ght back tired
soldiers bound for a place of rest, and their roofs were marvellously
"camouflaged" in a blend of blue and green paint splotched with red. For
aeroplanes they must have looked, in their processions, like drifting
mist over meadowland. Shooting in and out among them, like slim gray
swordfish in a school of porpoise, were military cars crowded with smart
officers who saluted the lieutenant escorting us, and stared in surprise
at sight of a woman. A sprinkling of these officers were Americans, and
they would have astonished us more than we astonished them had we not
known that we should see Americans. They were to be, indeed, the
"feature" of the great show; and though Mr. Beckett was calm in manner
to match the Front, I knew from his face that he was deeply moved by the
thought of seeing "boys from home" fighting for France as his dead son
had fought.

At each small village we saw soldiers who had been sent to the "back of
the Front" for a few days' change from the trenches. They lounged on
long wooden benches before humble houses where they had _logement_; they
sat at tables borrowed from kitchens, earnestly engaged at dominoes or
_manille_, or they played _boules_ in narrow grass alleys beside the
muddy road. For them we had packed all vacant space in the auto with a
cargo of cigarettes; and white teeth flashed and blue arms waved in
gratitude as we went by. I think Father Beckett was happier than he had
been since we left Paris.

At last we came to a part of the road that was "camouflaged" with a
screen of branches fixed into wire. There was no great need of it in
these days, our lieutenant explained, but Heaven knew when it might be
urgently wanted again: perhaps to-morrow! And this was where we said
"_au revoir_" to our car. She was wheeled out of the way on to a strip
of damp grass, under a convenient group of trees where no prowling enemy
plane might "spot" her; and we set out to walk for a short distance to
what had once been a farmhouse. Now, what was left of it had another
use. A board walk (well above the mud), which led to the new, unpainted
door, was guarded by sentinels, and explanations were given and papers
shown before a rather elderly French captain appeared to greet us.
Arrangements had been made for our reception, but we had to be
identified; and when all was done we were given a good welcome. Also we
were given helmets, and I was vain enough to fancy I had never worn a
more becoming h