The officer in command sharply ordered his men to put out the fire, then turned to the master's wife.
"Why did you do that?" he asked.
"Because the house was defiled by a German foot," she answered.
The officer ground his teeth and turned away. Not for a few days yet did the Hun want to show his hand. Germany wanted first to seize the telegraph lines and means of communication before slipping the leash on the brute instincts of mankind.
"I suppose they'll want to search this house," Aunt Abigail remarked when the army had passed and the news was spread abroad that a search-party had been left behind to take possession of the village.
"Why, of course, Aunt, they're sure to," the boy replied.
"Well, they won't!"
She pointed to the Stars and Stripes which she had hung out over her door.
"I'm going to lock my door," she announced, "and never mind about any of their old regulations or military rules. If any German tries to break in under Old Glory, he'll be sorry he started. We've licked England twice and we'd lick Germany just as easy."