he last taste of careless days that so

ere rapidly accustoming themselves to the new conditions. The Officers occupied themselves with polishi

n buckets. The Officers were treated like the best friends of the families with whom they were bille

ren. Nothing they could do for the five officers of the Company was too much trouble. Madame Mère resigned her bedroom to the Major

got-Le Petit Parisian and such like-talked vaguely of a successful offensive on the extreme right: Mülhouse, it was said, had been taken. But of the left, of Belgium, there was silence. Such ideas as the Subaltern himself had on the strategical situation were but crude. The line of battle, he fancied, would stretch north and so

a sight of the red and blue of the French unifor

heir excited way; he never thought that reciprocally his talk was just as funny. The French matches earned unprintable names. But on the whole he admired sunny France with its squares of golden corn and vegetables, and when h

the trailing grass. Nor was there any lack of talent. One reservist, a miner since he had left the army, roared out several songs concerning the feminine element at the sea-side, or voicing an inquiry as to a gentleman's

r heart may

er

face may los

er

s sunshine

ladness fo

happy on

r mi

ltern's eyes the picture of the dainty little star who had sung it on the boards of the Coliseum. And to conclude, Madame's voice, French, and sonorously metallic, was heard in the d

nough those five days-th