Pictures and the Picturegoer (October 1915 - March 1916)

PICTURES AND THE PICTUREGOER 123 K ENDING Nov. 13. 1915 the struggle. Lay down your ABOVE the deafening; roar and crash of the guns a cry of pain rang out. A second later a thin form swayed and fell prostrate amidst the ruins of the bombarded street. A beautiful girl slipped upon her knees in futile efforts to succour the lifeless woman. . "My mother!— they have murdered her ! ': she cried. At a sign from their leader the Prussians ceased to fire, and for a moment silence reigned— a silence that was nerve-racking after the long, unbroken din of the invasion. With jaunty air and leering smile, Lieutenant Arlstein stepped forward from the German ranks. You are beaten ; it is useless to construggle, irais and surrender ! ' A groan of despair ran round the little group of exhausted French. It was line. The fight for home and loved at an end— they were com ■ conquered. Then* arms dropped •lowly and unwillingly to the ground— ir 1h.1mv.m1 French soil that was red with the blood of Prussian victims. Tears streamed clown the girl's pale (is she lifted the glistening white E 'lie lasi sacrifice upon her arm. •■ I am sorry, Mademoiselle, bnt tin's is id the officer, lightly, ;ls | ,.| 1 pi il forwardal hiscomniand ll' I li' dead woman into the beautiful elii'l. an that had been her happy home until the fiend of War hail iir France in its lustful, pitirip. ■hit r shuddered at thet h lovi d form in the care ot these rutcs.and would have counternraud : I .ill jnant's orders I111I for up! hand upon her arm. Sh>a in I d met the sorrowing, I f her nurse. " It is better so, majpeiite," THE OUTRAGE Adapted from the Hepworth Quality Exclusive By M. OUSTON-BOOTH. Quietly the girl stood up, but there was a haughtiness and defiance in her bearing eloquent of the burning hate she endured. With a gesture she pointed the way, and, trembling with the shock of her bereavement, followed with her nurse. When the latter accompanied the stretcher-bearers into the dead woman's apartment the girl crouched, forlorn and broken-hearted, upon a lounge in the exquisite salon. " It is too terrible ! " she sobbed, " in these few awful days all my loved ones gone ! " The tramp of returning footsteps roused her to composure. Wearily she rose, and, standing erect, met with proud disdain the coarse, insulting glances of the soldiers. As they passed out of the door she became aware of the presence of the Lieutenant's orderly, and stepped forward to hear the nature of the commands it was obvious he gave. At her approach he turned from the nurse and addressed her with an insolent bow. "Mademoiselle, prepare. Lieutenant Arlstein is pleased to make this chateau his headquarters during his occupation of the town," With apparent enjoyment of her disconcertion the orderly turned upon his heel, leaving the two women to face the grief of their recent bereavement together with the cruel humiliation that succeeded it. Towards evening Lieutenant Arlstein made his appearance at the chateau, where supper had been prepared at his orders for himself and a party of fellowofficers. Intoxicated with wine and success, their ribaldry rang out louder and louder as the meal progressed, filling the peaceful old house with a mad by that contrasted strangely with its aspect of dignity, to which the tragedy of the day seemed to have added a brooding melancholy. •' They, at least, could have spared me this," murmured the orphaned daughter of the chateau to her nurse and protector, as they made their way t ther through the salL scene of buffoonery and drunken brawl. At the foot of the stairs the pair were accosted by the Lieutenant, who, with a flow of pretty compliments sought to win favour and admiration from the miserable girl. But as he caught her white hand in his own and raised it to his lips she drew herself away from him with a little gasp of horror and repugnance. He watched her disappear, and with a volley of expletives rejoined his friends. '" She forgets that I am the only man who sleeps here," he said presently with a grin. What if I ask her to spare me an hour after you fellows have gone ?-" A burst of laughter and applause followed the suggestion, and. draining their glasses dry, the men rose one by one to their feet. When the last had left the bouse the Prussian officer made his way silently up the staircase, and in hiding awaited an opportunity of carrying out his vile intention. A few minutes elapsed ; then the door of the girl's room opened, and the nurse appeared. Pouncing upon her unawares, Arlstein had little difficulty in overpoweringher, which feat accomplished she was flung brutally into an adjoining room. Meanwhile his other victim, hearing "MS MOTHER J— THEY HAVE MURDERED HEK ! " SHE CRIED.