The Children of France Part 15

"'Who is speaking?' she asked in as firm a voice as she could summon.

"'Whom do you wish?'

"'I would speak with Captain Grivelet'

"'He is not here. I cannot reach him.'

"'It is important. Find him and tell him that the little Marie would speak with him. Tell him to come at ten o'clock this evening and Marie will be here at the telephone. He will understand.'

"Marie put back the telephone and carefully closed the opening. Now she had a distinct mission to perform, and, throwing a scarf over her head, she went out to the street. Marie was very bright of face and very friendly with the German soldiers. No obstacle was placed in the way of her going where she liked. That day she used her eyes and ears to good advantage and they saw and heard many things. What especially interested her was the ma.s.sing of German troops in the forest to the west of the village. She heard of this through a conversation between two officers. There also was great activity behind the lines. There the Germans were building entrenchments, which she could plainly see from the windows of her home.

"The child knew that what she had observed was important, but just how important, of course, she could not know.

"Promptly at ten o'clock that night, after the Padre had gone fast asleep, Marie hastened to the cellar and again called over the telephone. Captain Grivelet was quickly summoned.

"'It is the little Marie speaking,' she called excitedly.

"'My brave child,' answered the captain. 'I knew you would find the way. We are defeated, but not for long, for the French are being reinforced and are angry. Can you safely go out into the street tomorrow and then let me know what they are doing?'

"'I already have been out, monsieur le Capitaine, and I have seen.'

"'I beg of you to be careful. You are in great peril. If the Boches discover that you are in communication with us they will shoot you.'

"'I fear them not. But I must hasten. Listen!' Marie then told the captain all that she had learned, interrupted frequently by exclamations of approval from the officer at the other end.

"'Wait!' she called. 'Hold, for I hear movement above.'

"A few minutes later Marie returned to the telephone. 'Down in the middle of the village are many soldiers. I know not why they are gathering there, but I think perhaps they may be going to shoot some of our n.o.ble Frenchmen.'

"'Down by the square?' questioned the captain.

"'Yes.'

"'Put away your telephone and go to the floor above. Watch the square and you shall see what the French gunners can do. The people are in their houses?'

"'Yes, monsieur, they dare not go out at night. It is forbidden.'

"'Good! Do as I have directed, and go no more to the telephone until tomorrow night at this time, unless something of importance develops, then call for me. I shall leave orders to be summoned immediately.'

"Not fully understanding what the captain was about to do, the child hastened upstairs and, opening the door slightly, peered down the street.

"It was at this moment that a giant sh.e.l.l from a French battery exploded fairly in the middle of the square, with a terrific shock and roar. It was followed by several other heavy explosions. Then silence settled over the night.

"This silence, however, did not last for long. The forest in which so many German troops were being ma.s.sed was bombarded all through the night, as were the entrenchments to the rear of the village where the enemy was busily engaged in fortifying themselves.

"The child shuddered. She was troubled.

"'It is for France that I have done this,' she said to comfort herself. 'Already the Prussians have killed many here, and for what?

For nothing save that they are French. It is terrible.'

"On the following day Marie picked up further information. She also learned that the Germans had suffered heavily from the previous night's bombardment, and that they were amazed at the exact information possessed by the French.

"Each night the child spoke with the French captain over the telephone, and each night the French obtained information of great value to them. Though Marie did not know it, the Germans had by this time satisfied themselves that some one in the village was communicating with the French forces, and a careful watch was being kept on every inhabitant of the place. Marie, all ignorant of this, continued to keep the French informed of the movements of the enemy.

"One night, after a day of heavy fighting on both sides, during which the Germans had been slowly pushed back, Marie was giving Captain Grivelet her report of the operations on the German side for that day.

She had communicated everything down to the smallest detail and was just replacing the telephone in its niche when she thought she heard a sound behind her. Marie turned quickly.

"The child's head grew dizzy; she nearly fainted with fright, for there, gazing sternly at her, stood a Prussian officer.

"'So! This is it?'

"Marie did not answer. She could not.

"'For this you shall be shot. Stand back. Give me that telephone!'

"s.n.a.t.c.hing it from her hands he got the French headquarters, though he did not know to whom he was speaking.

"'Speaking to you is a Prussian major,' he said in French. 'He has just discovered why the French have been so fully informed. The spy who has thus informed you is the Padre's niece. She dies tonight!'

"With that the major wrenched the telephone from its wires and ripped the wires out, leaving the outside wires, that were underground, for his engineers to destroy. Marie, eyes now flas.h.i.+ng, was led from her home and taken to the office of the general commanding the operations there. Soon after her arrival her uncle came, in charge of two soldiers. Then the examination began. Not one bit of information would the girl give. At last the commanding officer turned to the Padre.

"'It is my belief that you are responsible for this spying. It is not my wish to shoot a Padre, but you shall be taken out and shot immediately!'

"'No, no, no!' cried Marie, now thoroughly aroused. 'He knows nothing of what has been done. I swear it, monsieur! It is Marie who has informed the French of what the hated Prussians were doing. I--'

"'Ah! You admit it! It is well. Take her away. Take the Padre away also, but keep them separated.'

"Marie left the commander with head erect and eyes flas.h.i.+ng. Her only concern was for her uncle, whom she feared would be shot. She had no doubts about herself Of course, they would shoot her and she gloried in the thought that she was to die for France.

"After her departure the Prussian general devoted several minutes to deep thought.

"'Of course, Herr General, she will be shot,' said the major who had made the capture.

"'No!' answered the commander, with emphasis.

"'Not shot?' questioned the officer in amazement.

"'No. She shall be sent to the camp at Metz and imprisoned for the duration of the war. The Padre also shall be sent to the rear and held during the rest of the war.'

"'Herr General, may I ask why, when both should be executed without delay?'

"'Because, major, I dislike to put a Padre to death, and further, I am satisfied that the girl told the truth when she said that he knew nothing of this affair. He is a simple-minded man. But the girl!' The general shrugged his shoulders like a Frenchman. 'She is keen as a new saber.'

"'And knowing well what she was doing she should be shot,' insisted the major.

"'I have a daughter of her age,' replied the general, slowly. 'This child is so like her that I should feel like murdering my own were I to order her shot. Major, I cannot do it. See that my orders are carried out. I shall explain my action in this matter to my superiors for their approval.'

"That ended it. It was an unusual thing for a Prussian to do and perhaps the only instance in the war where so much human sympathy was shown to a spy. Marie was taken to the prison at Metz, where she was kept from that time on. She suffered great hards.h.i.+ps. There was little food and her treatment was harsh, so that her days were a misery and her nights a nightmare.