The Girl Philippa
An officer of hussars rode up, saluted the Sisters and Warner, glanced
sharply at Asticot, who had flattened himself against the vines on the
schoolhouse wall, and, leaning forward from his saddle, asked if the
German cavalry had been there that morning.
"Six Uhlans, _mon capitaine_," said Warner. "They ripped up a plank
from the floor; I can't imagine why. You can see it through the door
from where you sit your saddle."
The officer rode up close to the steps and looked into the schoolroom.
"Thank you, Monsieur. You see what they've done, I suppose?"
"No, I didn't understand."
"It is simple. The Esser cement works across the river built this
school two years ago. It's a German concern. While they were about it
they laid down a few cement gun platforms--with an eye to this very
moment which confronts us now."
He shrugged his shoulders:
"The Esser cement works over there are full of gun emplacements in
cement, masquerading as pits, retaining walls, foundations, and other
peaceful necessities. A British officer discovered all this only a few
days ago----"
"Captain Halkett!" exclaimed Warner, inspired.
The Hussar glanced at him, surprised and smiling.
"Yes, Monsieur. Are you acquainted with Captain Halkett?"
"Indeed, I am! And," he turned to the Sisters of Charity, "he is a good
friend of all of us."
"He is my friend, also," said the Hussar warmly. "He has told me about
Sais and how, masquerading as a quarry workman one evening, he
discovered gun platforms along the Recollette and among the quarries.
You understand they were very cunning, those Germans, and the cement
works and quarries of Herr Heinrich von Esser are all ready to turn
those hills yonder into a fortress. Which," he added, laughing, "we may
find very convenient."
Sister Eila, standing beside the horse's head, stroked it, looking up at
the officer out of grave eyes.
"Is Captain Halkett well?" she asked calmly.
"I think so, Sister. I saw him yesterday."
"If you see him again, would you say to him that Captain Gray is at the
Chateau des Oiseaux recovering from an accident?"
"Yes, I will tell him, Sister; but he must be around here somewhere----"
"Here!" exclaimed Warner.
"Why, yes. Our aeroplanes have just passed through. A British Bristol
biplane is among them in charge of a flight-lieutenant--Ferris, I think
his name is. Captain Halkett ought to be somewhere about. Possibly he
may be superintending the disembarkment and the erection of the sheds."
He pointed northwest, adding that he understood the sheds were to be
erected on the level stretch of fields beyond the school.
"However, I shall give him your message, Sister, if I meet him," he
said, saluted them ceremoniously in turn, cast another puzzled and
slightly suspicious glance at Asticot, and rode away.
"I should like to find Halkett," said Warner. "I certainly should like
to see him again. We had become friends, you see. Shall we walk back
that way across the fields, Sister Eila?"
Sister Eila turned to Sister Felicite. Her color was high, but she
spoke very calmly:
"Had I not better remain with you and help you close the school?"
Sister Felicite shook her head vigorously:
"I can attend to that if it becomes necessary. I shall not budge unless
I am called to field duty."
"But the children? Had I not better take some of them home?"
"There's time enough. If there is going to be any danger to them, I can
arrange all that."
Sister Eila hesitated, her lovely head lowered.
"If we could find Halkett on our way back," said Warner, "I think he
would be very glad to hear from us that Gray is alive."
Sister Eila nodded in silence; Warner made his adieux; the Sisters of
Charity consulted together a moment, then the American and Sister Eila
went out through the rear door and through the little garden. And at
their heels shuffled Asticot, furtively chewing a purloined apple.
*CHAPTER XXXI*
As they reached the plateau above the school and halted for a few
moments to look back across the valley of the Recollette, Warner began
to understand.
The cannonading in the north had ceased. On every road, in whichever
direction he looked, troops, artillery, and wagons were moving eastward.
This was no mere cavalry reconnoissance; it was a serious offensive
movement in force toward the east. Eastward and south lay the Vosges;
beyond, the lost provinces stretched away in green valleys toward the
Rhine.
There lay the objective of this movement which was based on the great
Barrier Forts from Verdun to Toul, from Toul to Nancy and Luneville,
southward to Epinal, to the great, grim citadel of Belfort.
This was no raid, no feint, no diversion made by a flying corps along
the frontier. A great screen of cavalry was brushing back every hostile
scout toward the mountains; the contact at the cement works was a mere
detail. Nor was this movement directed toward the north, where the
Grand Duchy was crawling alive with Prussians already battering at the
"Iron Gate of France."
No, the guns of Longwy were not calling these French horsemen north,
whatever was happening at Verdun or along the Moselle. Their helmets
were moving toward the east, toward the passes of the Vosges where
Alsace lay, and Lorraine. Metz, Strassburg, Colmar, Muelhausen,
beckoned from every tall tower, every gable, every spire. It was
invasion! Armed France was riding toward the rising sun.
Sister Eila's pale, intelligent face was lifted to the distant horizon;
her clear, exalted gaze made it plain to him that she, also, had begun
to understand.
As for Asticot, he was finishing the core of his apple and watching
details in the vast panorama out of his tiny mouse-eyes; and whether he
understood or cared to understand no man might say. For the minds of
little animals must remain inscrutable.
