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He sad : They seat me to see il there's any change.”

• No, nothing.”

Then he o his turn gave a long, wiistle 1into the darkness. And soon, some- thing brown was scen coming slowly through the trees the advance guard composed of ten men.

The old man kept repeating @+ Don't pass before the grating.”

And the first comers pomted out the formidable grating to those who followed.

Finally, the main body appeared, two hundred men i ally cach with two hundred cartridges.

M. Lavigne, trembling with excitement, posted them so as to surround the house on all sides, leaving, however, a wide, free space round the hittle black hole, level with the carth, which admitted air to the ccllar.

Then he entered the dwelling and inquired ito the strength and position of the enemy, now so silent that 1t might be thought to have disappeared, flown away or evaporated through the grating. M. Lavigne stamped his foot on the trap-door and called : Mo Prussian officer 17

The German did not reply.

ooostrident

The Major repeated: = Mro o Prussian officer ! It was 1 vain. For a whole twenty

minutes he summonced this silent officer to capitulate with arms and baggage, promising

him Life and nulitary honours for himsclf

and his soldiers. But he obtamed no sign of consent or of hostility. "T'he situation was becoming difticult.

The soldier-citizens were stamping their feet and striking wide-armed blows upon their chests, as coachmen do for warmth, and they were looking at the grating with an cver-growing childish desire to pass in front of it. At last onc of them risked 1t; a very mimble fellow called Potdevin. He took a start and ran past hike a stag. The attempt succeeded. The prisoncers scemed dead.

A voiee called out: “T'here’s no- body there.”

Another soldier crossed the space

before the dan- gerous opening.

Then 1t became a game. Kvery minute, aman ran

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out, passing from one troop to the other as children at play do, and raising showers of snow behind hime with the quick movement of his feet. They had lighted fires of dead branches to keep themscelves warm, and the Nying profile of cach Garde-National showed in a bright illumination as he passed over to the camp on the left.

Someone called out: = Your turi, Malotson.” Maloison was o big bhaker whom s

comrades Taughed at, because he was so lat.

He hesitated. They teased hime o Then, making up his mind, he started at a regular breathless trot which shook his stout person. Al the detachment Taughed ull they eried. They called out: * Bravo, Maloison!” to cneourage him.

He had gone about two-thirds of the distance when a long flame, rapid and red, lcapt from the grating. A report followed, and the big baker fell upon his nose with a frichtful shrck.

No once ran to help him. o Then they saw him drag himsell on all fours across the snow, moaning, and when he was beyond that terrible passage he fainted. He bhad a bullet high up in the flesh of the thigh.

After the first surprise and aliorm there was more laughter.

Major Lavigne appeared upon the thres- hold of the keeper's lodge. He had just

framed his plan of attack, and gave his word of command in a ringing voice: Plumber Planchet and his men Three men drew near. “ Unfasten the gutters of the house.”

“IHE BIG BAKER FELL UPOXN HIS NOSL.