hey had learned in Russia, and
imagining that they could as easily--more easily, in fact--repeat their
exploit on this Western Front, had set out to capture Verdun by the aid
of their artillery alone, and had every confidence of smashing their
way to the town with but little else, and with but little use of their
infantry. Continuing their tempest of shells for many hours, till it
seemed that not one French soldier could have survived the bombardment
of that northern sector, they then sent forward their sappers and mere
patrols to discover what damage had been wrought, and to take over the
new position. Behind them, massed in amongst the trees, were German
battalions, prepared to advance at once and dig in and secure what the
guns had gained for them.

"Attention! The enemy are coming," Henri bellowed through the mouth of
the stairway leading to that dug-out where his platoon was sheltering.
"I can see them crossing the open."

"And the shell-fire, mon ami? It has ceased? No, surely not," came
the voice of the Sergeant.

"Tiens! Halt a little, my friends," said the voice of an officer
sheltering in an adjacent dug-out and coming at that moment to the exit
from it, "one little moment, for shells still rain upon the position.
Keep a careful watch, my gallant Henri, and warn us in due time."

Henri therefore once more stationed himself behind the battered edge of
what had been once the parapet of a well-made trench, and peered
through a broken loophole at the distant enemy. He could see scattered
parties of men trailing across the open, emerging from the distant
cover afforded by the trees, and marching steadily, without haste, it
seemed, towards the French positions. Then, glancing to his left and
to his right, he caught glimpses of other sentries like himself,
solitary Frenchmen stationed in those battered fire-trenches to watch
for the coming of the enemy--the thinnest of thin garrisons, indeed,
placed there to guard the French lines from sudden attack, and to
present as few men as possible to the devouring shells cast by the
Germans. It was the policy, in fact, of the French commanders to
expose their men just as little as was possible; to hold up the advance
of enemy attacks with as few numbers as was consistent with safety; and
in the event of massed attacks, where the pressure was enormous, to
create havoc in the ranks of the enemy with their guns, their
machine-guns, and their rifles--to kill Germans o