side, and if the damage was ir- reparable, destroyed if in the enemy's vicinity. This preliminary march to Chalons was really in the nature of a day's field exercise. Actual contact with the Germans was not expected until the following morning. But in war, as in all else, it is the unexpected that hap- pens. When Beaumarchais, who commanded the advance brigade, gave the order to march, the cars moved off with beautiful precision. When stationary they looked so cum- brous that the military critic might be inclined to scoff at them ; in motion they suggested a deadly facility of move- ment that evoked unanimous praise. " When my chasseurs become used to those chargers on 354 '^^^^ Lost Provinces wheels," cried Le Breton, " they will take them across country." To test the leading battalion, Vansittart and the King, surrounded by a numerous staff, galloped to the front and suddenly asked Beaumarchais to halt. A bugle rang out, and within ten j-ards ever^^ vehicle was motionless, though they were previously travelling at the prescribed pace. The enthusiasm of the rank and file was unbounded and gratify- ing to witness. Whatever others might think, the men thoroughly believed in these new engines of warfare. Chalons was reached in three hours by the first brigade. By midday all the motors had arrived without a single acci- dent, save delay caused by the partial collapse of a weak bridge at the prolonged strain of such heavy weights. The discovery was a fortunate one, and the Intelligence Department forthwith set to work to strike out of the maps such unfrequented country roads as might contain uncertain structures. News now came of the issue of events at Valmy. During the morning the sounds of sustained conflict announced a serious engagement in that direction. By three o'clock Vansittart learned that the French were in full retreat, closely pressed b)' an overwhelming force of Prussians. For a few minutes he was on the horns of a dilemma. He did not know whether to offer battle to the Emperor that night or not. Several officers urged him to emplo)' a few of the motors and thus test them in active service. The proposal served to put matters in their true light. " No," he said, in answer to this suggestion ; " whilst the exercise might be useful to us, it would be of the utmost value to the enemy. The quick-witted German staff would soon grasp the significance of this new device, and we should find every road they gov^emed quite impassable. No ; they must be held back to-night and fought to-morrow." To the utter dismay of the soldiers they were ordered to The March of the Motor-Cars 355 fall in without the cars. They feared so greatly that some unexpected collapse had happened, that Vansittart told the officers to explain matters to the men. By pushing forward a division, supported by cavalry and guns, the German pur- suit was checked, and after some sharp fighting, completely stopped. The Emperor imagined that the defenders of Chalons had rallied, so he detailed his left wing to hold them tight during the night, and carry the town by assault next day, whilst his cavalry scouts pushed ahead to reconnoitre the country be- tween Rheims and Chalons. They found it well patrolled by French horsemen, but otherwise untenanted, and the Kaiser, eager to continue his race to Paris, decided to march at daybreak, leaving two divisions to complete the capture of Chalons. Thus the two armies rested during the night, in close juxtaposition at their extremities, but so disposed that the German Emperor was happily oblivious of the possibilities of the following day. This time the Uhlan cavalry screen had not been extended quite far enough. CHAPTER XXXIV THE MOTOR-CAR BATTI^E THE Chalons garrison had been driven from the hilly country in the neighbourhood of the two villages, L,e Grand and Le Petit Mourmelon, situate midway be- tween Rheims and Chalons. A glance at the map of this part of France will show that the hamlet of Verzy lies eight miles due west of lyittle Mourmelon, on the slopes of the famous champagne country, and in direct line between the German bivouac and Paris. Late into the night did Vansittart and his principal officers examine every topographical detail of the locality, falling back upon the personal knowledge of residents in Chalons where the excellent maps in their possession seemed in any degree vague or misleading. This fertile and well-cultivated province did not favour military operations on a very extensive scale, except in the immediate neighbourhood of Verzy. Hedges and orchards were plentiful, whilst farmhouses or the tiny villas of vigne- rons dotted the landscape in all directions. These elements made in favour of the invaders, who, taken probably by surprise, would be able to convert every piece of leafy cover into an ambuscade, and each building into a fort. How^ever, this feature of the affair could not be helped, and Jerome trusted to the exceeding rapidity and remarkable nature of the French attack so to demoralise their opponents that a dogged and stubbornly fought battle would be out of the question. 356 The Mot or -Car Battle 357 It was proposed that the struggle should be postponed until the Germans reached the plains of the Tardenois dis- trict, but Vansittart would not listen to the suggestion. He well knew that each hour brought greater danger of notoriety for his new motor-cars. Notwithstanding a strict censorship of press telegrams, the remarkable nature of the French equipment must soon leak out, and then he might say ' ' good-bye " to an attempt to surprise the Kaiser. The forthcoming battle must either bring the war to a catastrophic conclusion for the Germans, or plunge both countries into a protracted campaign of waiting behind forti- fied camps. It would then become a mere question of en- durance, the severest of all tests, whether for an individual or for a nation. The most pressing immediate difl&culty was to contrive to hold back the expected German assault upon Chalons, whilst not forcing matters so seriously as to compel the Kaiser's main body to turn from its obvious route next morning. Vansittart entrusted this task to the engineers. Before midnight he received the assurance that field-works were in course of construction to an extent that would easily enable the Chalons garrison to beat off their assailants until late next day, by which time the millionaire promised them active help. The motor-car army was divided into ten strong brigades of one hundred cars each, thus constituting six thousand men per brigade. With these there were no field-pieces, and but few Maxims. It was purely an infantry force, and each brigade had its line of operation strictl}^ marked out, beyond which it was not to deviate a yard. The artillery was massed in two divisions, which, with motor-car infantry escort and a considerable force of cavalry, were intended to be used principally along the crests of two small ridges that ran north and south through the position which, it was expected, the Kaiser's army would occupy about ten o'clock. 358 The Lost Provi7tces Ever)' possible detail having been repeatedly checked, the King and Vansittart were about to seek a few hours' well- earned rest, when a telegraphic despatch from Daubisson arrived. Its intelligence was serious, though not unexpected. "Kreuzuach attacked in force this afternoon," he wrote, " march- ing by four strong divisions against right and left centre, Gravelotte, and three miles west of Verdun. Fighting was thus spread over an area of nearlj' thirty miles. Am glad to be able to report that each attack was repulsed with severe losses to the enemy, but regret that our esti- mated killed and wounded amount to over 3000 of all ranks. Returns not yet complete. From nature of German movements I have reason to believe that each separate column was intended as a reconnaissance in force." " What do you make of it ? " said the King, when Van- sittart had twice read the message aloud. ' ' I think that Daubisson has hit upon the right solution in his last sentence. I have no doubt that Kreuznach was beaten back fairly enough, but the real object of the day's fighting was to ascertain our strength so that he might in- form the Kaiser whether or not to expect any considerable army in pursuit." " Ah ! Then I take it that Kreuznach' s report will be favourable to us," said the King, after a pause. " Entirely so. Daubisson's vigorous resistance has con- vinced him that our whole available force, save Chalons and other isolated garrisons, is still east of the Meuse." " Daubisson has done well, to all appearance ? " " Admirably. He is a splendid general for conducting a defence. As soon as he enters the enemy's territory he goes wrong. Nevertheless I will enable him to do something noteworth}' to-morrow." Jerome sat at a table in the wine-grower's small abode he tenanted for the night, and wrote : " Your despatch received, and its contents noted by his Majesty and myself with utmost gratification. Whilst not materially weaken- The Motor-Car Battle 359 ing present lines, I desire you to gather strong column in vicinity of Gravelotte to-morrow, and precisely at two o'clock march to Metz, and endeavour to carry the fortress by assault. You will probably succeed, as such a coiip de main will be the last thing expected by the enemy, and the garrison of Metz has in all likelihood been depleted dangerously to strengthen Kreuznach's right wing. If you fail do not fear censure : if you are established in Metz by nightfall, the King empowers me to state that your future title shall be " ' ' What ? ' ' said Vansittart, when he had read the docu- ment thus far to Henri. " Oh, let us say Marquis — Marquis de Metz ! " " Marquis de Metz, by all means." Vansittart handed the message to an officer, asking that the chief telegraphists only at both ends of the wire should be cognisant of its contents. Within two minutes he was asleep, to dream that Evelyn and his eldest son were flying before a furious motor-car, which he was driving and powerless to control. Soon after dawn some intermittent firing to the north an- nounced that the Uhlan vScouters were endeavouring to drive in the French cavalry outposts. They did not accomplish their object, but the French horsemen were handled so care- fully that they gave no sign of the presence of an army in their rear. Soon, too, these minor conflicts were drowned in the sustained roar of the expected German assault on the outskirts of Chalons, towards the north-east. By seven o'clock the French pickets brought definite news of the German advance guard being in possession of the heights beyond Verzy to the west. At eight o'clock Montsaloy led a cavalry reconnaissance in that direction, and distinctly saw the Germans, iti dense columns, filing down the slopes leading to the village. But the alert German staff noted the unwonted assiduity of the French mounted patrols, and the appearance of Mont- saloy and his troops led to a counter-reconnaissance by a field battery and two regiments of Uhlans. 