nd fro under
the smoke.

Up the stairs he sped, and flung open the door of the bedroom.
Lorraine stood in the middle of the room, looking out into the
darkness. She turned at the sound of the opening door:

"Jack!"

"Hurry!" he gasped; "this time they mean business. Where is your
sentinel? Where is the general? Hurry, my child--dress quickly!"

He went out to the hall again, and looked up and down. On the
floor below he heard somebody say that the general was dead, and
he hurried down among a knot of officers who were clustered at
the windows, night-glasses levelled on the forest. As he entered
the room a lieutenant fell dead and a shower of bullets struck
the coping outside.

He hastened away up-stairs again. Lorraine, in cloak and hat, met
him at the door.

"Keep away from all windows," he said. "Are you ready?"

She placed her arm in his, and he led her down the stairs to the
rear of the Chateau.

"Have they gone--our soldiers?" faltered Lorraine. "Is it defeat?
Jack, answer me!"

"They are holding the Chateau to protect the retreat, I think.
Hark! The gatling is roaring like a furnace! What has happened?"

"I don't know. The old general came to speak to me when I awoke.
He was very good and kind. Then suddenly the sentinel on the
stairs fell down and we ran out. He was dead; a bullet had
entered from the window at the end of the hall. After that I went
into my room to dress, and the general hurried down-stairs,
telling me to wait until he called for me. He did not come back;
the firing began, and some shells hit the house. All the troops
in the garden began to leave, and I did not know what to do, so I
waited for you."

Jack glanced right and left. The artillery were leaving by the
stable road; from every side the infantry streamed past across
the lawn, running when they came to the garden, where a shower of
bullets fell among the shrubbery. A captain hastening towards the
terrace looked at them in surprise.

"What is it?" cried Jack. "Can't you hold the Chateau?"

"The other Chateau has been carried," said the captain. "They are
taking us on the left flank. Madame," he added, "should go at
once; this place will be untenable in a few moments."

Lorraine spoke breathlessly: "Are you to hold the Chateau with
the gatling until the army is safe?"

"Yes, madame," said the captain. "We are obliged to."

There came a sudden lull in the firing. Lorraine caught Jack's
arm.

"Come," cried Jack, "we'v