"'No,' said M. Odent, 'one victim is enough.' You see he foresaw
everything. We all knew what had happened in Belgium and the Ardennes.

"The German officer questioned him again.

"'Why have your people gone?--why are these houses, these shops, shut?
There must be lights _everywhere_--all through the night!'

"Suddenly--shots!--in the Rue de la République. In a few seconds there
was a furious fusillade, accompanied by the rattle of machine guns. The
officer sprang up.

"'So this is your quiet town, Monsieur le Maire! I arrest you, and you
shall answer with your life for the lives of my soldiers.'

"Two men with revolvers were set to guard him. The officer himself
presently took him outside the town, and left him under guard, at the
little village of Poteau, at the edge of a wood."

* * * * *

What had happened? Unluckily for Senlis and M. Odent, some of the French
rear-guard--infantry stragglers, and a small party of Senegalese
troops--were still in the southern quarter of the town when the Germans
entered. They opened fire from a barrack near the Paris entrance and a
sharp engagement followed which lasted several hours, with casualties on
both sides. The Germans got the better, and were then free to wreak
their fury on the town.

They broke into the houses, plundered the wine shops, first of all, and