should discover you, all would not be well with you, my daughter. You
might be killed. I cannot permit it.'

"'Have no fears, mother; I will listen for every sound in the street
and will go no further than the door. They shall neither see nor hear
me.'

"The mother gave a reluctant consent and Jeanne crept upstairs,
stepped quietly to the door and unbolted it, intending to open the
door a few inches and peer out.

"At that instant the door was rudely forced open from the outside. A
German officer and several men pushed their way in. The officer caught
Jeanne in a listening attitude.

"'Halt!' he commanded, the lances of his men thrust out so close to
the little girl that it seemed as if they already had pierced her.
'Listening, are you?'

"'Yes, monsieur,' she answered truthfully.

"'Why?'

"'That I might know if you had gone so I might once more go out to the
street.'

"The officer laughed.

"'You have nothing to fear if you tell us the truth. We would have
certain information from you, child.'