rs
engaged in looting and in other things so horrible that even the unmoved
Oro turned away his head.

We came to the market-place. It was crowded with German troops, also
with a great number of the inhabitants of the town, most of them elderly
men and women with children, who had fallen into their power. The
Germans, under the command of officers, were dragging the men from
the arms of their wives and children to one side, and with rifle-butts
beating back the screaming women. Among the men I noticed two or three
priests who were doing their best to soothe their companions and even
giving them absolution in hurried whispers.

At length the separation was effected, whereon at a hoarse word of
command, a company of soldiers began to fire at the men and continued
doing so until all had fallen. Then petty officers went among the
slaughtered and with pistols blew out the brains of any who still moved.

"These butchers, you say, are Germans?" asked Oro of me.

"Yes," I answered, sick with horror, for though I was in the mind and
not in the body, I could feel as the mind does. Had I been in the body
also, I should have fainted.

"Then we need not waste time in visiting their country. It is enough;
let us go on."

We passed out into the open land and came to a village. It was in the
occupation of German cavalry. Two of them held a little girl of nine
or ten, one by her body, the other by her right hand. An officer stood
between them with a drawn sword fronting the terrified child. He was
a horrible, coarse-faced man who looked to me as though he had been
drinking.

"I'll teach the young devil to show us the wrong road and let those
French swine escape," he shouted, and struck with the sword. The girl's
right hand fell to the ground.

"War as practised by the Germans!" remarked Oro. Then he stepped, or
seemed to step up to the man and whispered, or seemed to whisper, in his
ear.

I do not know what tongue or what spirit speech he used, or what he
said, but the bloated-faced brute turned pale. Yes, he drew sick with
fear.

"I think there are spirits in this place," he said with a German oath.
"I could have sworn that something told me that I was going to die.
Mount!"

The Uhlans mounted and began to ride away.

"Watch," said Oro.

As he spoke out of a dark cloud appeared an aeroplane. Its pilot saw the
band of Germans beneath and dropped a bomb. The aim was good, for the
missile exploded in the midst of them,