t mill trembled under the sudden
crash of artillery. The roof creaked, the panes of glass in the dormer
window rattled, and fragments of mortar fell from the walls. Unmindful,
for the moment, of Leontine Joos's warning, Dalroy went to the window,
which commanded a fine view of the town, river, and opposite heights.

The pontoon bridge was broken. Several pontoons were in splinters. The
others were swinging with the current toward each bank. Six Belgian
field-pieces had undone the night's labour, and a lively rat-tat of
rifles, mixed with the stutter of machine guns, proved that the
defenders were busy among the Germans trapped on the north bank. The
heavier ordnance brought to the front by the enemy soon took up the
challenge; troops occupying the town, which, for the most part, lies on
the south bank, began to cover the efforts of the engineers, instantly
renewed. History was being written in blood that morning on both sides
of the Meuse. The splendid defence offered by a small Belgian force was
thwarting the advance of the 9th German Army Corps. Similarly, the 10th
and 7th were being held up at Verviers and on the direct road from Aix
to Liege respectively. All this meant that General Leman, the heroic
commander-in-chief at Liege, was given most precious time to garrison
that strong fortress, construct wire entanglements, lay mines, and
destroy roads and railways, which again meant that Von Emmich's
sledge-hammer blows with three army corps failed to overwhelm Liege in
accordance with the dastardly plan drawn up by the German staff.

Dalroy, though he might not realise the marvellous fact then, was in
truth a spectator of a serious German defeat. Even in the conditions, he
was aglow with admiration for the pluck of the Belgians in standing up
so valiantly against the merciless might of Germany. The window was
dust-laden as the outcome of earlier gun-fire, and he was actually on
the point of opening it when Irene stopped him.

"Those men below may catch sight of you," she said.

He stepped back hurriedly. Two forage-carts had been brought into the
yard, and preparations were being made to load them with oats and hay.
A truculent-looking sergeant actually lifted his eyes to that particular
window. But he could not see through the dimmed panes, and was only
estimating the mill's probable contents.

Dalroy laughed constrainedly. "You are the better soldier of the two,"
he said. "I nearly blundered. Still, I wish the w