Near them, on the grassy plateau, soldiers were unloading portable sheds
in sections and erecting them; others were leveling hedges, felling
small, isolated trees, uprooting bushes, and clearing away a line of
wire pasture fencing.
Evidently this plateau was to be a base for some of the airmen operating
along the Vosges or possibly, also, north and east from Verdun.
As they moved forward he looked about for a British uniform, but saw
none. A soldier informed them that there were no British troops
attached to the army of General Pau as far as he knew; two or three
cavalry officers politely confirmed the statement, taking Warner to be
an Englishman.
It was not until, following the deeply trodden sheep-walk, they passed
the silver birch woods that they had any news of Halkett.
A squadron of hussars was already bivouacked there; their wagons were
coming across the fields from the Dreslin road; officers, men, and
horses had taken advantage of the woods to escape observation from
air-scouts; and three batteries of artillery were parked in the Foret de
Sais, where the cannoniers had already begun to cover everything with
green branches.
As they passed through the Foret de Sais, out of which a shepherd with
his shaggy dogs was driving his flock, they overtook an officer of
hussars on foot, sauntering along the same path, a lighted cigarette
between his white-gloved fingers.
He stepped aside into the bracken, courteously, in deference to Sister
Eila, and lifted his hand to his shako in salute. But when he caught
sight of Warner he stepped forward with a quick, boyish smile and held
out his hand.
"Do you remember me?--D'Aures? This is Monsieur Warner, is it not?"
They exchanged a handclasp; Warner presented him to Sister Eila.
"This is exceedingly nice," said the American cordially. "We--Sister
Eila and I--are returning to the Chateau. I hope you will come with
us."
"If I may venture to pay my respects----"
"You will be welcome, I know." He added, laughing: "Also, the ladies
will be most interested in the fate of their horses and their
automobiles."
The Vicomte d'Aures reddened, but laughed:
"The Countess was most gracious, most patriotic," he said. "But one
could expect nothing less from a De Moidrey. Nevertheless, I felt like
a bandit that evening. I left them only a basket wagon and a donkey."
"Which have been greatly appreciated, Monsieur," said Sister Eila,
smiling. And she told him about the removal of Captain Gray from the
school to the Chateau.
"Oh, by the way," exclaimed D'Aures, "we have a British aviator with
us--a friend of yours, Sister Eila, and of Mr. Warner."
"Halkett!"
"Yes, indeed. It appears that Captain Halkett has specialized in this
region, so he has been assigned to us. I have the honor of a personal
acquaintance with him."
"Where is he?" asked Warner.
"He is near here somewhere. His machine, a Bristol, is to be parked
with ours on the plateau yonder. I think they are erecting the hangars
now."
They entered the wicket of the lodge gate and advanced along the drive
toward the house.
Warner said:
"All this movement means the invasion of Alsace-Lorraine, I take it."
D'Aures nodded.
"Could you give me an idea of the situation as it stands, Captain?"
"I can only guess. Briefly, we are moving on Strassburg from the Donon
peaks to Chateau-Salins. As I understand it, our armies now stretch
from the Sambre to the Seine, from the Meuse to the Oise.
"I can tell you only what is gossiped about among cavalry officers. We
believe that we are leading a great counter-offensive movement; that it
is our General Joffre's strategy to drive the Germans out of upper
Alsace, block Metz and Strassburg, and, holding them there in our steel
pincers, let loose our army on their flank and rear."
"And Longwy? And this drive just north of us at Ausone?"
D'Aures smiled.
"Can you still hear the cannonade?"
They halted to listen; there was no longer that deadly rumor from the
north.
"Verdun and Toul are taking care of that raid, I think," said D'Aures
pleasantly. "It comes from Metz, of course. Verdun must look out for
the country between it and Longwy, too. That is not _our_ route. Ours
lies by Nancy toward Vic and Moyenvic, and through Altkirch to
Muelhausen, and _then_--" he laughed--"it does not become a Frenchman to
prophesy or boast. There were too many dreamers in 1870.
"I am telling merely the gossip of our camps. It is human to gossip
when the day's work is over. But for the rest--route step and plod
ahead!--That is what counts, not bragging or splendid dreams."
When they reached the terrace Warner fell back to speak to Asticot.
"I've arranged for you at the Golden Peach. Madame Arlon knows." He
handed Asticot a key. "There's plenty to do in my studio down there.
Get some wood and make cases for my canvases. Cover the _chassis_ with
_toile_ and prime them with white lead. Use an ivory palette knife and
let them have the sun when there is any and when there is no wind and
dust. That will keep you busy until I send for you. Do you
comprehend?"
"Yes, M'sieu'.... May I not walk behind M'sieu' when he takes the air?"
Warner scowled at him, but he looked so exactly like a shiftless,
disreputable and mongrel dog who timidly desires to linger, yet is
fearful of a kick, that the American laughed.
"A fine bargain I have in you!" he said. "You prefer rambling to work,
it appears!"
"I prefer the vicinity of M'sieu'," said Asticot naively.
"Go back to the inn and see if you can do an honest hour's work!"
retorted Warner; and he turned and rejoined Sister Eila, who had taken
D'Aures up the steps of the terrace.
It appeared that the ladies were on the north terrace. On the way
through the hall, Sister Eila excused herself and mounted the stairs for
a look-in on Gray. At the same moment, Peggy Brooks came out of the