“Here is a woman dying of cold,” said the lieutenant.  “Who will give his cape to cover her?”

Two hundred capes were taken off.  The young girl was wrapped up in these warm soldiers’ capes, gently laid in the litter, and then four’ hardy shoulders lifted her up, and like an Eastern queen borne by her slaves she was placed in the center of the detachment of soldiers, who resumed their march with more energy, more courage, more cheerfulness, animated by the presence of a woman, that sovereign inspiration that has stirred the old French blood to so many deeds of valor.

At the end of an hour they halted again and every one lay down in the snow.  Over yonder on the level country a big, dark shadow was moving.  It looked like some weird monster stretching itself out like a serpent, then suddenly coiling itself into a mass, darting forth again, then back, and then forward again without ceasing.  Some whispered orders were passed around among the soldiers, and an occasional little, dry, metallic click was heard.  The moving object suddenly came nearer, and twelve Uhlans were seen approaching at a gallop, one behind the other, having lost their way in the darkness.  A brilliant flash suddenly revealed to them two hundred mete lying on the ground before them.  A rapid fire was heard, which died away in the snowy silence, and all the twelve fell to the ground, their horses with them.

After a long rest the march was resumed.  The old man whom they had captured acted as guide.

Presently a voice far off in the distance cried out:  “Who goes there?”

Another voice nearer by gave the countersign.

They made another halt; some conferences took place.  It had stopped snowing.  A cold wind was driving the clouds, and innumerable stars were sparkling in the sky behind them, gradually paling in the rosy light of dawn.

A staff officer came forward to receive the detachment.  But when he asked who was being carried in the litter, the form stirred; two little hands moved aside the big blue army capes and, rosy as the dawn, with two eyes that were brighter than the stars that had just faded from sight, and a smile as radiant as the morn, a dainty face appeared.

“It is I, monsieur.”

The soldiers, wild with delight, clapped their hands and bore the young girl in triumph into the midst of the camp, that was just getting to arms.  Presently General Carrel arrived on the scene.  At nine o’clock the Prussians made an attack.  They beat a retreat at noon.

That evening, as Lieutenant Lare, overcome by fatigue, was sleeping on a bundle of straw, he was sent for by the general.  He found the commanding officer in his tent, chatting with the old man whom they had come across during the night.  As soon as he entered the tent the general took his hand, and addressing the stranger, said: 

“My dear comte, this is the young man of whom you were telling me just now; he is one of my best officers.”