360 The Lost Provinces This compact little body rode forward so gallantly that it was necessary to stop them by some display of force. They would not retire before several guns opened fire on them, and a French cavalry brigade galloped out in the hope of cutting them off. The Kaiser would not believe that any notable opposition could be expected from this quarter, but the symptoms were so dangerous that he unwillingly ordered a general halt, whilst two brigades of infantry, supported by four batteries and three thousand sabres, marched south to dispel the mys- tery that hung about the proceedings on the German left flank. It took a good hour for this opening phase of the battle to develop itself. The Hanoverian infantry, beauti- fully handled, and manoeuvring with faultless efficiency, pressed the attack right up to the banks of the Marne, and did not retire until crushed by a vastly superior French force. At the first sign of yielding on their part Vansittart said to the King : " The battle has now fairly commenced, and the Kaiser has at last learned his mistake." No answer came, and Jerome dropped his glasses to turn in the saddle and look at the King, who was slightly in the rear. Then he smiled, for he realised what had happened. Henri's eyes were glazed and fixed. On his drawn face was an expression of unutterable awe. He gazed at the dread drama being enacted across the river with the fascina- tion of one who has seen a ghost. It was his first battle. For the first time he looked upon the stern realities of war. Over the face of the smiling land- scape, lit by the vivid midsummer sun, he saw men riding, or moving, or marching with the mad indefiniteness that marks the opening movements of a conflict, whilst, with ever-increasing rapidity, the green fields became dotted with little dark motionless specks and small parties of bearers hurrying off to the rear. Each of these specks he knew to be a dead man ; each party, he knew, was carrying a The Motor-Car Battle 361 wounded one. Death was all around him. It whistled through the air in invisible flight, it left its testimony in the crumpled-up bits of humanity that lay so still on the grassy terraces or in the country lanes. It mesmerised his sight and hearing ; with dry mouth gaping wide he could utter no sound ; had his horse moved he would have fallen from the saddle. " Here," shouted Vansittart, " you are thirsty. Take a long drink of this," and he handed a flask to the King, thus momentarily arousing him from his stupor. Henri mechanically obeyed him, and a mouthful of strong cognac made him cough. Calling a staff-officer, Vansittart said, with slightly ele- vated voice : " Kindly accompany his Majesty to General Beaumarchais's brigade. Tell the General to march at once, as directed, by way of Oiry and Avenay. His Majesty will assist the General in the flanking movement." Still nearly unconscious, Henri rode off with the aide-de- camp, who took in the situation at a glance. Within five minutes, restored to animation by the rapid pace of his horse, he was discussing the German attack with the aplomb and self-possession of an old soldier. He had received his bap- tism of fire. Vansittart's remark anent the Kaiser was fully borne out by events. The undeniable repulse offered to the recon- noitring brigade showed Wilhelm that some new and de- termined foe was in dangerous proximity. There was nothing for it but to offer battle with his whole force at once, and this he did, cursing his Intelligence Department and Kreuznach with the utmost impartiality at the same time. The Emperor was under no delusion as to what had hap- pened. None but Vansittart could have so neatly stolen a march on him, and befooled his ablest general. " Confound everybody ! " roared the vexed Kaiser. " I shall lose a whole day in the march to Paris." 362 The Lost Provinces Nevertheless, this display of temper did not prevent him from issuing orders for a general advance, pioneered b}' clouds of skirmishers, to ascertain the exact nature and strength of the French position. So far the Germans had been held back by the reserve infantry, dismounted from their motor-cars for that explicit purpose. Already Beaumarchais and the King were tearing off along the roads to the north-west in order to fall upon the German right flank about 10.30 a.m. At 9.45 the country in front of Vansittart was alive with the Kaiser's troops. Batteries of artillery were taking up position at the verge of a plateau beyond the Marne, and shells were screaming through the air in every direction where a body of infantry or cavalry could be discerned by the German guards. The supreme moment of action had arrived. Vansittart simply waved his hand to L,e Breton, who commanded the leading brigade, drawn up in the street of the small hamlet ensconced in the leaf}' hollow close to the French centre. Le Breton signalled a response, nodded to the driver of the first car, and the vehicle moved slowly to the front. Quickly getting pace, it dashed across a bridge over the river, nearly coming to grief in the eagerness of the driver to turn a rather sharp corner. Five other brigades stationed across the Marne, but near to Chalons, started almost simultaneously, and within ten minutes from the time of Vansittart's quiet signal six hun- dred motors, containing thirty-six thousand soldiers, were rushing towards the German columns at a pace exceeding twelve miles an hour, or more rapidly than a similarlj' large force of cavalr}' could possibly get over the ground. The Kaiser and his staff had ridden to the crest of the ridge where the German guns were at work, and were momentarily expecting the bold stand so far made by the French to wither before the vigorous assault now in pro- The Mot or- Car Battle 363 gress, when the first of the motors, with its two attached carriages, dashed into sight across the Marne. ' ' What on earth is that ? ' ' cried Wilhelm, with field- glasses glued to his eyes. " A running steam-engine ! " laughed an aide. " A charge by the commissariat ! " ' ' Perhaps a new sort of military steam-roller ! ' ' " Whatever it is, it is full of soldiers ! " " With a machine gun ! " " Another of Vansittart's dodges, eh ? " The concluding comment drew the Emperor. " If it be one of Vansittart's dodges, gentlemen, it will need all of our skill to counteract it." In silence the distinguished officers present steadily watched the progress of the motor. With even keener interest Vansittart and those near him also watched it, for they alone knew what was expected of this new and terrible engine of warfare. Conscious that the eyes of both armies were upon him, Le Breton implored the driver to pay heed to naught but the safe guidance of the motor along the straight road, which now ran at easy gradients through the centre of the German attack. Almost before a shot was fired at it the motor was within two hundred yards of the advanced firing line. The officer in command of a scattered company, seeing this strange object darting rapidly towards him from the French position, realised that, whatever its powers, it must have hostile intent. So he ordered his men to fire a volley at it. Several bullets struck the motor and the cars with resound- ing clang, but the angle of impact was so acute that the mis- siles glanced off harmlessly. And now the Frenchmen commenced firing in return, wildly, it is true, owing to the impossibility of taking accurate aim, but several Germans dropped. It was different when, with tremendous clatter, and amidst clouds of whirling dust, the motor swept through the fighting line and supports, to come within short range of 364 The Lost Provinces a couple of battalions drawn up in close order. Here the French fire began to tell with awful effect. The machine gun, mounted on the left front of the leading car, poured a torrent of projectiles into the German ranks, and, as it passed them on the flank, had a destructive influence which could never be obtained under ordinary conditions. The leaden shower beat upon the masses of soldiers w4th the directness of a rainstorm on a field of corn. Whole sections of com- panies were crushed to the ground — a half-battalion was de- moralised in a few seconds. A companj' of infantr}- stood on the roadway itself. The men bravely emptied their magazines at the stefel-clad mon- ster rushing towards them with the speed of a train. Then they realised that in another instant the thundering, crash- ing motor would be upon them. Human nature could not withstand this modern car of Juggernaut. Ofl&cers and men rushed dismayed to the hedges and sought to save their lives by flight. One after another of these fearsome structures came panting up the slope, each spitting fire and smoke and deadly bullets, each crammed with frantic, cheering, intoxi- cated French soldiers, half frenzied with the consciousness of irresistible force given to them by the motor, and barely able to obey the impassioned appeals of their ofl&cers to steady themselves and fire with anything like self-control into the ranks of their opponents. The first man to comprehend the full scope of the motors in such a battle as that they were now engaged in was Van- sittart. He turned to his staflf and said : " Go, some of you, and warn the reserves to be in im- mediate readiness. Also send the 7th and 8th motor brigades to the assistance of Chalons. The rest is mere slaughter. ' ' The second to grasp the situation was the German Em- peror. With a cry of fierce rage he drove his spurs into his horse, and wheeled the startled animal into a gallop towards the nearest batteries. " The jNIacliine gun, mounted on the left front of the leading car, poured a torrent of projectiles into the German ranks." The Motor-Car Battle 365 " Stop them," he roared to the artillery officers. " Stop them, or the army will become a mob." With the utmost rapidity half a dozen guns were swung round to the new front and fired at the line of motors, for although the incidents described took little more than two minutes in transaction, already some forty of I^e Breton's moving forts were inside the German position. But it is not an easy thing to train a field-piece and fire it with precision at even a large object travelling along a road at a high rate of speed. Some dozen rounds were fired before one of the cars was struck. Ev'en then the shell only succeeded in tearing awa}^ a portion of the upper screen, and killing a few of the occu- pants. The car swerved badly from the shock, but did not overturn, and its forward progress was in no way affected. " Idiots ! " shrieked the Kaiser ; " select a definite point, aim low, and fire salvoes by word of command. ' ' The artillerists quickly grasped his meaning. The first volley was not successful because the officer in charge of the operations gave the word too soon. But, at the second at- tempt, four shells hit one of the motors vitally, smashing it bodily from the bogey truck, and bringing its two cars to hopeless ruin. " Ha ! that is better. Now we have them." The Emperor was so excited that he leaped from his charger, and himself assisted in laying one of the guns upon the next car, the whole line being brought to a standstill whilst the French troops rushed to the task of clearing the stricken motor from the roadway. Wilhelm did not know that Vansittart was fully prepared for this emergency. With wild scream and demoniac energ}' the shells from eighteen French guns, stationed on the opposing slope, tore through the German battery, now thoroughly enfiladed. Two guns were wrenched from their carriages, gunners were crushed into shapeless atoms on all sides, and the Emperor 366 The Lost Provinces himself had a miraculous escape, his pickelhaube being knocked off by the wind from a passing shell. Undaunted, he cried out : " Nev^er mind, mj' lads, we will soon silence them," and he yelled instructions for every available gun to open fire on the French batteries, whilst additional artillery was to be hurried to the front. At the time he, of course, believed that L,e Breton's motor- car brigade was the only one in the field ; that Vansittart hoped to demoralise the Germans by this weirdly unex- pected method of attack before he delivered an orthodox assault ; and that the effectual stoppage of the motors would upset Vansittart' s theories, whilst it enabled the superior German force to get the better of the fray. As for Paris, it was becoming dim in the distance. A victory would be but a shade removed from a defeat, for Wilhelm knew that, at the best, a hard-fought and dearly won battle lay before him. Had he been told at that moment that Le Breton's brigade was one of six then tearing wildly through the German position from the south and west, whilst Beaumarchais had completed his flank march and was on the point of driving the Uhlan pickets in dismay before him from the west, it is possible that this latest scion of the line of Hohenzollern would have sought immediate death on the battle-field. As it was, the whirl and confusion of events, the eager haste of expedients to combat the present danger, shut out from him all knowledge of proceedings elsewhere. The Frenchmen worked like fiends to remove the dibtis of the smashed motor. In this task they were practically unhindered, as the nearest German infantry had been brushed far from the place by the passage of the preceding cars. Soon they had the road sufl&ciently cleared, the two cars were shoved off into the field, and the line of motors again resumed progress, for the German guns were so hampered by the French artillery that it was impossible to secure The Motor-Car Battle 367 efficient fire for the main purpose in hand — namely, the stoppage of the French advance. In a fury of despair the Kaiser felt that his guns, devotedly served though they were, could not perform the task he re- quired of them. The arrival of a small regiment of staff- officers from all parts of the German position, reporting dis- aster after disaster, revealed to him the full extent of the fearful conflict raging around Verzy between the German main body and the bulk of the French forces. Up to this time, so awfully sudden had been