ighting for France. Will you give us shelter?"

Lasvene took them in with a simple "yes." They were all very weary.
Jacques had done all in his power to protect his little sister, who was
not in the least frightened, only curious.

The old man shook out some fresh straw, gave them each a great bowl of
smoking soup, and said:

"Everything here is yours, eat and sleep."

And when all was quiet the old man brought out two guns, which he had
kept in spite of Napoleon's edict. He sat down by the fire, and began to
clean them.

Suddenly, he felt a hand--a small one--laid on his arm, and a voice
said,

"What are you doing with your guns? Do you think there is any danger
here?"

The old man hesitated for a reply, and the boy said,

"Show me how to manage them, it may be useful."

Lasvene hesitated a moment, but finally decided to teach little Jacques
how to fire these long guns. The boy quickly grasped the movement. When
he bit his first cartridge he made a wry face. When one is inexperienced
the powder gets between the teeth.

"Once more," he said, "I am not quite sure yet."

When the clock struck three, Jacques could load the gun like any old
grenadier, but he had not been permitted to fire it.

"Your mother is asleep and little sister too," the old man said.

Jacques did not persist.

"Now lie down, my boy, and get a little sleep."

At six o'clock in the morning--it was at that hour that Simon died--a
pistol shot scattered the straw on the roof of the hut.

Lasvene rushed to the door and half opening it, cried:

"The Cossacks!"

He knew them well, for he had been in the campaign of 1805.

Jacques started to his feet, and Francoise, pale as death, clutched her
little girl to her breast.

"They are only going by," said Lasvene. "They know there is nothing to
pillage here."

Lasvene believed himself and his guests under his roof to be safe. He,
therefore, threw open the door wide.

He saw about fifty Cossacks.

"I am not making any defence," he said, "what do you want?"

The old soldier said this reluctantly, for the blood leaped hot in his
veins, but he had a woman and two children there.

The Cossacks sat still on their horses, and seemed to be waiting. For
what were they waiting?

Suddenly and most incomprehensibly, from behind old Lasvene came two
shots. Two Cossacks fell. Who had fired? He ran back into the hut.
Jacques stood near the chimney, looking at the guns which he had not
fired. W