Boy Allies on the Firing Line; Or, Twelve Days Battle Along the Marne

by Clair W. Hayes

  CHAPTER XIX.

  A BIT OF UNWRITTEN HISTORY.

  So this is how it transpired that Hal and Chester, two American boys,happened to be present at an interview between the commander-in-chiefof the French army and General Emil Tromp, an incident that has neverbeen told, and never will find its way into history; an interviewbetween a gallant French officer and another who, were his actionsknown, would be likened to the greatest of American traitors--BenedictArnold.

  Hal and Chester followed General Joffre from his tent without a wordand entered his car behind him.

  "To General Tromp's command," said General Joffre briefly. "Hurry!"

  The chauffeur needed no second urging, and a moment later the huge carwas literally flying over the ground, passing large bodies of troopsmoving rapidly forward as though they were stationary.

  Hal and Chester found ample time to take an inventory of the general'scar. It was a huge machine, and besides being fitted up luxuriouslywas also furnished as an office, that the general might still be atwork while he hurried from one part of the field to another whenevents demanded his immediate presence. Even now, with treacherythreatening, and whirling along at a terrific speed, General Joffre,probably because of habit, fell to work sorting papers, studying mapsand other drawings.

  For almost two hours the car whirled along at top speed, and at lengthpulled up in the rear of an immense body of troops, who, even to Haland Chester, could be seen preparing for an advance.

  General Joffre was out of the car before it came to a full stop, andHal and Chester were at his heels. An orderly approached.

  "My respects to General Tromp, and tell him I desire his presenceimmediately," ordered General Joffre.

  The orderly saluted and dashed away. General Joffre paced up and downnervously. Finally, at the approach of rapid footsteps, he raised hishead. A group of officers were approaching. One of them advanced rightup to the general and saluted, and even as he did so the sound of abugle rang out, ordering a general advance.

  "Sir----" began the officer, whom the boys instantly knew to beGeneral Tromp.

  General Joffre interrupted him with a wave of his hand.

  "Why this sudden advance?" he demanded coldly.

  General Tromp started back.

  "Why, sir," he explained, "I have word that a large force of the enemyis approaching to give battle. I am advancing to meet him."

  "Order a halt," said General Joffre abruptly.

  "But, but----" began General Tromp in some confusion.

  "Order a halt, sir!" commanded General Joffre sternly. "Or," as he sawthat General Tromp still hesitated, "shall I do it myself?"

  General Tromp turned and gave the command to one of his staff, whoimmediately dashed away. A moment and a bugle rang out, and the greatarmy came to a pause.

  "Now, sir," said General Joffre to General Tromp, "you will pleasedismiss your staff."

  Without a word General Tromp turned and gave the necessary order. Amoment later and the four, General Joffre, General Tromp, Hal andChester, were alone together.

  "What is the meaning of this, sir?" demanded General Tromp, with somedignity.

  "The meaning, General Tromp," said General Joffre calmly, "is that youare a traitor!"

  General Tromp started back, and his hand went up before his face as ifto ward off a blow.

  "What!" he cried in well simulated surprise. "Have a care, sir. Ishall allow no such insults, even though you are my superior officer."

  "Tush, tush," chided the commander-in-chief gently. "Why keep up thepretense? You are discovered. Why not admit it and have done?"

  "Sir!" cried General Tromp, drawing himself up. "I demand anexplanation of your strange conduct."

  "And you shall have it, sir!" thundered General Joffre, now veryangry, as he took a step forward.

  General Tromp quailed before him. His eyes fell to the ground and hisinjured dignity dropped from him like a mask.

  "I accuse you," continued General Joffre, "of being a traitor toFrance. I accuse you of aiding and abetting the escape of anothertraitor, one Dersi. And I also accuse you," and here the generalpointed an accusing finger at General Tromp, "of even now playing intothe hands of the enemy by ordering an advance, when you knew very wellthat such an advance could mean only the extermination of our troops."