the develop- ment of events, he had heard nothing of the main attack. Riding back to the reverse side of the plateau, Wilhelm at last became aware of the magnitude of the disaster which had befallen him. Along every highway darted the huge motors, paralysing all opposition, crumpling up brigades and divisions into terrified hordes, smiting with unfettered violence their helpless opponents, and utterly dislocating the whole army, for artillery, cavalry, infantry, and commis- sariat were piled together in shapeless masses. As he galloped on like one in a dream he suddenly saw ten of the French motors halt, and commence firing shells at a body of German troops drawn up near a plantation , at too great a distance from the roadway for practical rifle- fire. " My God ! " groaned the stricken Kaiser, reining in his charger and covering his face with his left hand. " They even carry cannon. Is he man or fiend ? " General von Gossler, who rode near him, now dared to say what every man on the staff thought when they first learned the true position of aff"airs. " There is nothing for it, your Majesty, but a rapid retreat to the north. We can still save many of our men by block- ing the roads and blowing up bridges, where these devices of the devil cannot follow us. ' ' His broken-hearted chief murmured: " Tear up the roads ! Destroy the bridges ! Yes ! Now we know why the French 368 The Lost Provinces did nothing to hinder our march. Yet how could I have foreseen all that has happened ? ' ' " Your Majesty," urged Von Gossler, " may I give orders for a general retreat ? ' ' His persistence stirred Wilhelm from his stupor of grief. "Retreat!" he cried. "Orders! Look, man! What orders are necessary ? Who will listen ? Who will obey ? " In very truth, the frightful state of confusion into which the erstwhile magnificent German army was thrown was heartrending. All over the field small knots of men who scorned to fly were savagely if vainly trying to retaliate upon their armour-clad assailants ; but the rest of the force was utterly panic-stricken. The sight so unnerved the Emperor that he bowed his head and cried repeatedly : ' ' My poor lads ! my poor lads ! ' ' whilst unchecked tears streamed from his eyes. " Yet, your Majesty," persisted the other, " we may do something. Let us at least try." As if in answer to this despairing utterance came the sound of sustained firing from the north and west. Beau- marchais's division was speeding along the only possible lines of retreat, King Henri leading one attack and the General the other as they closed in upon the hapless foe. The Kaiser saw them, and made no reply to Von Gossler. He looked behind, to see a French cavalry division ride furiously into the valley from the south, intent upon completing the ruth- less work so fearfully cut out for them by the motors, from which, too, long lines of infantry, fresh as though drawn up for parade inspection, were beginning to emerge. Then he answered. Forcing out the words with desperate calmness, he said : " Yes, Von Gossler, we can do something. We can stop useless butchery. Go with a flag of truce to Vansittart, Tell him I will meet him in the village here ! ' ' CHAPTER XXXV JEROME AND WILHELM THE German Chief of the Staff was far too good a soldier not to know when the game was up. He bowed in silent acceptance of the Kaiser's command, and at once sought the means to execute it. But a flag of truce is not usually carried as part of the equipment of an imperial army corps. From a farmhouse on the road he obtained a small white table-cloth. He was about to run his sword through the end when his nerve forsook him. With a cry of bitter rage he dashed the weapon to the ground. Then he snatched a lance from a Uhlan orderly, and rode off with his significant banneret. He did not go straight along the ridge, the most direct way to the French centre, but cut across country diagonally into the valley. By this means he hoped to stop the ad- vancing French cavalry and prevent the horrible massacre, for it could be naught else, which must ensue if once the horsemen got mixed up with the stricken German troops. Fortunately he was in time. Montsaloy, riding at the head of the leading regiment, the i8th Chasseurs, caught sight of the solitary officer dashing down the hillside, and checked the order trembling on his lips which would convert a steady gallop into a charge. As the courier of peace drew near, Montsaloy recognised him. The mere fact that General von Gossler himself carried the merciful signal showed the gravity of his errand, and the French cavalry leader brought his brigade to a halt, the rest 369 370 The Lost Provmces of the division pulliug up in rotation as the loud command passed from squadron to squadron. When the two officers met, Von Gossler begged the other to conduct him at once to Vansittart, and to delaj' the ad- vance of the French cavalry until the pour-parlers had taken place. Montsaloy felt that he assumed a grave responsi- bility, but he was assured that the kindly hearted American would sanction a proposal intended to prevent useless blood- shed. Leaving instructions with his second in command to forthwith resume the charge if any manifestly hostile move were made by the enemy, he accompanied Von Gossler towards the place where he had last seen the millionaire. But Vansittart, too, had noticed the flag of truce and the sudden halt of the French cavalry. Before the envoy had travelled a hundred yards with his escort, Jerome rode up, followed by every officer who could invent the slightest pre- text for accompanying him. They galloped on amidst the wild cheers of the cavalry division, for the news travelled like lightning through the ranks that the Kaiser had capitulated. It was barely eleven o'clock, on a bright, cloudless day of late summer, and the magnificence of the spectacle afforded by the glittering staff" and the thousands of mounted soldiers on the field formed a picture which impressed itself vividly on the memory of all who were privileged to witness it. The most notable figure of all was that of Vansittart himself. Attired in a simple tweed coat, riding-breeches, and boots, with a broad-brimmed felt hat to shield his eyes from the sun, and carrying no more offensive weapon than a riding- whip, he sat gracefully the powerful charger that bore him on this short but eventful journey, quietly acknowledg- ing the vociferous plaudits of his gallant troops as he passed. " I am commissioned by his Majesty, the German Em- peror, to ask you to meet him in the village of Verzy, and yerome and Wilhelm 3 7 1 arrange terms of surrender," said Von Gossler, when he drew near to the spot where Vansittart halted. Jerome bowed, but before he could reply the German officer continued : ' ' In view of an immediate and peaceful settlement, I ven- tured to ask General Montsaloy to defer the cavalry charge he was conducting, and which could only achieve the useless butchery of our demoralised men." ' ' General Montsaloy did well to accede to your humane wishes," said Vansittart. " But I cannot meet the German Emperor immediately. You must acknowledge. General, that you are utterly defeated. It would be needless cruelty to prolong the conflict. ' ' ' ' Certainly, monsieur. That is why I am deputed by his Majesty, my master, to arrange an immediate meeting." " Ah! Permit me to conclude. The only possible pre- liminary to negotiations is the instant surrender of your whole force. No ! Pray do not argue. Every moment is of importance. I quite understand that you personally can- not accept my proposal. General Montsaloy and the mem- bers of my staff will ride with you to the Emperor, learn his decision, and act in accordance with it. If he is agreeable to my suggestion these officers will convey to every French division my orders to cease hostilities, whilst commanders will individually receive the submission and carry out the disarmament of those German corps nearest to them. This part you must see to on your side. If the Emperor declines the battle must proceed." Jerome's determined words showed to Von Gossler the futility of further discussion. The millionaire repeated his explicit instructions to his staff, and the party rode off rapidly towards Verzy. On the return journey Von Gossler had further evidence of the German collapse. All the disintegrated divisions were now gathering pell-mell on that centre. A few officers had collected some of their men, and were hastily striving 372 The Lost Provinces to put the place in some sort of condition for defence. A bridge or two had been blown up to obstruct the motors, and other preparations made for a final stand. They were worse than useless. Verzy was commanded on every side by artillery fire, and long-range musketry would render the place an absolute in- ferno if once the Germans showed fight against the iron ring that encompassed them. ' * A Prussian Sedan ! ' ' muttered the veteran to himself as he rode at the head of the French officers, still carrying the white flag in order to shield himself and his companions from possible attack by his own troops. Vausittart watched the small body of horsemen until they disappeared among the trees of the village. He eagerly listened to the ceaseless crackle of small-arms and the roar of the opposing batteries, hoping against hope that each minute would work a diminution of the firing, for he loathed the unnecessary loss of life that must now be taking place. At last it came. The French guns to the west went out of action, and even as the lull deepened Montsaloy spurred back down the valley waving his helmet. The Emperor had yielded after a bitter struggle. It was one thing to come to terms with the enemy whilst leading a powerful though defeated force ; it was another to surrender unconditionally, and learn the victor's demands without ability to deny or abate them. But Vansittart had resolved that the war should cease that day, if it cost the life of the Kaiser himself and of every man in his army who faced the French with armed hands. This struggle of peaceful peoples had gone far enough. It was a combat founded on the boastful arrogance of one indi- vidual. The masses in France and Germany required nothing more than good government, security of life, and liberty to follow their homely and commercial pursuits. The militar- ism of the Continent, he well knew, arose from the necessi- ties of dynasties, and not from the antagonism of races. yerome and Wilhelm ^ilZ This monster of civilisation must have its neck broken, and he would not flinch from the task, no matter what the cost. His emotions may well be understood, therefore, when he at least felt certain that the Kaiser had adopted the wise and more humane course. He listened in silence to Mont- saloy's enthusiastic account of the proceedings in the village, where Wilhelm, surrounded by his principal officers, met Von Gossler and heard the ultimatum. Then he bent in the saddle, and scribbled a telegram to Evelyn announcing the victory. " Here," he said to Arizona Jim, who had never left Jerome's side since they departed from Verdun ; " take this to the field-telegraph. I,et it have precedence of all other messages. ' ' Soon the King came speeding up. " It is glorious," he shrieked in a falsetto due to excite- ment ; " France will again have her boundary on the Rhine !" Vansittart smiled and acknowledged Henri's congratula- tions, but did not discuss matters beyond their general aspect ; he waited until the King had calmed somewhat. After a hasty luncheon Jerome attended to the details of the surrender, which was proceeding without undue diffi- culty. Von Gossler was again announced, to prefer a simple request that Vansittart should name the earliest hour at which it would suit his convenience to meet the Emperor. Jerome fixed upon six o'clock, sending a short note to the Kaiser, asking him, as a favour, to summon the chief officers of the German force to the conclave. Then he drew the King aside. " I want to ask your Majesty," he said, " what, in your opinion, would have been the fate of France had I not taken control of affairs at the moment and in the manner I did." Henri opened his eyes in wide astonishment. ' ' Surely that is an extraordinary question ! " he cried. * * Not in the least. Pray tell me without reservation. ' ' 374 '^^^^ i^^i^/ Provinces " Why, no one in his senses can doubt that the country would have been utterly subjugated and ruined, whilst the Germans would long since have occupied Paris. I was once idiot enough ' ' " Thank you," interrupted Jerome. " Then 1 take it I may ask a