The Kingdom of the Blind

with a start. He had been sleeping so heavily that

ossible; the landing at Boulogne, a hive of industry notwithstanding the darkness; the clanking of waggons, the shrieking of locomotives, the jostling of crowds, the occasional flashing of an electric torch. And then the ride in the great automobile through the misty nigh

"Surgeon-Major Thomson, o

. In the distance he could see the movements of a body of troops through the trees, soldiers on the way to relieve their comrades in the trenches. As the morning broke, the trenches themselves came into view-long, zig-zag lines, silent, and with no sign of the men who crawled about inside like ants. He passed a great brewery transformed into a canteen, from which a line of waggons, going and returning, were passing all the time backwards and for

e. Queerest sight of all, here and there were peasants at work in the fields. One old man leaned upon his spade and watched as the car passed. Not a dozen yards from him was a great hole in the ground where a

of the German shel

s to live, one must eat. Therefore I work. Four sons I have and a nephew away yonder," he added, waving

ime longer," Thomson

oked sadly at

ttered, "and one grows old a

en, but which was now torn to pieces by gun carriages, convoy waggons, and every description of vehicle. From the top of the house stretched many wires. A sentry stood at the iron gates and passed M

he called out, "

homson assented.

that the French have been giving them a knock. We've had a quiet time

a few words with the Gene

rse. He is in his own room with two of the flying men, ju

chateau, and in which a long table was laid. One or two staff officers

have to keep on the qui vive. We got some shells yesterday dropped within a quarter of a mile of us. I th

something. The destroyer that brought me over is wait

m the other side of the

still a London, I suppose? Savoy and Carl

n assured him. "London's wonderfu

rful reply. "I keep on getting promi

by his side explained, helping himself to marma

Wattles declared one day. We're all living wonders, Major," he went on, turning to Thomson, "but if I don't get a Sole Colbert and a

n from the other end of the table remarked. "Your own mot

ingered his loc

shot yesterday," he grumbled. "Anything

shook

ane and a f

his Bleriot," some one remarked. "He'll

t Thomson in the garde

ll see you at onc

ting down a telephone, and a third was making some measurements upon a large Ordnance map nailed upon one of the

u leave Lond

on replied. "Rather a record trip. We h

the General continued glancing at a document in his

ranet of Harrison's s

d and knocked the

asked, "w

xactly what you meant by asking the War Office

eral he

what ar

nce, I have come to the conclusion that Captain Granet is a mysterious person and needs watching. As usual,

shrugged h

disappear-got too far ahead of his men, was his explanation. All I can say is that he was luckier than most of them. Anything wandering about loose in a British uniform-but there, I won't go on with that. He came back each time with information as to what he had seen. Each time we planned an attack on the strength of that information. Each time that information proved to be misleading and our attack failed, costing us heavy losses. Of course, dispositions might have been changed since his observ

" Thomson

, and has all the appearance of a keen soldier. I hate to do him a wrong even in my thoughts but there were others besides myself to who

homson said slowly. "You have given me

e young officer who was sitting in a distant corner of the room with a t

turned, "perhaps you will gratify mine? Will you tell me just h

nding still for a moment, came in my direction. I took out my revolver, and to tell you the truth I very nearly fired on sight, for it would have been an exceedingly awkward matter for me to have been taken prisoner just then. Just as my finger was on the trigger, I became conscious that the man who was approaching was humming 'Tipperary.' I flashed my light on his face and saw at once that he was a British officer. He addressed me quickly in German. I answered him in English. I fancied for a moment that he seemed annoyed. 'We'd better get out of this,' he whispered. 'We're within a h

ed. He was looki

rm could ever play such a dastardly part. However, on the whole I am rather glad that

A few minutes later he was in his