CHAPTER XIV
MORE SACRIFICES THAN ONE
Monsieur Lafrane had stepped out of the automobile, although the wagonhad now been backed so that the car could have easily passed. Itsengine was still throbbing.
Ruth Fielding was giving her full attention to the little scene at thehencoop.
The tall, handsome major in his beautiful uniform made littleimpression upon the old woman. She backed away from him, pressingcloser to the lathe coop.
"No, no! I will not come. My pullets--they will starve," shereiterated endlessly.
"But the Germans may be coming," the major said patiently. "They willkill your pullets and eat them."
"They did not do so before when they came," she shrieked. "I do notbelieve they are coming. These wicked Americans want my pullets._That_ is what it is! I will not!"
"Tante----" the major interposed gently.
"I will not, I tell you!" she interrupted.
She had backed up against the gate of the coop and had been fiddlingbehind her at its fastenings. Now, quick as a wink, she snatched thegate open and, with wonderful celerity for one of her age, plunged intothe hencoop and slammed to the door.
There was a tumultuous flapping and cackling of the bewildered poultry,and the air inside the coop was immediately filled with dust andfeathers. Then the chaos subsided and the old woman looked outdefiantly at the major and at the half-amused, half-pitying soldierboys.
The major's shrug was characteristic. He turned to look at thespectators, and Ruth saw that his eyes were moist. His pity for theunfortunate old woman and his kindness to her had its effect upon theAmerican girl. She wondered what manner of man, after all, thisFrenchman could be.
Major Marchand said something in a low voice to the American corporal.The latter gave an order to his men. They surrounded the coop, andsuddenly, at the word, the corners were torn apart and the walls of theenclosure thrown down.
Aunt Abelard shrieked--and so did the pullets. Many of the latter werecaught on the wing by the soldiers. The major put his arm about theold woman's shoulders. She was shrieking insanely, but he led her intothe house and there remained while most of the pullets were decapitatedswiftly and thrown aside, to be later carried to the field kitchens.
But when the tearful old woman was brought out with the last of herpossessions and bundled into the rear of the now loaded wagon, theAmerican corporal came with a pair of the nicest pullets, their legstied together, and placed them in the old woman's lap along with thebird-cage one of the boys lifted up to her.
Ruth, watching closely, saw Major Marchand draw the corporal aside andplace a couple of twenty-franc notes in his hand, nodding toward theold woman. It was to recompense her for the pullets, over whoseuntimely fate she was still moaning.
The mystery of the major--or his character and what and who he reallywas--disturbed Ruth. She was excited. Should she tell MonsieurLafrane of her suspicion that this officer of the French army was theman whom she thought was Nicko's double?
For it was Major Henri Marchand Ruth believed she had seen enterNicko's garden and talk with him the evening before she left the fieldhospital to return to Clair.
The major walked quietly away without even seeing Ruth. The chauffeurof their car, after a nod from Lafrane, started again. They passed thewagon, which was already trundling down the road.
This cot was the last one at which Ruth saw anybody during that ride.For when they reached the hut of Nicko, the chocolate peddler, hisplace was likewise deserted. There were no neighboring houses.
Lafrane got out at Nicko's cottage and searched the premises. His facewas grave when he came back to the car and told the chauffeur to hurryon to the hospital.
Here Ruth was amazed to see many American soldiers at work. They werepiling sandbags about the various huts and over their roofs. Sheunderstood now why the people were being entirely cleared out of thissector. A great bombardment was expected.
Ruth did not get out of the car. M. Lafrane ran in, and, through theopen gateway, she saw that he entered Hut H. He had gone to take alook at the occupant of Cot 24--the German officer.
He was occupied within some time and when he appeared at the door ofthe hut Dr. Monteith was with him. The two stood talking for a whilebefore the secret agent returned to the gate. He got into the caragain with just a word to his chauffeur.
"Mademoiselle," said M. Lafrane, his face serious, indeed, "there aremany disappointments in life, as well as many sacrifices. We saw theold woman torn from her home--and from her pullets--just now. Thepattern of life is complex for us all.
"I have come from Paris because you called me." Ruth started andlooked at him closely. "I hoped that you might have something ofmoment to tell me. I shall always trust in your good sense."
Ruth felt a sinking of the heart.
"But, Monsieur! have I brought you here for nothing? I warned you itmight be a mare's nest."
"_Non, non_!" he replied eagerly. "It is not your fault. I believeyou did hand me a thread of a clue that might--under more fortunatecircumstances--have led to the disclosure of something momentous."
"But that in reality leads nowhere, Monsieur. Is that what you mean?"
"Mademoiselle, Fate tricks us! This Nicko is one of those thrust outof this sector in haste because of military reasons. And the GermanHauptman, who lay so long ill in that Hut H--well, Mademoiselle, he hasdied!"
Ruth was amazed, and for a time dumb. Should she bring Major HenriMarchand into the matter? The secret agent knew him and respected him.Ruth shrank from putting suspicion upon a possibly innocent person.
And yet, his height, his manner of bowing, an indefinite air about him,had convinced Ruth that Nicko's double was Henri Marchand. Who elsecould it be? Could there be some person who so resembled the countess'younger son?
The thought roweled her mind. There was something in it to beconsidered. Who else could the mysterious man be?
And then, of a sudden, it flashed into Ruth's mind. The older son ofthe Countess Marchand was probably in appearance like his brother.Count Allaire Marchand! And where was Count Allaire now?
The story was that the young count had disappeared from Paris. He wasbelieved to be in the pay of the Germans. He, like Henri, had beeneducated in the Prussian military schools. No matter what the secretagents thought of the countess the loyalty of her sons was questionedby the peasants living about the chateau.
A determination grew in Ruth Fielding's mind. She would go to thechateau and see if there was a picture of Count Allaire in his oldhome. She wished to determine if he looked like Major Henri Marchand.
Meanwhile they rode swiftly over another road toward Clair. It was theroad beside which the little inn of Mother Gervaise was situated.
Even that had been stripped of the widow's possessions and she wasgone. Like every other cot in all this sector, and back for ten milesfrom the battle front, the place was deserted.