reward ? ' ' Henri was so obviously mystified by his words that he continued : " I will at once explain. If France and your- self are so indebted to me, I may at least stipulate that the settlement of the terms of peace shall be left unreservedly in my hands." " Surely, Vansittart, they can be entrusted to none so competent. ' ' ' ' Is that a bargain, then ? ' ' " On my life and honour as a king." They heartily shook hands on the compact, but Henri was puzzled at the millionaire's earnestness. He under- stood later. At the appointed hour Vansittart and the King, attended by a brilliant suite and an escort of the i8th Chasseurs — if any other corps had accompanied Jerome there would have been a mutiny — approached the small chateau which served as the German headquarters. They were received by Von Gossler, who forthwith con- ducted them to a room on the ground floor ; for the first time, Vansittart and Wilhelm were face to face. The Emperor stood in the centre of the apartment, digni- fied and impassive, with his hands behind his back. His face was rigid, and although tanned by exposure, its dull pallor betrayed the agonised hours he had endured since the morning. Behind him, in compliance with Vansittart's re- quest, were ranged the divisional officers of his army, and the heads of military departments. His sword and sabretache rested obtrusively against a chair. For an awkward moment there was silence. Then Von Gossler spoke. ' ' This is M. Vansittart, your Then he bent in the saddle and scribbled a telegram to Evelyn announ- cing the victory." Jerome and Wilhebn 375 Majesty," he said. As an afterthought he added : " Permit me also to announce the King of France." The Kaiser inclined his head. " I am at a loss," he said, with even, metallic accents, ' ' to know whether to present my sword to the King or to the man who makes and unmakes kings. ' ' ' ' To the King ! ' ' said Vansittart, whereupon Wilhelm handed his sword to Henri, who gravely received it. ' ' And now tell me your resolves, monsieur. ' ' The Kaiser turned and looked Vansittart square in the eyes. " I am here for that purpose. They are brief and to the point. I require the prompt capitulation of the German forces now stationed west of the Rhine, when, after the re- quisite formalities, all officers and men will be at once free to return to their homes. I also require you to sign a treaty of peace, leaving the delimitation of the frontier between France and Germany to the mayors of twelve French and German towns, six to be nominated by you and six by me. These gentlemen will be asked, in addition, to devise such means as they think fit to prevent further trouble in regard to frontier affairs, both countries binding them- selves to accept such recommendations without cavil or complaint." An absolute buzz of amazement ran through the room at this extraordinary proposal. Men looked at each other in wonder when Vansittart ceased speaking. Henri was as much astonished as anyone, whilst Wilhelm, flushing red with angry surprise, at last blurted out : " Do I understand, monsieur, that you ask me to leave the dismemberment of my Empire to the vagaries of a parcel of municipal councillors ? " " Yes, 3^our description will serve." " And if I refuse ? " " I will no longer leave the question to you, but to your people and Parliament." The reply staggered the Emperor. Such a course of pro- ^'j6 The Lost Provinces cedure meant the disappearance of the House of Hohenzol- lem. The pallor returned to his cheeks as he said : " In the name of the saints, why mayors ? " " Because it may be fairly assumed that the}- represent the mass of the people, without whose taxes and military ser\-ice it would be impossible for such as you to plunge peacefully disposed nations into the horrors of war. ' ' The Kaiser swept aside this all-sufficing answer. With intense bitterness of tone he said, turning to his staff : ' ' You hear, gentlemen. This is the first instalment. The second will doubtless deal with indemnity." Vansittart produced a cigar-case, cut the end oflf a cigar, and lit it, before he said, with the utmost coolness : " There will be no indemnity. God forbid that I should fine your unfortunate people because of your blunders." Such an announcement was the last thing that Wilhelm expected from his noteworthy antagonist's lips. During the long torture of suspense since the surrender, he had estimated the French demands to be assuredly even greater than the two hundred millions sterUng his grandfather had wrung from suffering France in 1871. It was such a payment that he feared most. Already German}' was resentful of military im- posts. What would his people say, what would the}- do, when they learnt that his folly had robbed them of a colossal sum ? Yet this American calmh- told him that no indemnity would be demanded. Involuntarily he murmured : " You are a mar\-ellous man, M. Vansittart." Jerome, irritated slightly by the Kaiser's fitfulness, merely nodded his appreciation of the compliment. Wilhelm had perforce to continue the conversation. " Notwithstanding your last remarkable concession, M. Vansittart, I cannot accept your terms. It is impossible that the Emperor of Germany should consent to expose any part of his dominions to the bartering of a set of provincial mayors, excellent though these gentlemen may be." " You forgfet that France likewise submits to their arbitra- yerome and Wilhelm t^jj ment. I should have the utmost faith in their collective good sense. ' ' " Pooh, it is out of the question." The millionaire picked up his hat and riding-whip, which he had placed on a chair. "Then further discussion is unnecessary," he said. "Have I your Majesty's word that neither you nor the members of your staff present will attempt to escape ? Or must I place you under restraint ? " The Kaiser flared out again into animation : " It is matterless to me what you do. My unbeaten troops still hold the field, in French territory, too. I will pay the full price of my transgressions. I abdicate in favour of my son. My brother, Prince Henry of Pru.ssia, will carry on the campaign, and mayhap yet crush your proteges and dis- appoint your magniloquent theories." The King of France stamped impatiently on the floor. He would have retorted angrily had not Vansittart's re- straining look plainly said : ' ' Remember your promise. ' ' From the German ofiicers came murmurs of indignation showing how they chafed at the situation. Jerome directly addressed them. " So," he said, " you share j^our headstrong leader's view. You still hold your opponents in such feeble esteem that you believe your armies in I^orraine to be superior to circum- stances. Let me undeceive you. To-day your expedition, consisting presumably of your picked troops, was beaten by less than half its numbers. Only one-third of my men were in the field when you were hopelessly crippled. You have seen the value of the motors in action, and I tell you em- phatically that if my demands are not acceded to full}' within the hour, all my available force will march to-night for the frontier. To-morrow General Kreuznach will be asked to defeat the same combination that you have already found irresistible. What will be the result ? " 378 The Lost Provinces The Emperor broke in. " I have abdicated," he cried. " A German Emperor in the clutches of the enemy can at least refuse to betray his country. ' ' ' ' What care I for your abdication ? ' ' was the scornful re- tort. " An Emperor is no more to me than the driver of a baggage mule. It is of Germany I am thinking, not of her puppet ruler. Beware, sir, lest the German people lose a dynasty as well as a province." The two men were but a couple of paces apart during this impassioned dialogue. The stubborn Saxon nature in each shone from their resolute blue eyes. Wilhelm's attitude showed that if the vital issues before them could be deter- mined by strangling his opponent he would gladly make the attempt — Vansittart's, that he entertained profound con- tempt for a monarch who cared little if he brought his country to degradation in order to gratify his personal pride. How the meeting would have terminated had it gone on unchecked in this fashion no man in the room was afterwards able to say. The eflfect of another angry phrase or biting retort might have shaken Europe to its foundations. But a dramatic yfwa/^ was at hand. A sudden commotion drew all eyes to the door, which was violently flung open, revealing a German aide-de-camp, struggling ineffectually beneath the giant grip of Arizona Jim. " Come off, you sausage-eatin' shrimp," yelled Bates. " When I wants ter see my boss every Dutchman in the Fatherland hez got ter quit. See, sauerkraut?" and he threw the officer in a heap into the passage. " Why, what 's the matter, Jim ? " cried Vansittart. " A telegram fur 3^ou, guv' nor. An' when General le Breton says quick he means quick. So here it is, if there was forty bloomin' Emperors in the room." Jim glanced with fiery disdain from his fallen adversary' to the Kaiser. Wilhelm had already heard a good deal of Arizona Jim, whose fame was great throughout the Continent, particu- Jerome and Wilhehn 3 79 larly since his ride through the German lines at Troy on. He surveyed him for a moment before he said to Vansittart : " Your servants adopt the masterful methods of their employer, it appears. ' ' " Emperors are of small consequence to an American, any- way. Leave us, Jim. Wait for me outside." ^^ Jerome handed the telegram to the Kaiser, continuing : " Possibly this may influence your decision." The Emperor disdainfully took the little bit of flimsy paper. He read its contents twice before he seemed to fully compre- hend their purport. Then his customary pallid complexion assumed an ashen hue. He visibly trembled. Even his voice shook as he murmured : " Can this be true ? " " On my honour," said Vansittart, " it is sent for my in- formation, and I have no reason to doubt its accuracy. In- deed, it only obeys my order and fulfils my expectation." Wilhelm dropped listlessly into a chair, to bury his face in his hands ; the slanting rays of the sinking sun, striking in patches through the low diamond-framed windows of the room, showed great drops of perspiration glistening on his forehead. All else wondered what the fateful intelligence could be that had such potent effect, for even Vansittart, notwith- standing his powers of self-control, betrayed unusual emotion. The square-shouldered, plank-like Germans stood in rivetted attention, whilst the King of France almost whis- pered : " What is it?" The little King's eager curiosity brought a smile to Jerome's grave lips. He stooped to pick up the telegram from the floor, where it had fallen from the Emperor's nerveless fingers. " I will read it aloud," he said. And this is what he read : " Metz is ours ; the tricolour floats again above its walls. Whilst our attack on Kreuznach was developing, I formed strong column for 380 The Lost P}' ovine es the assault of Metz, aud carried positiou after position with astound- ing ease. The gallant troops of France would not be gainsaid. Fighting in outskirts still proceeding ; but we are firmly established in the town itself, and in the forts to west and south. Kreuznach will probably make desperate eflForts to recapture Metz ; but I am con- fident of ability to hold him off pending further orders. Have just heard of your great victory. Most hearty congratulations. "Daubisson." Not even German military decorum could withstand this momentous news. The staflF-officers broke out into strong guttural ejaculations, but Vansittart sta)'ed them by a wave of his hand. " Now, your Majesty, which is it to be ? Am I to march to complete Daubisson' s coup, or do you accept my terms, frankly and full}' ? " " I have abdicated," groaned Wilhelm, without rising. " Nonsense. Withdraw your hasty words. You are far too great a man, far too brave to desert your post when the clouds have gathered over your country. Come, you have lost the game. Make the best of it. If I know aught of your character you will be more truly a monarch in adversity than when you were free to follow your own unhindered im- pulse. But you must decide at once. The time for parley has passed. One or other of us must act." Wilhelm dropped his hands and looked around. ' ' Very well. Be it so, ' ' he said ; ' ' but soldiers, not mayors, shall utter the first word. Gentlemen, you are cognisant of all that has happened. Am I to answer ' Yes ' or ' No ' to M. Vansittart ? " No member of his stafi"took the initiative. " Nay," cried the Emperor, " out with