th machine guns on the rafts.
They can come down on both sides of the trench, and rake the trench.
What can fifty men do against four or five machine guns? They will have
to run like hares, or else be shot down to a man. They can rake the
trenches for two miles on each side."

"What will happen if the Germans get on top of the trenches?" asked Mrs.
Bracher.

"The very first thing they will do--they will place a gun on top of the
trench, and rake this whole town. They can rake the road that leads to
Furnes. It would cut off your retreat to Furnes."

That meant the only escape for the women would be through the back-yard,
and over fields knee-deep in mud, where dead horses lie loosely buried
in hummock graves.

"What do you think we had better do?" asked Hilda. "To leave now seems
like shirking our job."

"There'll be no job for you, if the enemy come through to-night,"
returned the Commandant; "they'll do the job. But listen, you'll have a
little time. If you hear rifle fire or mitrailleuse fire on the
trenches, then go, as fast as you can run. If you hear as few as only
four soldiers running down this road, take to your heels after them.
That will be your last chance."

The bell tinkled again. The orderly called the Commandant into the hall.
Jost returned with a message. He read it, and pulled out a note-book
from his pocket. He consulted it with care. He sat down at the table,
wrote his reply, and gave it to the messenger. He returned, shrugged his
shoulders, and went silent. All waited for him to speak. Finally he
roused himself.

"The mitrailleuse have only 3500 rounds left to each gun," he said, "and
there are no cartridges in the trenches."

"That means," prompted Hilda.

"Four hundred cartridges a minute, those guns fire," he said, "that
means eight or nine minutes, and then the Germans."

A pounding came at the front door. A captain entered, throwing his long
cape over his shoulder.

"We have no ammunition," he said--"the men have nothing. I've just come
from the Colonel."

The Captain was excited, the Commandant silent.

"Shall we evacuate?" Hilda pressed her question with him.

"I cannot answer for you," the Captain said. "If the enemy attack,
there's nothing to hold them. They'll come through. If they come,
they'll take you women prisoners or kill you. You'll have to make your
choice now. There will be no choice then."

"Furnes isn't so prosperous, you know," said Hilda, "even if we did run