ryette's head hung as the donkey jogged along, trotting willingly
because his nose was now pointed homeward.

The girl drove with loose and careless rein and in silence; and beside her
sat Burley, his troubled gaze always reverting to the despondent form
beside him.

"Too bad, little girl," he said. "But another time our wounded shall
listen to your carillon."

"Never at Nivelle.... The belfry is being destroyed.... The sweetest
carillon in France--the oldest, the most beautiful.... Fifty-six bells,
Djack--a wondrous wilderness of bells rising above where one stands in the
belfry, tier on tier, tier on tier, until one's gaze is lost amid the
heavenly company aloft.... Oh, Djack! And the great bell, Clovis! He hangs
there--through hundreds of years he has spoken with his great voice of
God!--so that they heard him for miles and miles across the land----"

"Maryette--I am so sorry for you----"

"Oh! Oh! My carillon of Nivelle! My beloved carillon!"

"Maryette, dear! My little Carillonnette----"

"No--my heart is broken----"

"Vooz ates tray, tray belle----"

The sudden crashing of heavy feet in the bushes checked him; but it was
too late to heed it now--too late to reach for his holster. For all around
them swarmed the men in sea-grey, jerking the donkey off his forelegs,
blocking the little wheels with great, dirty fists, seizing Burley from
behind and dragging him violently out of the cart.

A near-sighted officer, thin and spare as Death, was talking in a loud,
nasal voice and squinting at Burley where he still struggled, red and
exasperated, in the clutches of four soldiers:

"Also! That is no uniform known to us or to any nation at war with us.
That is not regulation in England--that collar insignia. This is a case of
a franc-tireur! Now, then, you there in your costume de fantasie! What
have you to say, eh?"

There was a silence; Burley ceased struggling.

"Answer, do you hear? What are you?"

"American."

"Pig-dog!" shouted the gaunt officer. "So you are one of those Yankee
muleteers in your uniform, and armed! It is sufficient that you are
American. If it had not been for America this war would be ended! But it
is not enough, apparently, that you come here with munitions and food,
that you insult us at sea, that you lie about us and slander us and send
your shells and cartridges to England to slay our people! No! Also you
must come to insult us in your clown's uniform and with your pistol--" The