it. I yield to the majority. Which is it to be, Von Gossler ? " " Yes," came the firm answer. " And you, Griidenau ? " "Yes." He named them all individually. Each man agreed, though some of the voices were tremulous with grief. It Jerome and Wilhelm 381 was a bitter sequel to the war of '70-' 71 for the veterans of Mars-la-Tour and Sedan. ' ' Good, ' * said the Emperor, rising from his chair. ' * I will make the best of it, M. Vansittart. There is my hand on it." ' ' And with the King of France ! ' ' said Jerome, accepting the proffered handshake. " With the King of France, by all means." But they were continental monarchs, so Wilhelm and Henri embraced. " Now," cried Wilhelm, from whom a great depression had seemingly passed in an instant, " what is the best way to set about it ? " " After your Majesty has signed a document briefly re- citing our agreement, I will have much pleasure in giving you and these other gentlemen every facility for rejoining your army on the frontier. You can, like me, telegraph orders to suspend hostilities until your arrival." ' ' But what if I fail ? What if my men refuse to obey me?" " That will mean your abdication in grim earnest. I do not, however, anticipate your failure. It was in order to strengthen your hands that I desired your staff to be present at this interview." After a moment's thought Wilhelm said : " You are a generous man, M. Vansittart." " Not so generous as your Majesty has been to an ad- versary who hit harder than is possible in the battle-field." This was the first allusion by either to the Emperor's action with regard to Evelyn. Those simple words did much to make smooth the future way. ' ' And these mayors ? When do they meet ? ' ' The Kaiser did not yet take kindly to the stipulation. It still rankled. " The day after to-morrow, at Metz." ' ' So soon ! We meet there to ratify their — their verdict ? ' ' 382 The Lost Provinces " Assuredly. You will think better of mayoral intelli- gence when they have ended their sitting." " Then I am ready to start forthwith." Some writing materials were produced, the preliminary treaty drawn up and signed, and some telegrams despatched. As he laid down his pen the Kaiser said : ' ' I would ask one small favour. Let me see one of your infernal motor-cars. ' ' In the growing twilight the whole party trooped out to- gether, to find the French soldiers in Verzy cheerfully pre- paring rations for themselves and their captives. The vanquished at least realised the superiority of the victors in one respect : they did not dream of disputing their pre-eminence as cooks. CHAPTER XXXVI RIBOU'S CAPTURE WHEN the bells of Paris clanged out the joyful news that the war was over their cheerful peal did not lift the gloom from FoUiet's soul. He could not find Ribou. Paris, that huge barometer where humanity provides a more suitable element than mercury, was now " set fair." The Communists had been shovelled into pits, for the most part, and the only visible records of the revolution were the gaunt walls of the Tuileries, some few wrecked buildings, and a large number of new mortar patches, breast-high, showing the bullet marks in the stucco in those streets where the fighting had taken place. Beyond these trivial disfigurements, soon to be remedied by the builder and Time, the City of Light wore her wonted aspect when her lively inhabitants declare themselves en fete. When Folliet had assured himself that the news in the papers was true — that the Germans had really capitulated at Verzy, and Metz was occupied — he gave no further heed to affairs of state. These he knew to be quite safe in Van- sittart's hands ; the paramount question with him was the hiding-place of Ribou, that arch-plotter, that repository of intrigue. He guessed, and rightly, as it transpired, that the ex- minister was still in Paris. The retreat which had been proved so reliable would not be readily given up. If the man attempted to leave France he would try to slip the 383 384 The Lost Provinces hounds when the chase had cooled, and not at a moment when each post, each frontier train, was carefully searched by detectives well acquainted with his identity. Every artifice known to the Prefecture was tried in vain to discover his hidden abode. Theoretically, the Paris police can at once lay hands upon any person they want. The residents of every house in the city, their occupations, names, ages, and habits, are supposed to be known to the ofiicers of the law. But it is precisely in the exception to an otherwise admirable system that the real difficulty lies. There are nearly three hundred thousand houses in Paris. By the theory, they were all incapable of shielding Ribou from police scrutiny ; in practice, he might be in any of them. Such of his accomplices as had escaped being shot were in custody, but the offers of rewards and pardons were unavail- ing to attain the desired object. Ribou had as sedulously concealed his temporary dwelling-place from his associates as from the police. Many had seen him before and during the emeuie, all testified to his direction and control, but none knew where he lived. Folliet had to confess himself baffled, and with the un- pleasant admission came the still less consoling thought that very probably Armand Dupres would lay hands on Ribou in a day if he were so minded. " Now how would Armand set to work ? " said Folliet to himself. " Let me try to be en rapport with his methods. Let me see. He would surely start by consuming quantities of Argon ne." So Folliet purchased a dozen of superb Argonne, made himself verj' ill, and got no nearer truth. Finally he pocketed his pride and sent the following telegram to Armand at Verdun : " I want you to come and help nie to find Ribou. He is hidden in Paris. Wire me when to expect you." Ribous Capture 385 In due course came the reply : " Leaving Verduu this afternoon. Will reach Prefecture to-morrow evening at seven, for dinner. See that the '73 champagne is in ice for forty minutes. It gives wings to the soul." " The rascal has changed his wine," grumbled Folliet. " And why does he require thirty hours for the journey if he departs from Verdun at once ? Ah, if I could only catch Ribou before he arrives ! ' ' But Armand came, and there was no news of Ribou. With Armand was Marie, for Dick Harland, now re- covered from the blow he received in the inn, had brought his sister's retinue to Verdun, so Marie's services were no longer required. Besides, Marie was now the wife of a rich man. At the Prefecture they were conducted by Folliet to his private apartments. The manager of the Cafe Riche had charge of the dinner— his standing with the police depended upon the excellence of the wine— so even Armand's exquisite taste was satisfied. " You find it good ? " said Folliet, more hopefully than he had spoken for days, when Armand set down his glass with an approving smile. Superb. Mere wealth should not be able to purchase the like. It should be reserved for men of undoubted genius. ' ' ' ' And you think ' ' " I think Marie should drink it more heartily. You are weary, my sweet. Drink, and fear not." " I passed a restless night," murmured Marie. " I hate to be left alone. ' ' " Monsieur Dupres quitted Verdun before you, then ? " said Folliet, who could never resist the chance of putting a leading question. " Yes ! He went oflf like a rocket after receiving your message. We met at Chalons to-day en route." 386 The Lost Provmces " And may I ask wliere you went, monsieur ? " "Certainly. To Metz." Armand answered the query as though he had announced a commonplace outing to Versailles. "To Metz !" ' ' Where else ? Did you not sa}' that you wished me to help you in the hunt for Ribou ? Come, monsieur, j'ou do not yourself do justice to the wine. Fill up ! " " I drank some — some Burgundy the other evening that disagreed with me. But wh}' Metz ? " " Ah, you should be careful. There are many varieties of red wane. Now, Argonne, as you know " " Is marvellous in its efiects at times. But pray tell me, why Metz ? ' ' " Where else would you seek traces of Ribou ? In Berlin, possibl}', but surely not in Paris. ' ' Folliet puzzled his brains until he thought he had caught the drift of Armand's philosophy. " Well, perhaps," he said, " it was a good idea to get hold of Ribou' s German acquaintances. They might know more than we. Were you successful ? ' ' Armand laughed boisterously as he called for another bottle. " Metz is a mere figure of speech. I passed my spare hours there in ordinary sightseeing. With others, I gaped at the Kaiser, who awaits the conference of mayors. That is a very clever idea of Vansittart's, I can tell you. Those fellows will think more of trading facilities than of manoeuvres." " Do you mean to say, then, that you did not even try to get hold of one of Ribou' s agents — that fellow Hans Schwartz, for instance ? ' ' The other looked steadily at Folliet, with amused cynicism in his bright eyes. ' ' No, ' ' he said ; " I did not see Schwartz. I hardly spoke to a soul. Yet you are shrewd, Folliet. You plod along the track of a comet in the effort to di.scover its direction. Why do you never soar into the empyrean ? I told you that the champagne of '73 gave wings to genius." Ribotis Capture 387 ** Then you learnt nothing of Ribou at Metz ? " " Not a word. I never mentioned his name. Indeed, I hardly thought of him. ' ' ' ' But why the devil did you go there ? ' ' " Merely to oblige you, my friend. You asked me to help you, so I went to Metz and here I am." " flfille tonnerres ! I see that. But where is Ribou ? " Armand drank another deep draught. " I will tell you," he said slowly, " before eleven o'clock to-morrow, if it is a clear day. If it is misty, no. But before eleven o'clock on the fir.st clear day. ' ' Notwithstanding all previous experience this was too much for Folliet. He laughed sarcastically : " Do you require a telescope, then, monsieur ? " Armand pondered. He answered the question at random. " No, hardly a telescope ; it is a difficult instrument to ad- just rapidly, and covers too small a field — but good opera- glasses, yes," " This is beyond a joke," growled Folliet, now quite sure that Dupres was mad, and that his former powers of divina- tion were the last glowing embers of the fire that illumined his strange soul. " My husband never jokes," purred Marie, complacently. ' ' At least, never when he speaks seriously. ' ' The angelic Marie made her awkward confession of faith with an air of conviction that was galling to the Prefect. " Opera-glasses ! " he cried. " Nonsense ! Why not a microscope, or a kite ? ' ' Armand toyed with his glass. " Poor Folliet," he mur- mured. ' ' There will ever be a Didymus who does not be- lieve because he cannot see." And not one other word on the subject near to his heart could the Prefect draw from him during the course of the meal. At last the visitors rose to go. Folliet allowed his anxiety to master his growing wrath. 