expression of resolution and earnestness was predominant. He had
never joined either in the invective against the Emperor, or in the
confident anticipations of glorious successes over the Germans.

He listened but said nothing, and when questioned would reply, "Let us
see some one do better than the Emperor before we condemn him. We will
hope for the best, but so far predictions have been so wrong that it
would be better to wait and see before we blow our trumpets." He had
but little genius, this young Norman, but he had perseverance and power.

M. Goude scolded him less than others with far greater talent, and had
once said, "you will never be a great painter, Henri. I doubt if you
will ever be in the first line, but you will take a good place in the
second. You will turn out your pictures regularly and the work will
always be good and solid. You may not win any great prizes, but your
work will be esteemed, and in the end you will score as heavily as some
of those who possess real genius."

Yes, Henri was, they all felt, now they thought it over, one they could
rely upon. He would not lose his head, he would be calm in danger, as he
was calm at all other times, and he certainly would show no lack of
courage. Accordingly when the papers were opened he was found to have
received a considerable majority of the votes.

"Thank you for choosing me, comrades," he said, quietly. "I can only say
that if elected I will do my best. A man can't say more than that. Why
you should have fixed upon me I cannot think, but that is your business.
I think I can promise at any rate that I won't run away."

When the Franc-tireurs des Ecoles assembled the next morning, half an
hour was given for consultation; then the vote was taken, and Henri
Vancour was declared elected first Lieutenant of the company composed
entirely of the art students, the Captain being Francois des Valles, who
belonged to an old provincial family, a tall, dark, handsome young man,
extremely popular among his comrades.

"I think he will do very well," Cuthbert said, as the company fell in.
"There is no fear of his leaving us when under fire; his failing, if he
has one, will be that he may want to keep us there too long. It is quite
as necessary when you are fighting by the side of fellows who are not to
be relied on, to know when to retreat as it is to know when to advance."

This was their first parade in uniform. This had been decided upon at
the first meeting