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but, concluding no doubt that their cfforts were inovain, they all went back into the ccllar and bhegan to talk again.

The young woman listened to them 5 then she went to open the outer door, and stood straining her cars for a sound.

A distant barking reached her. She began

to whistle hike a huntsman, and almost immediately, two immense dogs loomed through the shadows, and jumped upon

her with signs of jov. She held them by the neck, to keep them from running away, and called with all her might: Halloa, father !”

A ovoiee, still o very “ Halloa, Berthine !

She waited some moments, then called agamn : “ Halloa, father.”

The voiee repeated; nearer: * Halloa, Der- thine.”

The keeper's wife returned @ Don't pass m front of the grating. "T'here are Prussians in the cellar.”

All at onee the black outhne of the man showed on the left, where he had pauscd between two tree-trunks., He asked, uncasily @ Prussians in the cellar! What are they doing there?”

The young woman began to laugh.

“It 1s those that came yester- day. They got lost in the forest cver sinee the morning ; 1T put them n the cellar to keep cool.”

And she related the whole ad- venture ;- how she had frightenced them with shots of the revolver, and shut them up in the cellar.

The old man, still grave, asked : “What do you expect me to do with them at this time of night?”

She answered @ “ Go and feteh M. Lavigne and his men. Hell take them prisoners ; and won't he be pleased t”

Then IFather Pichou smiled : “Yes 5 he will be pleased.”

His daughter resumed : “ Here's some soup for you ; cat it quick and go off again.”

‘T'he old keeper sat down and began to cat his soup, after having put down two plates full for Tis dogs.

The Prussians, hearing voices, had become silent.

2\ quarter of an hour later,

distant, answered

STRAN)

N ACGAZINY,

Pichou started again. Derthine, with her head m her hands, waited.

The prisoners were moving about again. They shouted and called, and beat continually with therr guns on the immovable trap-door ol the cellar.

Then they began to fire their guns through the grating, hopimg, no doubt, to he heard if any German detachment were passing in the neiehbourhood.

The keeper's wife did not stir; but all this notse tried her nerves, and irritated her. An evil anger awoke in her; she would have hked to ke themy the wretches, to keep them (uicet.

Then, as her mmpaticnee inercased, she began to ook at the clock and count the minutes,

At last the hands marked the time which she had fixed for their coming,

She opened the door onee more to listen for them. She perceived a shadow moving cautiously. She was rightened, and sereamed. It was her father.

“HE GAVE A LONG, STRIDENT WHISTLE.