raged,
both to the right and left; but in another quarter of an hour it
slackened also, here, and the three villages were all in the hands
of the French.

In a quarter of an hour, Ralph felt quite himself again and, seeing
one of his fellow staff officers gallop up, he asked him where he
could find the general.

"He is at Guillonville. But he will be here, in a few minutes. The
advance is to continue. We are to carry the villages of Monneville,
Villepani, and Faverolles."

In half an hour, the troops were again moved forward; but this time
the resistance was more obstinate than before, the Prussians having
received reinforcements. Hour after hour the fight continued. The
short winter day faded, and the gathering darkness was favorable to
the assailants and, at half-past five, they carried the villages by
assault.

The scene was a wild one. It was perfectly dark, save from the
incessant flashes of rifle and cannon. In the streets of the
village men fought, hand to hand. Some of the Germans, taking
refuge in the houses, refused to surrender. Others threw down their
arms, and cried for quarter. Shouts, screams, curses, cheers, the
explosion of firearms and the clash of steel mingled, in one wild
and confusing din. When it ceased, the village remained in the
hands of the French; and the Prussians retreated, sullenly, into
the darkness.

There was no rest for the staff, for hours--they were galloping
about, carrying orders--but at last Ralph returned to Villepani, at
which village General Chanzy had his headquarters. At the door of
the cottage which was pointed out, as that in which the general
was, Tim was waiting.

"Faith, your honor, if this is war, I've had enough of it."

"What is it, Tim?"

"What is it, your honor! Here have we been fighting all day, and
not a blessed thing to eat or to drink. No one knows what became of
the wagons; and here we are, without as much as a biscuit to
ate--and in such weather as this, too; and another battle in the
morning."

"Ay, Tim, it's bad enough, but think of the thousands of poor
fellows lying wounded, and freezing to death, on the snow."

"I do think of them, Mister Ralph; and I've been at work, ever
since we got in here, carrying the poor creatures in from the
gardens and fields. There is not a house here that's not full, from
the top to the bottom.

"Have you lost the wallet off my saddle, your honor?"

"No, Tim; why should I do that?"

"I don't know why you