388 The Lost Provinces " Tell me, at least," he said, " what I may expect to- morrow. ' ' Dupres turned upon him suavely. " You had nearly lost Ribou, M. Folliet. I am glad to learn that you still trust me. Have you one of those maps of Paris in which the larger buildings are indicated by small profile drawings ? " The Prefect, still anxious to probe the mystery that hung round Armand's utterances, sent out an attendant, and the man soon brought the sheet described. Armand examined it closelj' for some moments, paying special heed to the heights marked opposite each notable structure. He marked several of these and placed the map in his pocket, saying : " To-morrow, Folliet, at nine o'clock, I will be here. I hope you will meet me, or, at any rate, detail eight of your smartest men to await my instructions. Let them be men of keen eyes, and — yes — see that they possess good opera- glasses. But only if it be a clear day. If the atmosphere is dull and hazy I do not come. At 9 a.m. on the first clear day. Good-bye." Marie tucked her arm under Armand's and they trotted off, the happiest and queerest couple in Paris. Folliet fumed a good deal, yet he drew his blinds early next morning with eager outlook for the weather. It was superb. Slight rain overnight had cooled and clarified the air. Smokeless Paris was bathed in bright sunshine. Curiously enough, the pleasant aspect of nature restored Folliet's confidence. He remembered Armand's apparently miraculous deductions from the mere appearance of a bottle of wine on the table of a country inn, and he reflected that he had not paid sufficient heed overnight to the harmless variety of this enthusiastic compound of genius and poetry. So it was in humbler frame of mind that he awaited Ar- mand's arrival at the Prefecture. A few minutes later Dupres appeared, followed by a cabman who carried a large wicker-work crate. Riboiis Capture 389 Folliet gazed fixedly at the basket as the man dumped it down on the floor ; from its interior came the flutter of wings and the soft cooing of pigeons. Then the clever policeman thumped his head viciousl}'. At last he understood. ' ' So, ' ' he said, ' ' if you did not see Herr Schwartz, you saw his house." ' ' Yes. I listened with interest to your story of the Rue Pigalle. It escaped you that the pigeons at Gravelotte might fly to other quarters of Paris than Montmartre." " It did." " And that pigeons might yet fly from Paris to Grave- lotte." " Trust me, I will never doubt you again." Folliet was humbled. He now knew how news could travel so rapidly between the frontier and the capital at a time when every known source of communication was wholly in his power. " As a matter of fact," laughed Armand, " Schwartz visited his farm nightly and fed his pigeons. The supply of grain showed that. He would swear badly last night, for I brought them all away." " Oh, yes, I want to hear no more. Let us be quick, quick. ' ' ' ' Then lead me to your staff" of assistants. ' ' In the bureau Armand addressed the detectives. ' ' You will each go at once, ' ' he said, ' ' to the buildings I will allot to you individually, mount to the top, and at 10.15 sharp keep a careful lookout for a solitary pigeon that may fly towards you from the Eiff^el Tower. Should you see such a bird, watch intently to see where it goes. Mark the build- ing with the utmost exactitude. If you cannot distinguish the building, note the direction taken by the bird. In either event, return here at once. Those who see no bird at all can return at eleven o'clock." The men signified their full comprehension of their in- structions, and started in cabs for their posts. Folliet and 390 The Lost Provinces Armand drove at spanking pace to the Tour d' Eiffel. Here the Prefect's authority secured them a quick ascent. They reached the pubUc summit, and climbed thence by a ladder and trap-door to the topmost point of that remarkable structure. Armand sniffed the keen air jealously. " How it invigor- ates ! " he cried. " No wonder the Tibetan Buddhists have won fame for their capacity of taking thought. Marie and I must buy a villa in the Alps." " Oh, come, help to liberate these birds." Folliet was scrutinising his watch and it was nearly the appointed time. Armand sighed. " I shall never make a philosopher of you, Folliet." Yet even he bent to the crate with some show of eagerness, for his theory was about to be put to the test. Folliet secured a pigeon, tenderly caressed its wings, and threw it out from the Tower. The graceful bird, dazed by its imprisonment and unexpected height from the ground, fluttered uncertainly for a few seconds. It then began a gradually increasing spiral flight, and after a few wide sweeps made off towards the chapel-crowned hill of Mont- martre. Both men ejaculated : " The Rue Pigalle ! " In the second essay the pigeon, keeping high in the air, darted swiftly eastwards. Through their glasses they could distinctly see it covering the districts of Charonne and Montreuil. " To Gravelotte ! " cried Folliet. " Possibly. Let us try again." The third messenger also fled eastward, but, as they watched, it paused in its flight, and circled gradually lower over the Temple district. ' ' Glorious ! ' ' roared Folliet. ' ' Let us be off. ' ' But Armand was visibly annoyed. He resented Folliet's encouraging grasp on his arm. ' ' Associating with you, ' ' he growled, " has had a deteriorating effect. Fool that I am ! " Ribotis Capttire 391 ' ' Why ? ' ' gasped the other. ' ' I should have doubled or trebled the men stationed to the east. That man on the Hotel de Ville tore off to the Prefecture long before the second pigeon passed. ' ' ' ' Well, well, we have localised Ribou. We will try again from the Hotel de Ville." " True ; but I said eleven o'clock. It will be noon, or more, before you lay hands on Ribou. ' ' This fine point of honour was lost on the excited Prefect. They descended, with the remaining birds ; Folliet flushed with anticipation, Armand sulky and careless of develop- ments. When they reached the rendezvous it was exactly as Dupres had predicted. The detective could only report the pigeon that soared off to the familiar loft near the Bois d'Oignons, nearly two hundred miles away. Armand refused to go to the roof of the Hotel de Ville. He had an appointment with Marie for dejeilner at the Grand Hotel. The fate of Ribou weighed little in the scale against Marie's deferred breakfast. He was glad afterwards that he escaped the scene that took place later. From the leads of the Town Hall it was an easy matter to learn the exact harbour of the second pigeon that hovered over the Temple. ' * La Rue des Fourmiers, the third house from the end ! ' ' shouted Folliet and one of his men simultaneously. They rushed thither, calling to their aid every policeman they passed on the way. It was a tall, dingy building, with close-shuttered win- dows, locked door, and the significant placard To Let on its walls. " Smash in the door," said the Prefect, and a crowd gathered like dust in a whirlwind at the unusual spectacle of a number of policemen furiously butting at the solid planks. 392 The Lost Provmces Soon the door j-ielded and the men poured inside, each striving against the other for distinction beneath the eye of the Prefect. They dashed up the dark and narrow stair- way, but Folliet paused a moment to leave a guard on the door, and to see that there was tro available exit to the rear. It was well for him that he did so. Shots resounded in quick succession down the well of the stairs, with wild trampings on the loose boards, and the cries of wounded men. Springing up and up, until his breath was almost spent, Folliet heard more firing, and oaths, whilst a familiar voice bellowed : "Where is Folliet? Send him here. I yield to none other." Stumbling over the corpse of one policeman and the wounded bodies of two others, the wiry little Prefect gained the topmost landing. Through the open door of the attic he saw Ribou, standing with his back to a wide casement, whilst the last of the detectives crouched, watching him, be- hind the jamb of the door. " Be careful, sir," cried the man. " I am unarmed, and he has two chambers of his revolver loaded." But Ribou's furious tones rang out. " Ha, ha, my friend. You are there. Let me greet you ! " He fired and Folliet' s preliminary jump just saved his life. Ribou swore coarsely when he saw he had missed. He advanced to make sure of the next shot. But the crouching detective was a man of resource. He had taken off his boot, and now hit the infuriated murderer in the chest with this heavy missile. Involuntarily Ribou's hand clenched, and the last bullet spent itself harmlessly in the plaster. Folliet and the detective sprang forward simultaneously. Ribou was too quick for them. He gave a fierce yell — half-laugh, half-groan. " Not yet, Folliet," he roared, and jumped bodily through the window. RiboiLs Capture 393 For an instant Folliet thought that his enemy had devised some means of escape. But a glance in the street showed that the unfortunate conspirator had sought the last solace of desperate humanity. He had thrown himself from the attic of a six-story house, and the gaping crowd in the street were now gazing alternately at the ghastly lump on the pavement and up into the air as though they expected another body to come hustling downwards. In such a matter the Prefect of Police was case-hardened. " He has saved much trouble," he murmured, turning to give aid to the men wounded by the Communist leader. Whilst crossing the room he heard a rustle of wings, and for the first time saw two pigeons tremulously perched on a closed cage. The first bird had puzzled Ribou ; the second alarmed him. Two minutes after its arrival he heard his death-knell in the police assault upon his door. Folliet called at the Grand Hotel to acquaint Armand with the details. The great man had breakfasted well. A cafe and cognac had restored his equanimity. He listened unmoved to the description of Ribou' s terrible plunge through space. " Ah, Folliet ! " he said, leaning back contentedly in his chair, ' ' neither of you had wings ! ' ' CHAPTER XXXVII ELSASS-LORRAINE THE selection of the twelve mayors who were to consti- tute the world-renowned Council of Metz was not such an easy matter when the representatives of France and Germany came to tackle it in earnest. In the first case it was necessar>' that the six Frenchmen should speak German, and the six Germans French, to insure a thorough exchange of ideas preparatory to the compilation of a joint report. When the bilingual lists were drawn up, giving the names of every ma", thus qualified, the leaders on both sides passed some anxious hours in picking out those dignitaries most likely to preserve a judicial frame of mind. Thus, it was discovered, at the eleventh hour, that the excellent Mayor of Cretonne was an enthusiastic Alsatian. His admitted prejudices hopelessly barrred him. The Germans learnt, too, that the esteemed Burgomaster of Schatsalp-von-Dumpf- stiick, a local magnate of admitted merit, was an ardent Socialist. He was ruled out. At last, amidst much speculation by their fellow-country- men, and objects of close attention by Europe and America, the chosen twelve assembled in the Town Hall of Metz. Here they were received by Vansittart and the two mon- archs. After the worthy gentlemen had been hospitably entertained, the millionaire addressed them. " Gentlemen," he said, " the problem submitted to your devoted attention is perhaps the most serious that an)'^ human conclave was ever yet asked to solve. Two great nations, 394 Elsass-Lorraine 395 whicli geographically and ethnologically are wholly distinct, have lived for a generation in hourly dread of the war which has just been brought to a close. Why ? Because of the constant rankling in the breast of each of the wound left open by the campaign of 1 870-7 1 . Other considerations I sweep aside. I do not admit that so-called social or heredi- tary feuds can live in the electric glare of modern progress. The world is more than big enough for every Frenchman and every German. I am absolutely convinced that the heart's desire of ever}^ true patriot in both countries is to see his land prospering in peace and freed from the curse of militarism." An unmistakable burst of applause from the delegates encouraged Vansittart, whilst Wilhelm II. took a keen inter- est in the shape of his left boot. " I am glad to think that you are with me in this belief. I look to you with confidence to justify the trust I reposed in you when I asked the King of France and the German Emperor to submit to your arbitration the vital questions in dispute between them." The King of France and the German Emperor both tried to look as though Jerome's way of putting the matter was strictly accurate. But the Mayor of Leipsic, who was a bit of a wag, winked solemnly at his confrere of Lyons, an old and valued business correspondent. " What we propose — I speak with their Majesties' ap- proval," went on Vansittart — " is that you shall meet forthwith in the apartments prepared for you. There, un- fettered by diplomacy, unchecked by treaty or precedent, supplied only with writing materials and some excellent maps, you will proceed to draw up what I hope will be a unanimous decision as to the best means of finally settling the question of the natural frontier between France and Germany. You are a judicial tribunal, not a collection of special pleaders. The industrial masses of Germany have as much faith in the representatives of France as the people of 39^ The Lost Provinces France have in those of Germany. Show neither fear nor favour. Your recommendations in the interests of peace cannot go too far, your guarantees cannot be too binding." Vansittart's voice became unconsciously stern, almost menacing, as he uttered the last sentences. The assembled mayors looked at him only now, whilst Henri and the Kaiser wondered what he would say next. To their relief he added : " Beyond this general counsel I cannot now proceed. Did I not hold a brief for France in this quarrel I would gladly assist at your deliberations, but the circumstances of the case render it impossible. I appeal to you to approach your grave duties in the