hieved, thanks to a flanking movement from Argenteau. Liege had fallen
at the first attack. The German High Sea Fleet was escorting an army in
transports to invade England, where, meanwhile, Zeppelins were
destroying London. Vise, having been sufficiently "punished" for a first
offence, would now be spared so long as the inhabitants "behaved
themselves." If a second "lesson" were needed it would be something to
remember.

The first and last of these items were correct, inasmuch as they
represented events and definite orders affecting the immediate
neighbourhood. Otherwise, the budget consisted of ever more daring
flights of Teutonic imagination, the crescendo swelling by distance.
Liege was so far from having fallen that the 7th Division, deprived of
the support of the 9th and 10th Divisions, had been beaten back
disastrously from the shallow trenches in front of the outer girdle of
forts. The 10th was about to share the same fate; and the 9th, after
being delayed nearly three days by the glorious resistance offered by
the Belgians at Vise, was destined to fare likewise. But rumour as to
the instant "capture" of Liege was not rife among the lower ranks alone
of the German army. The commander-in-chief actually telegraphed the news
to the All-Highest at Aix; when the All-Highest discovered the truth the
commander-in-chief decided that he had better blow his brains out, and
did.

The fact was that the overwhelming horde of invaders could not be kept
out of the city of Liege by the hastily mobilised Belgian army; but the
heroic governor, General Leman, held the ring of forts intact until they
were pulverised by the heavy ordnance of which Dalroy had seen two
specimens during the journey to Cologne. Many days were destined to
elapse before the last of the strongholds, Fort Loncin, crumbled into
ruins by the explosion of its own magazine; and until that was achieved
the mighty army of Germany dared not advance another kilometre to the
west.

When the Bavarian corporal had gone through every part of the house and
outbuildings, and satisfied himself that the only stores left were some
potatoes and a half-bag of flour, he informed the miller that he and his
squad would be billeted there that evening.

"Your pantry is bare," he said, "but the wine is all right, so we'll
bring a joint which we 'planted' this morning. Be decent about the wine,
and your folk can have a cut in, too."

Possibly he meant to be civil, and there wa