is followers with a sense of personal loyalty. His troops
idolize him. They break out into hearty hurrahs at the slightest
provocation when they see him. It is lese-majeste, but none the less
true, to say that they think as much of their General as of their
Kaiser. They tell you proudly that he rode at their head when the City
of Liege was taken by storm, and after seeing him you could never
picture von Emmich bringing up the rear in a motor car, after the manner
that more prudent Generals use. He has iron-gray hair and a bristly,
close-cropped mustache to match, and a very florid complexion, and looks
absolutely unlike the sleek individual whose photograph was published
with his obituary notice in the London press while the forts of Liege
were still "holding out" on paper.

Asked point blank, Gen. von Emmich stoutly and with great good humor
denied that he had ever committed suicide or even contemplated the step.

"But you know, Excellency, that you were reported to have lost something
like 120,000 men before Liege," it was suggested.

"That's three times as many as I had," he answered with the "winning
smile."

Gen. von Emmich will talk quite freely about anything but himself and
military matters, but a few odds and ends were snapped up. It was
interesting to learn that he was in Liege only a day and a half, then
pushed on ahead in the direction of Namur with the bulk of his corps,
leaving only his heavy artillery behind to finish up the remaining
forts. He did not even know that Zeppelins had taken part in the
bombardment of these forts until he heard about it afterward. Later he
turned up at Mons and had a hand in beating the British or expediting
their strategic retreat, according to the point of view. His subsequent
movements and present whereabouts are interesting, but would never pass
the German censor.

"Did you feel proud at being selected to lead the way into Belgium,
Excellency?" I inquired.

"Yes, of course I did," he replied.

"Would you like to lead your corps into England?" For just an instant
what looked very much like the light of battle was in his eye.

"I will go anywhere I am ordered to go--anywhere," he replied with
smiling emphasis.

I was interested to discover that the staff of the Nth Army Corps had
also been racking its brains about quite other than tactical problems
when Gen. von Emmich led the way into the dining room of the very modest
so-called "chateau" of the French village, w