re a
glorious win. For a win it was, even with his life sacrificed at the end
of the race. Max well understood this, and it was with a proud, though
steady, thoughtful air that he followed the non-commissioned officer who
summoned him from his cell.

Through a fine marble hall, that had so short a time before echoed with
the footsteps of Belgians, and was now thronged with Prussian officers
and their servants, Max was led. Out at the wide portico and into the
open square, full in view of a large crowd assembled to do silent honour
to a patriot; but only for a moment, for a sharp word of command rang
out and a score of men closed round him, and with short military steps
marched him rapidly through the crowd.

Max was dressed exactly as he was when he gave himself up. He had had no
opportunity to wash or to make himself presentable for that last hour;
unkempt, bareheaded, but erect and outwardly serene, he strode along,
conscious that he was not only an example from the German point of view,
but an example, and a greater one, to the Belgians. He tried to tell
himself that the unscrupulousness of the Germans should not have the
effect they desired, that his execution should be a rallying-point for
all true hearts in Liege and a turning-point so far as their little
locality was concerned.

But though Max was outwardly calm and serene, inwardly he was deeply
anguished. It was not a small thing to him to lay down, so to speak, his
tools and to leave to others the continuance of the good work. His
mother and sister, too--he could not think of them without many and
bitter pangs. However, he strove hard to hold at bay such thoughts and
to go down strongly to the parting of the ways.

With monotonous tramp his escort marched unmoved along. Max marched in
the middle, unbound like a prisoner of war rather than the miscreant he
had been called. Once away from the governor's palace the people were
sparse--ones and twos and a few groups here and there--until the gates
of the Durend works came in sight.

Here there was a larger crowd. There always was a small crowd about the
gates, for the number of Belgians who still refused to work was
considerable, and these men passed much of their time outside, gloomily
scanning the many evidences of abounding work, and discussing in low
tones the progress of the war.

It wanted only twenty minutes to noon, and at that hour Max knew he
would take his last look upon the things of this world.