onscious of a tie like that of blood brotherhood.

He knew it was due to the old and yet unpaid help France had given to
his own country, and above all to the conviction that France, minding
her own business, had been set upon by a greater power, with intent to
crush and destroy. France was attacked by a dragon, and the old similes
of mythology floated through his mind, but, oftenest, that of Andromeda
chained to the rock. And the figure that typified France always had the
golden hair and dark blue eyes of slim, young Julie Lannes.

They advanced several hours almost in silence, as far as talk was
concerned, but two hundred thousand men marching made a deep and steady
murmur. General Vaugirard kept well in front of his staff, riding,
despite his immense bulk, like a Comanche, and occasionally putting his
glasses to those fiery little red eyes. At length he turned and beckoned
to John, who promptly drew up to his side.

"You speak good French?" he said in his native tongue.

"Yes, sir," replied John promptly.

"I understand that you came with the flying man, Lannes, who brought the
message responsible for this march, and that it is not the only time
you've done good service in our cause?"

John bowed modestly.

"Did you see any German troops on the way?"

"Only a band of Uhlans."

"A mere scouting party. It occurred to me that you might have seen
masses of troops belonging to the foe, indicating perhaps what is
awaiting us at the end of our march."

"I know nothing, sir. The Uhlans were all the foes we saw from the air,
save the man who shot Lannes."

"I believe you. You belong to the youngest of the great nations. Your
people have not yet learned to say with the accents of truth the thing
that is not. I am sixty years old, and yet I have the curiosity to know
where I am going and what I am expected to do when I get there. Behold
how I, an old man, speak so frankly to you, so young."

"When I saw your excellency leap into the saddle you did not seem to me
to be more than twenty."

John called him "your excellency" because he thought that in the absence
of precise knowledge of what was fitting the term was as good as
another.

A smile twinkled in the eyes of General Vaugirard. Evidently he was
pleased.

"That is flattery, flattery, young man," he said, "but it pleases me.
Since I've drawn from you all you know, which is but little, you may
fall back with your comrades. But keep near; I fancy I shall hav