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-chief
of the French army and General Emil Tromp, an incident that has never
been told, and never will find its way into history; an interview
between a gallant French officer and another who, were his actions
known, would be likened to the greatest of American traitors--Benedict
Arnold.
Hal and Chester followed General Joffre from his tent without a word
and 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 car
was literally flying over the ground, passing large bodies of troops
moving rapidly forward as though they were stationary.
Hal and Chester found ample time to take an inventory of the general's
car. It was a huge machine, and besides being fitted up luxuriously
was also furnished as an office, that the general might still be at
work while he hurried from one part of the field to another when
events demanded his immediate presence. Even now, with treachery
threatening, and whirling along at a terrific speed, General Joffre,
probably because of habit, fell to work sorting papers, studying maps
and other drawings.
For almost two hours the car whirled along at top speed, and at length
pulled up in the rear of an immense body of troops, who, even to Hal
and Chester, could be seen preparing for an advance.
General Joffre was out of the car before it came to a full stop, and
Hal and Chester were at his heels. An orderly approached.
"My respects to General Tromp, and tell him I desire his presence
immediately," ordered General Joffre.
The orderly saluted and dashed away. General Joffre paced up and down
nervously. Finally, at the approach of rapid footsteps, he raised his
head. A group of officers were approaching. One of them advanced right
up to the general and saluted, and even as he did so the sound of a
bugle rang out, ordering a general advance.
"Sir----" began the officer, whom the boys instantly knew to be
General 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 enemy
is 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 saw
that General Tromp still hesitated, "shall I do it myself?"
General Tromp turned and gave the command to one of his staff, who
immediately dashed away. A moment and a bugle rang out, and the great
army came to a pause.
"Now, sir," said General Joffre to General Tromp, "you will please
dismiss your staff."
Without a word General Tromp turned and gave the necessary order. A
moment later and the four, General Joffre, General Tromp, Hal and
Chester, were alone together.
"What is the meaning of this, sir?" demanded General Tromp, with some
dignity.
"The meaning, General Tromp," said General Joffre calmly, "is that you
are a traitor!"
General Tromp started back, and his hand went up before his face as if
to ward off a blow.
"What!" he cried in well simulated surprise. "Have a care, sir. I
shall allow no such insults, even though you are my superior officer."
"Tush, tush," chided the commander-in-chief gently. "Why keep up the
pretense? You are discovered. Why not admit it and have done?"
"Sir!" cried General Tromp, drawing himself up. "I demand an
explanation of your strange conduct."
"And you shall have it, sir!" thundered General Joffre, now very
angry, as he took a step forward.
General Tromp quailed before him. His eyes fell to the ground and his
injured dignity dropped from him like a mask.
"I accuse you," continued General Joffre, "of being a traitor to
France. I accuse you of aiding and abetting the escape of another
traitor, one Dersi. And I also accuse you," and here the general
pointed an accusing finger at General Tromp, "of even now playing into
the hands of the enemy by ordering an advance, when you knew very well
that such an advance could mean only the extermination of our troops."
By a great effort General Tromp forced his eyes to meet those of his
commander.
"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 to
a 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 Sir
John French, who vouches for the truth of their story. Besides, your
actions just now have convicted you. Come, Tromp, further denial is
useless. Dersi has confessed."
"Dersi!" exclaimed Tromp, his fingers twitching. "If I could just get
my hands on him for one minute----"
"But you can't," said General Joffre. "He is dead. And he died with a
clear 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 have
your choice. Either the way I mean, or to be publicly hanged as a
traitor. If possible, I desire to avoid publicity. Which shall it be?"
General Tromp shifted nervously from one foot to the other, his hands
twitching convulsively. Suddenly one hand leaped to his side.
"I wouldn't do that," said Hal quietly, and turning General Tromp saw
the lad's revolver pointed squarely at him, held in a steady hand.
His hand dropped to his side again, and for some moments the traitor
stood in silence. Then, suddenly, his shaking stopped. He raised his
eyes and looked his commander straight in the eyes.
"It shall be as you say, sir," he said calmly. "You are right. I
am a traitor. I would not have been, but--but--well that makes no
difference now. You shall see, sir, that I am no coward. I am not
afraid to die. Neither need you fear that I shall not do as you
command. 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 your
forgiveness."
"For your treachery toward me," said General Joffre softly, "I forgive
you freely; but for your treachery to France I cannot."
The traitor once more looked the general straight in the eyes, and
slowly his heels came together and his hand came to a salute.
"Good-by, sir," he said quietly; then turned on his heel and walked
away, 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 and
Chester to follow him, turned slowly toward his car.
"A good man--and an excellent officer," he muttered to himself, "if he
had but gone straight."
The car sped away. That evening, while Hal and Chester stood beside
General Joffre, back again in his headquarters, an orderly rushed into
the tent, and forgetting the formality of a salute in his haste, went
up to the general and thrust a paper into his hand.
Silently the general read it, passed it to Hal, and turned his head
away. Chester, leaning over his friend's shoulder, read the words the
message contained:
"The body of General Emil Tromp was found in his quarters at the front
this 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 aloud to Hal and Chester:
"General Emil Tromp was struck down by a German shell at the front
this afternoon. He died almost instantly."
"I am sure I may depend upon you to say nothing of what you have heard
to-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 and
came to a salute.
"Orderly," said General Joffre, handing him the message he had just
written, "have this sent to the war office immediately."
The gallant French commander turned again to his desk, and as the
orderly, Hal and Chester passed from his tent he once more brushed the
moisture from his eyes.