elling me. Return and dream no more.'

"Mathilde begged and pleaded, to the great amusement of the sentry.
The child grew angry. She stamped and raged. Then she adopted a new
plan. Throwing herself on the ground the little girl rolled and
screamed and screamed.

"'Stop it! You'll wake the garrison,' he commanded.

"'That is what Mathilde is trying to do,' answered the girl, then
screamed louder than ever, and the sentry turned out the corporal's
guard. The corporal sent a messenger to the village to see if the
child was right.

"'If you believe me not, look yonder in the valley,' exclaimed the
girl, impatiently. 'What see you?'

"'Nothing. Wait! I see the moonlight glistening on something, I should
say on a tin sign on a tree.'

"Mathilde laughed ironically. 'It is indeed a sign, a bad sign,
monsieur Corporal. What you see is the moonlight reflected on the
helmet of a German Uhlan. Ha! Now believe you the little Mathilde?'

"'Call the captain,' commanded the corporal.

"The commanding officer came hurrying out. He questioned the child and
ere he had finished the messenger came running back.

"'The Germans are in force in the village,' cried the messenger. 'They
hide in the houses and their sentries guard the approaches to the
village.

"'Summon the garrison to arms!' commanded the captain. 'You are a
noble child, Mathilde.'

"While a small force was left to guard the fort the others of the
garrison went down and surrounded the village. They surprised and
captured the sentries without firing a shot. These prisoners were
taken to the fort and locked up, after which the French in the village
fired a volley into the air. As they expected, the Prussians guarding
the houses rushed out and began shooting, but coming from the lighted
houses into the darkness of the early morning, their eyes were not
keen and only one volley from the French was necessary to fill the
Germans with fear. The Germans very soon laid down their arms and
surrendered. While some of the invaders were wounded, no one was
killed. The entire German force was captured and marched, humiliated,
to the fort on the hill.

"Next day, when the villagers came to a realization of what Mathilde
had done, a purse was made up, everyone giving of his little savings.
This purse was presented to the child by the captain, in the presence
of all his officers and many of his soldiers.

"Mathilde's eyes were bright. She held the bag of money in her arms
for