too much, but we have nothing. What can we live on, m'sieu
the mayor?"

But now the drummers had stepped out into the centre of the square and
were drawing their drum-sticks from the brass sockets in their
baldricks.

"Good-bye! Good-bye!" sobbed the maids of Paradise, giving both hands
to their lovers. "We will pray for you!"

"Pray for us," said the men, holding their sweethearts' hands.

"Attention!" cried the officer, a slim, hectic lieutenant from
Lorient.

The mayor handed him the rolls, and the lieutenant, facing the
shuffling single rank, began to call off:

"Roux of Bannalec?"

"Here, monsieur--"

"Don't say, 'Here, monsieur!' Say, 'Present!' Now, Roux?"

"Present, monsieur--"

"Idiot! Kedrec?"

"Present!"

"That's right! Penmarch?"

"Present!"

"Rhuis of Sainte-Yssel?"

"Present!"

"Herve of Paradise Beacon?"

"Present!"

"Laenec?"

"Present!"

"Duhamel?"

"Present!"

The officer moistened his lips, turned the page, and continued:

"Carnac of Alincourt?"

There was a silence, then a voice cried, "Crippled!"

"Mark him off, lieutenant," said the mayor, pompously; "he's our
little hunchback."

"Shall I mark you in his place?" asked the lieutenant, with a smile
that turned the mayor's blood to water. "No? You would make a fine
figure for a forlorn hope."

A man burst out laughing, but he was half crazed with grief, and his
acrid mirth found no response. Then the roll-call was resumed:

"Gestel?"

"Present!"

"Garenne!"

There was another silence.

"Robert Garenne!" repeated the officer, sharply. "Monsieur the mayor
has informed me that you are liable for military duty. If you are
present, answer to your name or take the consequences!"

The poacher, who had been lounging on the bridge, slouched slowly
forward and touched his cap.

"I am organizing a franc corps," he said, with a deadly sidelong
glance at the mayor, who now stood beside the lieutenant.

"You can explain that at Lorient," replied the lieutenant. "Fall in
there!"

"But I--"

"Fall in!" repeated the lieutenant.

The poacher's visage became inflamed. He hesitated, looking around for
an avenue of escape. Then he caught my disgusted eye.

"For the last time," said the lieutenant, coolly drawing his
revolver, "I order you to fall in!"

The poacher backed into the straggling rank, glaring.

"Now," said the lieutenant, "you may go to your house and get your
packet. If we have left when you retu