  By a great effort General Tromp forced his eyes to meet those of hiscommander.

  "I deny it," he said in a thick voice.

  "A denial is useless," said General Joffre quietly.

  But General Tromp had now succeeded in regaining command of himself toa certain extent, and once more he tried to bluff it out.

  "Who accuses me?" he demanded, with well assumed bravado.

  "I do," said Hal, stepping forward.

  "And I," cried Chester, also advancing a step.

  General Tromp turned to General Joffre.

  "And you take the word of those two upstarts in preference to mine?"he demanded.

  "I do," said the general quietly, "upon the advice of General SirJohn French, who vouches for the truth of their story. Besides, youractions just now have convicted you. Come, Tromp, further denial isuseless. Dersi has confessed."

  "Dersi!" exclaimed Tromp, his fingers twitching. "If I could just getmy hands on him for one minute----"

  "But you can't," said General Joffre. "He is dead. And he died with aclear conscience, as I hope you will do."

  "What do you mean?" cried Tromp, starting back.

  "Exactly what I say," was General Joffre's chilling reply. "You haveyour choice. Either the way I mean, or to be publicly hanged as atraitor. If possible, I desire to avoid publicity. Which shall it be?"

  General Tromp shifted nervously from one foot to the other, his handstwitching convulsively. Suddenly one hand leaped to his side.

  "I wouldn't do that," said Hal quietly, and turning General Tromp sawthe lad's revolver pointed squarely at him, held in a steady hand.

  His hand dropped to his side again, and for some moments the traitorstood in silence. Then, suddenly, his shaking stopped. He raised hiseyes and looked his commander straight in the eyes.

  "It shall be as you say, sir," he said calmly. "You are right. Iam a traitor. I would not have been, but--but--well that makes nodifference now. You shall see, sir, that I am no coward. I am notafraid to die. Neither need you fear that I shall not do as youcommand. Thus shall I atone for my sin."

  "I do not fear you will disobey," said the general softly.

  "I am sorry, sir," continued General Tromp, "sorry because of you,more so than because of France. I know that it is useless to ask yourforgiveness."

  "For your treachery toward me," said General Joffre softly, "I forgiveyou freely; but for your treachery to France I cannot."

  The traitor once more looked the general straight in the eyes, andslowly his heels came together and his hand came to a salute.

  "Good-by, sir," he said quietly; then turned on his heel and walkedaway, his carriage erect, and without a tremor.

  For a moment General Joffre stared after him, and his eyes became dim.Quickly he passed his hand over his eyes; then, motioning for Hal andChester to follow him, turned slowly toward his car.

  "A good man--and an excellent officer," he muttered to himself, "if hehad but gone straight."

  The car sped away. That evening, while Hal and Chester stood besideGeneral Joffre, back again in his headquarters, an orderly rushed intothe tent, and forgetting the formality of a salute in his haste, wentup to the general and thrust a paper into his hand.

  Silently the general read it, passed it to Hal, and turned his headaway. Chester, leaning over his friend's shoulder, read the words themessage contained:

  "The body of General Emil Tromp was found in his quarters at the frontthis afternoon. He had shot himself through the head."

  "Evidently came by field wireless," said Chester.

  "Yes," replied Hal.

  General Joffre turned again to his desk, picked up a pen and wrote.Then he read a
loud to Hal and Chester:

  "General Emil Tromp was struck down by a German shell at the frontthis afternoon. He died almost instantly."

  "I am sure I may depend upon you to say nothing of what you have heardto-day," he said quietly.

  "You may, sir," said Hal and Chester in one breath.

  General Joffre tapped the bell on his desk. An orderly entered andcame to a salute.

  "Orderly," said General Joffre, handing him the message he had justwritten, "have this sent to the war office immediately."

  The gallant French commander turned again to his desk, and as theorderly, Hal and Chester passed from his tent he once more brushed themoisture from his eyes.