probably of those who had fought at Liege,
and subsequently passed around the city on the grand sweep toward
the French frontier. Moreover, huge bodies of German troops were
advancing up the valley of the Meuse and through the woods of the
Ardennes. As in Louvain, that night the hotels, restaurants, cafes,
and shops of Brussels were patronized by a rush of trade which
never before totaled such extent in a single day. Bills of purchase
were settled by the Germans in cash. The city was promptly assessed
a war indemnity of $40,000,000.

With the fall of Brussels, the first objective of the Germans may
be said to have been gained. But the right wing of Von Kluck's
army was still operating northward upon Antwerp. The Belgian army
had escaped him within the circle of Antwerp's forts, so that he
detailed a force deemed to be sufficient to hold the enemy secure.
Then he struck eastward between Antwerp and Brussels at Alost,
Ghent, and Bruges. In his advance he swept several divisions of
cavalry, also motor cars bearing machine guns. Beyond Bruges his
patrol caught their first glimpse of the North Sea, drawing in
toward another much-hoped-for goal on the English Channel.

But the Belgian army within security of Antwerp had not been routed.
It had retreated in good order, thanks to the resistance of its
right-wing rear guard. General de Moranville promptly reenforced it
with new volunteers to the extent of some 125,000 men. In addition,
he drew upon a fresh supply of ammunition, and new artillery well
horsed. His cavalry, however, were certainly no better and probably
worse than that with which his army had been complemented originally.

On August 23, 1914, obtaining information that the Germans were
in considerably inferior force at Malines, the Belgians began a
vigorous counteroffensive. General de Moranville drove the Germans
out of Malines on the day following. That was in the nature of a
master stroke, for it gave the Belgians control of the shortest
railway from Germany into West Flanders. Further, since Von Kluck
had reached Bruges, and reenforcements under General von Boehn
had passed across the Belgian direct line on Brussels, the great
German right wing was in danger of being caught in a trap. Von
Boehn, therefore, was hurriedly detached rearward to deal with
the Belgian counteroffensive. But this deprived Von Kluck of his
needed reenforcements to overcome 2,000 British marines landed
at Ostend, that, together with