hey did
not really know what they were about to join. Turning to his friend
the Marechal de Logis, he told him in English of their adventures of the
night before and asked him if this was the same army as the other. The
officer laughed heartily and translated the story for the benefit of the
others, who all joined him in his mirth. The gray haired man who had
first spoken to Paul and who was evidently an officer in high rank said
in pure English:

"Sons, I think you have done enough for France and it is best for you to
leave Paris and go home."

Then calling an orderly he gave instructions that they should be taken
to the rail road station and sent to Havre. Before leaving, he presented
each with twenty-five francs and instructed the orderly to secure them
transportation to the seacoast. The orderly who accompanied them to the
station was an enthusiastic admirer of everything American. He had a
brother in Quebec, which city he thought was about fourteen miles
outside of New York. So vehement was the hospitality he had pressed on
Paul and his companion that when he entered the station his military
dignity was lost and nothing remained but his idea of treating his
American friends to the best in the land. He placed them in a first
class compartment against the remonstrance of the guard, whom with
drawn sabre, he defied to eject them. As the train rolled out of the
station cries of "Vive la France," "Vive l'Amerique," were exchanged.

At Rouen, then held by the Germans who had military guards all around
the station, the train was detained for over half an hour owing to an
accident. While waiting, Paul and his companion left the station to
procure some tobacco. They passed a German soldier on guard at the gate
who did not intercept them. On returning, the sentinel stubbornly
refused them permission to enter notwithstanding the fact that they
showed him their pass-ports and transportation; but they could not
persuade him either in French or English to let them pass. At this
moment a German officer arrived, when Paul advancing told their
situation in French. Taking the transportation card from Paul's hand
he showed it to the sentinel, and after many harsh sounding remarks
in German he struck him with his open hand across the face. The soldier,
still presenting arms to his superior officer showed no sign of
resentment; not even a flush mounted to his cheek. The officer passed
them in and Paul remar