Page:War's dark frame (IA warsdarkframe00camp).pdf/86

66 can a visible pride in its climax. He sipped his cof- fee.

"That legionaire," he said, "will be a better soldier for his adventure."

“How," the Quaker asked thoughtfully, any one hope to defeat soldiers who take death and war with that blagueur attitude?"

Through the quiet reply of the machine gun officer vibrated an unconditional assurance.

“We do not believe such men can be defeated."

And we thought of the guns of Verdun which we had heard that afternoon, roaring from the German lines their desperation and their anger.

For some time after dinner we chatted. We talked of nothing but war, for that is all there is to talk about in Europe these days.

A general officer strolled in, nodding pleasantly to one and another.

"We must make an early start to-morrow, our staff officer said.

"Shan't we go to bed?"

He showed us our rooms. He made sure that we were quite comfortable. He brought a map, the very last thing, explaining the trip he had arranged for the next day.

"Of course," he said, "they might send a shell in here to-night, or an air raid isn't an impossibility."