d our poor
country. They would have fought in our fields, and seized our forts.
Each would have bombarded our cities, and neither would have been our
friend. Now, as it is, we are suffering for France, and France and her
ally, England, must take our part. Perhaps they will not be strong
enough to save us at once, but they will be obliged to stand by us, for
the sake of their own honor."

"Yes, that is true. We shall have friends, at least. Oh, Paul, I
suppose it was right not to attack those Germans, but when that officer
spoke so, I could have tried to kill him with my bare hands!"

"He is a bully, Arthur. I suppose there are officers like that in
every army. But all the Germans are not like him. You must remember
that there are some, at least, like Colonel Schmidt who gave us our
freedom after we had been caught. He was kind to us, and he would have
been courteous here, had he been in the place of this lieutenant."

Now, when the Uhlans had gone, the people began to come out of their
houses again. News of the demand that had been made upon Hannay spread
rapidly, and after a little while there was a great deal of bustle and
confusion as efforts were made to obtain what was required. The maire
came to Paul and asked him what the Germans would do if the things were
not provided.

"I don't know," said Paul. "And I think it would be better not to find
out, if you can possibly get them. Have them ready, and then when the
new force comes, see if the commander is not more reasonable than the
officer who was here. But it is better to take no chances. And he
said that they would pay."

"Yes, that is so," said the distracted little man. "Eh? Well, I
suppose we had better do as you say. Our lives and our homes are worth
more than the food to us."

But there were sullen, angry looks among the villagers as they went
about their preparations. There seemed to be a revulsion of feeling in
favor of the plan of resistance of Raymond, the butcher, and there were
scowls for Paul, who had spoiled that plan.

"I think there is nothing more that we can do here," said Paul to
Arthur. "Let's go on. It's just as important as ever for us to get
somewhere where the information we have can be of use. Everything I
see makes me more and more certain that the principal German attack
will be delivered in this direction. And I am not sure that that is
generally known yet. I heard officers in Liege, when we were waiting