ised. It is reasonable to suppose
that we were unsuccessful, for we were hustled back to camp and drew
five days' cells each from the Commandant. There was no trial. He
merely sentenced us.

United States Ambassador Gerard only came to Giessen once in my time
there, and that was while I was off at one of the detached camps, so I
had no opportunity of observing the result.

We knew very little of what was going on in the outside world. The
guards were not allowed to converse with us, and if one was known to
speak English he was removed. However, they were more or less curious
about us so that a certain amount of clandestine conversation
occurred. Some were certain that they were going to win the war.
Others said: "England has too much money. Germany will never win."
They used frequently to gather the Russians, Belgians and French
together and lecture them on England's sins. They said that England
was letting them do all the fighting, bleeding them white of their men
and treasure so as to come out at the end of the war with the balance
of power necessary for her plan of retaining Constantinople and the
Cinque Ports of France. Many were convinced, and this did not add to
the pleasantness of our lot.

The notorious _Continental Times_ was circulated amongst us freely in
both French and English editions. It regularly gave us a most
appalling list of German victories and it specialised in abuse of the
English. We counted up in one month a total of two million prisoners
captured by the Germans on all fronts.

As I have said, Giessen was the best camp of all, barring the
starvation. But the discipline there was merciless. The laager was
inclosed by a high wire fence which we were forbidden to approach
within four feet of. A Russian sergeant overstepped that mark one day
to shout something to a friend in an adjoining laager. The sentry
shouted at him. He either failed to hear or did not understand. The
sentry killed him without hesitation.

A Belgian started over one day with some leftover soup which he
purposed giving to the Russians. The sentry would not let him pass. He
went back and told his mate. The latter, a kindly little fellow,
thinking that the sentry had not understood the nature of the mission,
decided to try himself. The sentry stopped him. He attempted to argue.
The sentry pushed him roughly back. He struck the German. The latter
dropped him with a blow on the head, and while he lay unconscious
shoved the ba