spirit of traders rather than statesmen, as pioneers of progress, and not as soldiers holding back civil- isation at the point of the bayonet. You have, on the honour of French and German ministers, been summoned hither without advice or instruction. You will remain so until you communicate to me that you have arrived at a unanimous agreement, or as near such a consummation as may be attainable. During your sitting, or sittings — for you may remain together for some days if you so desire — no one will be permitted to visit you nor hear from you. To all intents and purposes you will be a jury dealing with the most noteworthy verdict that ever yet jury was convened to con- sider. Strong in the conviction that the mayors of twelve enlightened cities will readily settle a vexed question which two terrible and disastrous wars have utterly failed to decide, I dismiss you to your task. ' ' There was a moment's pause, when the strong staccato accents of the German Emperor sounded through the room : " I have nothing to add to what M. Vansittart has said. May the spirit of ' ' (by sheer force of habit he nearly said " my grandfather ") " of wisdom abide with you. Hoch ! " Henri V. thought it incumbent to make his voice heard. " I drink to the frontier of peace and brotherly relations," he said, and the little King's happy phrase won general approval. Elsass-Lorraine 397 But the Mayor of Hamburg, a portly man who had en- joyed his dejefiner^ had something on his mind. " Do I understand you rightly, M. Vansittart," he in- quired, " that we should be supplied with nothingh\x\. maps, pens, ink, and paper ? " " Yes ; that is our intention." ' ' What ? Nothing to eat f And we may sit for a week ! ' ' A general, if somewhat uneasy, laugh ran through the room. But Vansittart explained that, of course, ample pro- vision would be made for meals and sleeping accommoda- tions if such should be found necessary. He thought he knew his men far too well for this con- tingency to arise. In the event he was right. The mayors retired at one o'clock. At five the same evening the Mayor of Marseilles, who, by reason of seniority in years, had been elected spokesman for the others, sent messages to both camps to the effect that the council was ready with its report. The intense curiosity that prevailed in the breasts of French and German statesmen brought them rapidly to the Hotel de Ville. Not alone Vansittart and the two monarchs, but every minister and prominent official who had the slightest claim to be present, put in an appearance, and the grand Salon of the Town Hall was filled with a brilliant and animated throng when the mayors solemnly filed in from their memorable conclave. The exceeding brevity of their meeting, considering the vital nature of the questions at issue, excited general sur- prise, and no one could form the least idea as to the extent or nature of their findings. ' ' Have you unanimously agreed upon your recommenda- tions, gentlemen ? " said Vansittart, and the query induced a profound silence in the crowded room. " We have," said the Mayor of Marseilles. Stepping forward he read, with clear and emphatic voice, the following : 39^ The Lost Provmces " We, the undersigned mayors of twelve French and German cities, in pursuance of the great trust committed to our care, are unani- mously of opinion : " I. That the province of Lorraine, as marked out by a reasonably straight line drawn from Donon in the Vosges Mountains to, but not including, the town of Saargemund, shall in future be French territory, the legal boundary to be fixed by a properly constituted commission. "2. That the province of Elsass, naturally defined by the watershed of the Vosges Mountains, shall remain German territory, with the addition of the small portion of Lorraine lying to the east of the line indicated in paragraph i. "3. That all fortresses and defensive works of military significance within the limits of the said provinces of Lorraine and Elsass be forthwith levelled to the ground, "4. That all so-called strategic railways in both provinces shall be speedily linked together, and joined, where practicable, to the main lines of France and Germany, for the better development of commerce and the promotion of mutual intercourse. "5. That no officer of the army shall hold administrative positions in either of the provinces. "6. That no troops shall be stationed in large numbers, nor military stores or armaments collected, within 100 French kilometres of the new frontier line. " 7. That the Customs and Police authorities of France and Germany shall be solely entrusted with the conduct of frontier regula- tions, which shall be framed only in regard to revenue and legal necessities. "8. That in all other respects there shall be free and uninterrupted passage between the two countries." Then the Mayor read the names and designations of him- self and his colleagnes. At once a buzz of eager comment arose. " It means the dismantling of Strassbourg and Mtil- hausen," cried the Kaiser. " We get Metz shorn of its defences, whilst Belfort, Ver- dun, and every fortress in the east of France must be torn to pieces, ' ' vociferated Henri. ' ' Preposterous, ' ' growled the German officers. Elsass-Lorraine 399 * ' Ridiculous, ' ' cried the Frenchmen. Then everyone looked to Vansittart, who had meanwhile secured the report from the Mayor of Marseilles and had perused it with the aid of a small map. Raising his head he obtained a hearing. ' ' I am glad to note, ' ' he said with a smile, ' ' that nobody seems to be satisfied. There is no surer sign that these excellent gentlemen have tried to be just. Nay, more, they have succeeded in their efforts. Their award exceeds my utmost hopes, whilst it more than justifies the confidence I placed in them. They have given to France French lyor- raine ; they have secured to Germany German Elsass. And because they have arrived at a conclusion outlined for them by natural law, they take stringent precautions lest the power of men to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done. Surely they have well acquitted themselves. If ever men deserved honour, these do. In a few hours, aided only by their com- mon sense, they have achieved triumphs which two genera- tions of statesmen and generals, backed by millions of soldiers, have wholly failed to achieve. My friends, think what it means. There are no longer Lost Provinces or hostile prin- cipalities. Let us marvel at their work rather than cavil at its methods. If we do, the whole world will join in our chorus of praise. ' ' Such was the magnetism of Vansittart' s character that his words evoked enthusiasm, and a hearty cheer broke out as he paused. Taking advantage of the moment he cried : " But the Mayor of Hamburg must be hungry. Let us dine ! ' ' And two hours later the Kaiser proposed his health with three " Hochs," — a sign of complete and fraternal agreement. The banquet had a bright feature in the presence of many distinguished ladies. The German Empress had come from Berlin to join her Royal Consort, and was now chatting amicabl}^ with the King of France on her right and Jerome on her left. The Kaiser, of course, did the honours to 400 The Lost Provinces Honorine, but he took care that the disposition of guests brought Evelyn to his left hand. He entertained both with a vivacious account of Marie's memorable interview with him during Madame Vansittart's captivity. Nor did he spare himself. ' ' It was a great temptation to me to leave you in durance vile," he said. " But pray remember that I had not then seen you." " What would have been the result if you had ? " laughed Evelyn. " Well, to tell the honest truth, I would have known at once of your adventures ; your instant release would be ordered, and, hey, presto! the war must have ended sooner. " "Why?" " Because your husband is as irresistible in the field as you are in the Court. Were it not for the grace he gave me for a few days, I should probably have been beaten on the Rhine instead of in the interior of France." " So the French troops count for nothing ? " Honorine's question savoured ever so slightly of resentment. " No. Please do not so construe my intent. It was with French troops that M. Vansittart broke up the picked soldiers of Germany. But in these great wars the leader counts for more than army corps. Battalions are the chessmen ; it is the brain that directs their movements on the board that wins the fight." Evelyn glanced lovingly at Jerome, who was at the mo- ment entertaining the Empress with a lively account of the fat Mayor of Hamburg. " Yes," she said, " Jerome is the greatest man living." " And I must add that you always believed in him." Honorine, much as she owed to the American, wished in her heart that Henri had done something, if ever so little, to- wards bringing the campaign to its glorious close. The Kaiser was tactful enough to feel this. ' ' After all, Madame Vansittart, the King of France and I had not your Elsass-Lorraine 401 husband's opportunities. We were tied by convention and precedent ; he, by sheer might of intellect, sweeps obstacles from his path, whilst we have to find a way round them." " I only know," replied Evelyn, " that he dreaded you as an opponent quite as much as he valued the wonderful assistance given to him by the King of France. He could never have done so well at the frontier had not the King sacrificed his own desires by remaining in Paris to control the important operations at the base." Wilhelm stole a glance at meek little Evelyn. She had rounded his point so neatly that he changed the conversation. When the royal party broke up, they acceded to the clamorous cries of the crowd in the street, and stood for a few moments on the balcony of the Town Hall. The people cheered them vociferously, and small wonder. Dwellers in peaceful cities can never realise what the con- clusion of hostilities means to the inhabitants of a town like Metz, the shuttlecock of mighty players at the awful game of war. The sentiments of every adult being in that frown- ing frontier fortress were those of a man who, condemned to torture and perhaps death, is suddenly set at liberty. But in the crowd was one who nursed very different feelings. Gazing with baleful eyes at Vansittart, whilst he fended the excited passers-by from oflf his maimed wrist, Hans Schwartz had the aspect of a demon. All his plans thwarted, himself a hopeless cripple, this revengeful plotter was no longer the quietly determined man who faced the German Emperor. He then hoped that the march of events might enable him to restore his name and position — perchance to square accounts with Folliet. The collapse of the revolution and the end of the war had come upon him like a bolt from the blue. There remained but the mad hope of revenge. He still knew how to strike Vansittart in a way that no council could alleviate, no king or emperor gainsay. Now it befell that the citizens of Metz had organised a a6 402 The Lost Provificcs torchlight procession. Arizona Jim, mingling with the crowd, took up his position,- unnoticed, on the doorstep of a shop, and as the torch-bearers passed, the light illumined the evil face of Schwartz, standing a few paces to the right. Bates came as near to staring with surprise as he ever did in the course of a placidly eventful life. He saw imprinted on that animated page but one design, murder, and a second glance revealed its object. " Phew," whistled Jim, hitching round his revolver. " There 's more trouble." At last the group on the balcony disappeared, the crowd thinned, and Schwartz moved off with Jim after him. Through some narrow lanes they passed until they came to a square, with a large enclosed garden beyond, and dense trees. The night was clear and fine — one of those delicious continental evenings when people are tempted to stroll about long after ordinary hours. Bates saw the other climb the high iron railings with muttered curses, because of the pain thus caused to his injured limb. Once over, the man dived into the shrubbery. Bates, running like a deer, gained the fence in time to catch sight of Schwartz turning a laurel- shrouded corner. A quick climb, and a stealthy run on the grass, enabled the pursuer to get close to his quarry. The lights of a large building glittered close at hand and Schwartz hid behind a tree with thick brushwood at its roots. *' Gee whiz ! " said Jim. " The Hotel de Ville ! I must get the drop on him, cert." In this sort of business Arizona Jim was an expert. Many a time had he crawled over the prairie to take an Apache in flank. And here was a vicious