d, and the regiment on their way down
towards the gate were halted. Cuthbert chatted for some time with one of
the officers and learnt from him that this was not the real point of
attack.

"It is from the other side of the river that the great stroke against
the Versaillaise will be struck," he said, "a hundred and fifty thousand
National Guards advanced on that side; they will cross the heights of
Meudon, and move straight to Versailles. We have but some twenty-five
thousand here, and shall advance as soon as the others have attacked
Meudon."

In an hour the forward movement had again commenced, a heavy column
poured across the bridge, the firing from Valerien having now ceased.
Cuthbert watched the black mass advancing up the slope towards Courbeil.
It was not until they reached the top of the slope that Valerien
suddenly opened fire. Puff after puff of white smoke darted out from its
crest in quick succession, the shells bursting in and around the heavy
column. In a moment its character changed; it had been literally cut in
half by the iron shower. Those in front of the point where the storm had
struck it, broke off and fled to the village of Nanterre on the left,
where they took shelter among the houses. The other portion of the
column broke up as suddenly, and became at once a disorganized mob, who
at the top of their speed rushed down to the slope again to the bridge
at Neuilly. Across this they poured in wild confusion and made no halt
until they had passed the Fort Maillot. There the officers attempted to
rally them, but in vain; many had thrown their muskets away in their
flight, the rest slung them behind them, and continued their way to
Paris, all vowing that they had been betrayed, and that they would have
vengeance on the Commune. Seeing that there was no more probability of
fighting on his side, Cuthbert returned to Madame Michaud's.

"Madame is on the roof," Margot said as he entered; "everyone is up
there: she said I was to give you breakfast when you came in; the coffee
is ready, and I have an omelette prepared, it will be cooked in three
minutes; Madame said that you would be sure to be hungry after being out
so long." In a quarter of an hour he ascended to the roof. The resident
on the ground-floor had an astronomical telescope with which he was in
the habit of reconnoitring the skies from the garden. This he had taken
up to the roof, where some twenty persons were gathered. A magnificent
view was