"What was in the ground, alive, they could not kill."

Two weeks after the German retreat from the Aisne
was rumored, five days after the newspapers were print-
ing censored descriptions of the ravaged country they
had left, and the very moment the official bulletin con-
firmed the news, Pierre Nidart presented himself to his
lieutenant to ask for a furlough, the long-delayed fur-
lough, due for more than two years now, which he had
never been willing to take. His lieutenant frowned un-
easily, and did not answer. After a moment's silence
he said, gently, "You know, my old fellow, the Boches
have left very little up there."

( Nidart was not an old fellow at all, being but thirty-
four, and the father of two young children. His lieu-
tenant used the phrase as a term of endearment, because
he had a high opinion of his silent sergeant.) Nidart
made no answer to his officer's remark. The lieutenant
took it that he persisted in wanting his furlough. As
he had at least three furloughs due him, it was hard to
refuse. There was a long silence. Finally, fingering
the papers on the dry-goods box which served him as
desk, the lieutenant said: "Your wife is young. They
say the Germans carried back to work in Germany all

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