t, who, from either stupidity or laziness, were not
completely converted to such political views, were nevertheless not
entirely free from their influence. There would remain in their minds
some vestige of these ideas, and this seed would be carried back by the
peasant lads to their remote villages, where the new wisdom from the
city would bring forth fruit an hundredfold, sounding as it did so
pleasantly to the ear. And yet the mighty lords of the soil wondered at
the growth of the socialist vote among the purely agricultural
electorate! Of course it continued to grow and to increase every year,
because the army, under its present conditions simply constituted a
school of Social-Democracy.

Vogt sat on his gun-carriage and cast sad glances at the man next to
him, who had taken Klitzing's place: the blue-collared hospital-orderly
On the outward march his friend had been his neighbour, and the talk
between them had been hearty, merry, and familiar; it had been almost
snug on the gun-carriage. But now that dear old comrade lay away there
in the hills, and Vogt had to shift for himself during this last year
of his service. He kept thinking how lonely it would be for him now in
the barracks with the excitement of the autumn man[oe]uvres a thing of
the past, and with the monotonous winter work beginning again.

Above, on the limber, Wolf sat between Truchsess and Plettau. The
nearer the wished-for day of freedom approached the more nervous Wolf
became. He tried not even to think of life after his discharge, always
fearing that some slip might still occur to detain him longer in his
fetters. There was now only this one last day and this one last night
to endure--then he would be free. He felt as if now he might dare to
breathe freely. What could possibly happen amiss? There was no more
duty, merely the formal giving up of his kit. Then he would take his
certificate of discharge and would be able to go wherever he wished.

And so it came about that Wolf was filled with joy as they passed in
through the barrack gates.

That very afternoon the men whose time was expired handed over their
packing materials and all that could be spared of their outfit and
uniform, only retaining the suit they had on. Of course, until the
morning of the day of their discharge, they remained soldiers; but it
was impossible to keep up the usual discipline, and the authorities
gave every one, from first to last, a loose rein.

After the orders