Contemptible""

were halts and delays, intolerable to those in whom the want of rest had become a positive pass

pped. An attack on the town was expected by a large detachment of cavalry. The wretched men had to be hurried out, to line a row of hedges to the west of the town. They waited about half-an-hour, but saw not a sign of the famous square-crested Uhlan helmet. It appeared that the enemy had been content with destroying the cana

on-Colonel, Second in Command, Adjutant, etc. His servant brought him his valise from the Reg

d a footbath, an

es off, his Captain came in to say that his Platoon was being sent off as infantry escort to a battery of artillery. By the time he had redressed himself, the Battery and his Platoon had both gone. The streets were filled by French p

oice, saturated with fear, cried out from the darkness, "Who goes there?" A face, with a bayonet in front of it, loomed up from

outpost line. There's only Ro

our. Even while he was thinking, a shout was wafted on the wind out of the darkness and chasing it, overtaking it almost, a rif

to his own unit? Before long a couple of men rushed along the road crying out for Stretcher Bearers, and he learnt from one of them that in the

hing for it but to effect a retreat before the morning light could betray their weakness to the Germans. Apparently,

les. If he were to grope about the countryside in the dark, looking for "that battery," he would most likely be

ot. The truth was that the excitement of the attack, coupled with the chill of the night, had restored him in mind and body, although

e. The Subaltern found his Major, and reported that he had failed to find his Platoon. The Major was too sleepy to be annoyed. "I

ep, disturbed by the cold. Then came dawn, and with

marched along he reflected with grim amusement on the ease with which the most confirmed Sybarite can get accustomed to hardships. At home, if he did anything early on an empty stoma

ght mixed up in some weird way with "le petit Piou-Piou," had not yet seen a Frenchman in action. In a vague way he fancied that "the Frenchies" had "let him down." He knew nothing of the b

o they 'ave come. Wel

aise" broke o

oo much of this ruddy 'Mars

you mea

ch on, March on.' I