Indian if ever there was one. " A good Injun is a dead Injun," and Hans Schwartz was surely dead if he attempted mischief. A minute after he had taken up his position the next tree in his rear sheltered an enemy who once before had tricked him when he ap- parently held the winning hand. Schwartz was right in his surmise. Not many minutes Elsass-Lorraine 403 elapsed before doors were thrown open, stalwart men and beautiful women came trooping out over the lawns and paths, the scent of cigars and cigarettes mingled with more delicate perfumes came floating on the gentle breeze, and the pleasant jingle of spurred heels mixed with the frou-frou of silk. Quiet laughter and merry converse bubbled through the air. French and Germans were fraternising as though such things as battles did not exist. At last a group appeared before which all others unostentatiously melted. In front Vansittart talked with Evelyn and the Countess von Gossler! Close behind came the others, blithely unconscious of the black death that lurked beneath the trees. Strolling un- concernedly onward they neared Schwartz's hiding-place, and Jim fingered the trigger of his revolver. Said the Countess : " How glad you must be, Madame Vansittart, that this distressing conflict is done with ! We both must have suff"ered, but you, I am sorry to learn, far more than I." " Yes," said Evelyn ; " it is so indeed. In your case, as in mine, the one person most thought of in the world was exposed to the risks of a severe campaign. But when I was carried off" into Argonne, my keenest grief came from the knowledge that Jerome had to undergo the- ' ' A dark figure suddenly sprang from the leafy shades, a knife glittered in the rays of a distant lamp, a shot rang out, and a man doubled up on the pathway at the very feet of the affVighted women. The fallen assailant still clutched the knife, so Jerome put his foot on the weapon before he bent over him. As he did so, Jim Bates's well-known accents sounded close to him : " Sorry to disturb the ladies, guv' nor, but I guessed he was up to mischief, so I followed him here. ' ' Coming closer, Jim said: " He 'shandin' in his checks this time, all right."' The whole scene had transpired so rapidly that Evelyn half fainting, and the terrified Countess were hurried off before they were well aware of what had happened. 404 The Lost Provinces The Kaiser, stooping to look at the dying man's face, ex- claimed, " Gott im Himmel^ it is Schwartz." Schwartz tried to speak, but died in the eifort. " Well," said Wilhelm II., as he walked back to the house with Vansittart, " the incident has taught me a lesson. The next time I order a rascal to be hanged I will not change my mind. What a wonderful fellow this re- tainer of 5^ours is ! Bj^ the way, why is he called Arizona Jim?" CHAPTER XXXVIII A FAMIIvY MATTKR LEAVING Prime Minister Liancourt and Chancellor Hohenlohe to wrestle with budgets — for they who choose such tunes as a European war must pay many pipers — Vansittart transferred himself and his belongings across the Channel, to spend a quiet autumn at Evelyn's country home. Tears stood in the eyes of Dick Harland and his sister when they gazed once more on the beautiful cottage in a little Devonshire village where they had passed their youth- ful years. But they were tears of thankfulness. This peaceful spot offered a delightful refuge after the turmoil of life during days of strife and nights of restless anxiety. Besides, to gladden Evelyn's heart, were there not certain chubby Vansittarts shrieking with joy at the sight of * * daddy ' ' and ' ' mammy ' ' once more ? As for Jerome, he declared emphatically that for two solid months he would do nothing but smoke, read, eat, and sleep. He kept his word. When the period of incubation was passed, he announced his intention of running over to New York, "just to see how things were getting on." So his dutiful wife gave orders to the servants, and the cottage — it would pass as a mansion in the suburbs of London — be- came a centre of activity. On the eve of departure, Vansittart was sitting in a favour- ite nook of the garden, when Jim Bates sauntered up to him. Jim's manner had not that air of perfect self-assurance which generally fitted so easily upon him. He was chewing 405 4o6 The Lost Provinces a cigar, having forgotten to light it, and there was a subdued timbre in his voice as he uttered the familiar : " Good evenin', guv'nor." " Good evening, Jim. Have n't you got a match ? " " Why, yes, but. Great Scott, how kin you hit upon a thing straight off like that ? " ' ' Like what ? I only wondered why you were carrying about an unlit cigar in your mouth." " Eh, goldarn me, boss, but you 're a slick one." Jim struck a vesta, and puffed vigorously until he had burnt a quarter of an inch of tobacco. Vansittart looked at him curiously. ' ' What 's the matter, Jim ? There 's something on your mind." " Well, guv'nor, I don't mind allowin' as how you 're right. You generally air right." " Getting tired of this quiet life, eh ? Cheer up. We 're off to-morrow, and after I have seen to things in New York, Mr. Harland and you will come with me for a nice little winter shooting-trip in Canada. I am simply dying for a smell of the pine- woods once more. ' ' Bates kept on smoking prodigiously, but he stammered : " 'Tain't 'xactly that. You see, guv'nor " — then finding, Vansittart' s eye on him, he failed in his resolution, and said : ' ' Hev you heerd the news ? They say as how the Kaiser is dead stuck on goin' to Paris and knockin' the Tsar's visit sky-high." " lyook here, Jim ! " said Jerome. " It is not to tell me gossip about the Kaiser you have come. Sit down, and out with it." Jim desperately threw away his cigar, sat down, clasped his sombrero to his right knee with both hands, and com- menced : " It 's this way. There 's a pore ole widder down there " — jerking his thumb towards the neighbouring village — " as lives very quiet an' homelike. I 've took quite a likin' to her, an' " A Family Matter 407 ' ' How old is she ? " " Gettin' on for sixty, if she 's a day. Now, don't you grin, guv'nor. I ain't marryin' widders of sixty. No, sir." "Did I smile? Sorry." " Well, this pore ole widder, she 's awful skeered about beiu' left alone in the world. She hez a son, who 's some- where in the Colonies, an' " ' ' What does she want, Jim ? Just tell me the best thing I can do for her and it 's done, if you ask it. You know that well enough, without all this beating about the bush." Arizona Jim took thought for a moment. He smiled weakly as he answered : " I 've a sort of idea, boss, that you can't fix this business, nohow." ' ' Who on earth is she ? ' ' " Elsie— Mrs. Brook— yes, that 's it." " Mrs. Brook ! Why, that 's my wife's old nurse. She has lived here half a century. I must tell Kvelyn to go and see her at once if she is in any sort of trouble. We will de- lay our departure if necessary. My wife will be quite con- cerned about it." Vansittart half rose, but Bates detained him. " You 've not quite got the hang of it yet, boss. As I was sayin', there 's a son." "Yes?" " An' a daughter." " Oh ! " After a pause, " Not that pretty girl whom I 've seen you talking to occasionally ? ' ' " Now you 've hit it, as the man said when his wife ham- mered her thumb instead of the tack. ' ' Another pause. "Jim," said Vansittart slowly, "have you been telling me this cock-and-bull story about a poor old woman in order to let me know that you were going to marry her daughter ? ' ' " That 's about the size of it. Yes, sir." ' ' Have you quite made up your mind ? ' ' "Not'xactly." 4o8 The Lost Provinces ' ' What do you mean, you rascal ? ' ' " You see, boss, I 've been rollin' about the world many a year now, an' the wildest cuss as ever left the West wants to settle down, peaceable like, some day. There 's some- thin' in his buzzum what tells him he oughter have a fireside of his own, an' a wife, an' — an' — other things." ' ' Who knows that better than I ? But you are not quite certain that this girl — she comes of excellent stock — will make you a good wife ? ' ' " Sure as death." ' ' Then what on earth is the trouble ? ' ' Jim fumbled about a good deal before he went on : " Elsie 's got a powerful grip on me, an' I 'm clean gone on her. So that 's all right as far as it goes. But you and I, guv' nor, hev bin tumblin' about together so long that I can't bear the thought " " My dear friend," said Jerome, taking Jim's rough hand in his own, " my one trusty companion. Did you think I would let you leave me ? Never ! Next to my wife and children I value you more than any living soul. Bring Elsie along, too, when you 're ready." Jim's voice shook somewhat as he said : " Guv'nor, what you sez goes." And that is how Vansittart and Arizona Jim parted for a little while. THE END BY LOUIS TRACY. THE FINAL WAR. An Historical Romance of the Near Future. With i6 full-page Illustrations, Large 12° ...... $1.50 Paper, 16° 75 The clever historian of " The Final War " has described with historic fidelity and with no little dramatic force certain very import- ant international complications which are to occur at the close ol the present century. Jealousy of Great Britain has united for the moment certain of the other great Powers in a scheme for the dis- memberment of the British Empire. The United States, taking the ground that this scheme constitutes a crime against civilization, joins hands with Great Britain. The result of a war so general as to be nearly universal is to lay an assured foundation for a final peace among the nations of the world. " A capital story and full of action. . . . Such a vast topic as a great war in Europe the author has treated in the cleverest manner." — N. Y. Titnes. " We don't know when we have been so much diverted as by the perusal of this book of Mr. Tracy's. . . . It it a grand and glorious military and political jamboree, with a love-story incidentally running through it ; and we cordially recommend it to those of our readers who like works of imagination not unmixed with considerable humor." — The Bookman. AN AMERICAN EMPEROR. The Story of the Fourth Empire of France. Illustrated. 12°, $1.75 " ' An American Emperor' is a notable book. The plot is skill- fully constructed, and the many dramatic incidents are well described." —N. Y. Herald. " This is a rattling good story of intrigue, plot, counterplot, ad- venture, fight, and phenomenal undertakings." — Boston Herald. THE LOST PROVINCES. Illustrated. 12° . . . {In press) This story is a sequel to "An American Emperor." It is a tale of another great war between France and Germany. The command of the French army is given to Vansittart, an American millionaire, who proves extraordinarily successful as a strategist. 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" This is a brilliantly-told tale, the constructive ingenuity and literary excellence of which entitle the author to a place of honor in the foremost rank of contempo- rary English romancists." — London Telegraph. XII. The Crime of the Century. By R. Ottoi.engui. " It is one of the best-told stories of its kind we have read, and the reader will no* be able to guess its ending easily." — Boston Times. XIII. The Things that Matter. By Francis Gribble. " A very amusing novel, full of bright satire directed against the New Womaii and similar objects." — London Speaker, XIV. The Heart of Life. By W. H. Mallock. " Interesting, sometimes tender, and uniformly brilliant. . . . People wUl read Mr. Mallock's ' Heart of Life,' for the extraordinary brilliance with which he tells his story." — Daily Telegraph. G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, New York and London THE HUDSON LIBRARY XV. The Broken Ring. By Elizabeth K. Tompkins XVI. The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason. By Mel- ville D. Post, "This book is very en tertainine and original !„„=„• i . . . well worth reading. "-A^^K^""^^^.*' ' " ' '"g^n'^usly constructed ^y"- "^^^^ ^^^'"^ ^^^* ^O"*"- By Anna Katharine Green nuit^^VsSd;„^t:r^is^ranTwl'&1^ lost us cunning."_,5a^rt/o Inquirer. °^ ^ ^^^^ ^^ "°' Xyiii. In the Crucible. By Grace Denio Litchfield . .T^^''^'^'^«=''"»" find in this book bright breezv talk anH =, ,„„,= ^k j- .nsight ,nto the possibilities of human charkcter^^-C./Xi™/]!::",;'^ XIX. Eyes Like the Sea. By Maurus Jokai. " A strikingly original and powerful story."-Z<,««'^« Speaker. XX. An Uncrowned King. By S. C. Grier. " Original and uncommonly interesting."— 5-5..,.« XXIL The Ways of Life. Two Stories. By Mrs. Oi iphant As a work of art we can praise the story without reserve."-Z.«