n. I looked
about for the signs of destruction that had grown so familiar to me,
but I saw none. Evidently the bombardment of Bethune has not yet done
much damage.

A squad of artillerymen marched by in perfect step; their faces were
keen, bronzed. They were fine-looking, well-set-up men, as smart as
English artillerymen always are. I watched them as long as I could see
them.

We had lost our way, owing to the regulations of the traffic squad. It
was necessary to stop and inquire. Then at last we crossed a small
bridge over the canal, and were on our way along the front, behind the
advanced trenches and just in front of the second line.

For a few miles the country was very level. The firing was on our
right, the second line of trenches on our left. The congestion of
Bethune had given way to the extreme peace in daylight of the region
just behind the trenches. There were few wagons, few soldiers. Nothing
could be seen except an occasional cloud where shrapnel had burst. The
British Army was keeping me safe, as it had promised!

There were, however, barbed-wire entanglements everywhere, built, I
thought, rather higher than the French. Roads to the right led to the
advanced trenches, empty roads which at night are thronged with men
going to the front or coming back.

Here and there one saw a sentry, and behind him a tent of curious
mottled shades of red, brown and green.

"They look as though they were painted," I said, rather bewildered.

"They are," the officer replied promptly. "From an aeroplane these
tents are absolutely impossible to locate. They merge into the colors
of the fields."

Now and then at a crossroads it was necessary to inquire our way. I
had no wish to run into danger, but I was conscious of a wild longing
to have the car take the wrong turning and land abruptly at the
advance trenches. Nothing of the sort happened, however.

We passed small buildings converted into field hospitals and flying
the white flag with a red cross.

"There are no nurses in these hospitals," explained the officer. "Only
one surgeon and a few helpers. The men are brought here from the
trenches, and then taken back at night in ambulances to the railroad
or to base hospitals."

"Are there no nurses at all along the British front?"

"None whatever. There are no women here in any capacity. That is why
the men are so surprised to see you."

Here and there, behind the protection of groves and small thickets,
were te