quilts, and bedding of
all kinds.

A stream of engineers was issuing from the hallway, carrying
tables, chairs, barrels, and chests to the garden below, where
other soldiers picked them up and bore them across the lawn to
the rear of the house.

"They are piling all the furniture they can get against the gate
in the park wall," said Jack; "come out to the kitchen-garden."

She went with him, still holding to his arm. Across the vegetable
garden a barricade of furniture--sofas, chairs, and wardrobes--lay
piled against the wooden gate of the high stone wall. Engineers were
piercing the wall with crowbars and pickaxes, loosening the cement,
dragging out huge blocks of stone to make embrasures for three cannon
that stood with their limbers among the broken bell-glasses and
cucumber-frames in the garden.

A ladder lay against the wall, and on it was perched an officer,
who rested his field-glasses across the tiled top and stood
studying the woods. Below him a general and half a dozen
officers watched the engineers hacking at the wall; a long,
double line of infantry crouched behind them, the bugler
kneeling, glancing anxiously at his captain, who stood talking to
a fat sub-officer in capote and boots.

Artillerymen were gathered about the ammunition-chests, opening
the lids and carrying shell and shrapnel to the wall; the
balconies of the Chateau were piled up with breastworks of rugs,
boxes, and sacks of earth. Here and there a rifleman stood, his
chassepot resting on the iron railing, his face turned towards
the woods.

"They are coming," said a soldier, calling back to a comrade, who
only laughed and passed on towards the kitchen, loaded down with
sacks of flour.

A restless movement passed through the kneeling battalion of
infantry.

"Fiche moi la paix, hein!" muttered a lieutenant, looking
resentfully at a gossiping farrier. Another lieutenant drew his
sword, and wiped it on the sleeve of his jacket.

"Are they coming?" asked Lorraine.

"I don't know. Watch that officer on the wall. He seems to see
nothing yet. Don't you think you had better go to the rear of the
house now?"

"No, not unless you do."

"I will, then."

"No, stay here. I am not afraid. Where is Alixe?"

"With the wounded men in the stable. They have hoisted the red
cross over the barn; did you notice?"

Before she could answer, one of the soldiers on the balcony of
the Chateau fired. Another rose from behind a mattress and fired
a