ood-bye, Mr. Scott, and good luck
to you. I must go on with my company."

"Good-bye and good luck," repeated John, as the Alsatian shot forward.
He liked Weber, who had a most pleasing manner, and he was glad to have
seen him once more.

"Who was that?" asked de Rougemont, waking from his sleep and catching
the last words of farewell.

"An Alsatian, named Fernand Weber, who has risked his life more than
once for France. He belongs to the motor-cycle corps that's just
passing."

"May he and his comrades soon find the enemy, because here is the day."

The leaves and grass rippled before the breeze and over the eastern
hills the dawn broke.

CHAPTER IV

THE INVISIBLE HAND

It was a brilliant morning sun, deepening the green of the pleasant
land, lighting up villages and glinting off church steeples. In a field
a little distance to their right John saw two peasants at work already,
bent over, their eyes upon the ground, apparently as indifferent to the
troops as the troops were to them.

It was very early, but the sun was rising fast, unfolding a splendid
panorama. The French army with its blues and reds was more spectacular
than the German, and hence afforded a more conspicuous target. John was
sure that if the war went on the French would discard these vivid
uniforms and betake themselves to gray or khaki. He saw clearly that the
day of gorgeous raiment for the soldier had passed.

The great puffing sound of primeval monsters which had blended into one
rather harmonious note ceased, as if by signal, and the innumerable
motors stopped. As far as John could see the army stretched to left and
right over roads, hills and fields, but in the fields behind them the
silent peasants went on with their work--in fields which the Republic
had made their own.

"I think we take breakfast here," said Rougemont. "War is what one of
your famous American generals said it was, but for the present, at
least, we are marching _de luxe_. Here comes one of those glorious
camp-kitchens."

An enormous motor vehicle, equipped with all the paraphernalia of a
kitchen, stopped near them, and men, trim and neatly dressed, served hot
food and steaming coffee. General Vaugirard had alighted also, and John
noticed that his step was much more springy and alert than that of some
officers half his age. His breath came in great gusts, and the small
portion of his face not covered by thick beard was ruddy and glowing
with health. He dr