The Argosy, January 1906 — page 79: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE RAVENS OF THE RHINE. dwelling of one of your own country- men. It is possible you may have heard of the general order issued to the Ger- man troops regarding those not regular soldiers of France found bearing arms. Well, have you anything to say?” He put the question coldly. “We are soldiers of the empire,” re- plied one of the prisoners sullenly. “Do soldiers of the empire attack the houses of French noblemen and murder defenseless old men and women?” de- manded the Prussian harshly. “We know nothing of that; we were ordered to come here, and we obeyed orders,” replied the Pranc-tireur. “By whom? ” “Le Béte—Captain Le Béte—who else, seeing he is cur commander?” “tlerr Bosworth,” asked the Uhlan, turning to Bosworth, “was the leader of these men a French officer?” - “A French cutthroat—I heard the marquis so style him. It appears that he was a French chasseur, a soldier in the company commanded by the mar- quis’ son; he was dismissed in. disgrace for some knavery or other,” answered Bosworth quietly. “What have you to say to that?” de- manded the Uhlan gruffly. “What does he know about it? He fired upon us; that started the trouble, and—the marquis was drunk,” replied the Pranc-tureur. An expression of disgust crossed the Uhlan’s face. “These men are not only murderers, but cowards.” Then to the heutenant: “See that they are carefully guarded until daybreak; at sunrise they shall be shot.” The prisoners looked sullenly upon the floor; there was nothing they could say in their defense, and, surrounded by Uhlans, escape was hopeless. When they had been led away the Prussian captain turned to Bosworth. “The fact that you are known to Lieutenant von Werner alters the situa- tion, but I am obliged to detain you for a short time; our orders are strict in that particular. You have but to give me your word, Herr Bosworth, that you will not leave the chateau grounds and you are at liberty to do as you please,” said he. *T should like,” said Bosworth, “ to borrow a lantern. I want to see if one of those dead Franc-hireurs out there is this Le Béte, or whether he has escaped. The answer to that question may be of some moment to Mademoiselle de Luynes.” At that moment Von Werner entered the room. “Herr Bosworth desires to examine the men who were shot outside. I have paroled him, but if he cares to have you accompany him, do so,” said the captain. Bosworth desired nothing more. He wished to relate to Von Werner what had occurred at the chateau. The latter procured a lantern, and together the young men stepped out upon the ve- randa and into the garden which sur- rounded the building. At the expiration of a quarter of an hour they returned. The Uhlans were removing the last of the dead men from the library. The captain, seated near the window, was puffing gravely at his pipe. Bosworth set down the lantern. “The man Le Béte has escaped,” said he shortly. CHAPTER. IV.- THREATENING FORCES. BoswortH sat suddenly bolt up- right and pulled together his scattered senses. Daylight was just beginning to creep 261 - through the window of the room which . he had occupied for the few hours sub- | sequent to his leaving the Prussians on the lower floor of the chateau; he had slept heavily, and the crash of the volley under the window awakened him with startling suddenness. In the first moment of returning con- sciousness he imagined that a combat of some sort was being waged in the park outside. Then he remembered—the French prisoners, and what was to occur at sunrise. He had little cause to waste any sym- pathy on the Franc-tireurs, but he waited some moments before swinging himself out of bed and going to the window. It was one thing to shoot men * down in fair fight, but another to wit- com chook (ef)