oplanes have altered all that."

"But you in France are always on the alert?"

"Certainly. We have our new guns--terrible weapons they are--at St.
Mihiel and at Mouilly, and also in other forts in what was once German
territory," was Paul's reply. "The Huns--who, after peace, are preparing
for another war, have a Krupp gun for the same purpose, but at its trial
a few weeks ago at Pferzheim it was an utter failure. A certain
lieutenant was present at the trial, disguised as a German peasant. He
saw it all, returned here, and made an exhaustive report to Paris."

"You do not believe in this peace, and in the sincerity of the enemy,
eh?" asked Sir Hugh, with his hands thrust deep into his trousers
pockets.

"Certainly not," was Paul's prompt reply. "I am no longer in the army,
but it seems to me that to repair the damage done by the Kaiser's freak
performances in the international arena, quite a number of national
committees must be constituted under the auspices of the German
Government. There are the Anglo-German, the Austro-German, the
American-German and the Canadian-German committees, all to be formed in
their respective countries for the promotion of friendship and better
relations. But I tell you, Sir Hugh, that we in France know well that the
imposing names at the head of these committees are but too often on the
secret pay-rolls of the Wilhelmstrasse, and the honesty and sincerity of
the finely-worded manifestations of Hun friendship and goodwill appearing
above their signatures are generally nothing but mere blinds intended to
hoodwink statesmen and public opinion. Germany has, just as she had
before the war, her paid friends everywhere," he added, looking the
general full in the face. "In all classes of society are to be found the
secret agents of the Fatherland--men who are base traitors to their own
monarch and to their own land."

"Let us go in. They are waiting for us. We are not interested in
espionage, either of us, are we?"

"No," laughed Paul. "When I was in the army we heard a lot of this, but
all that is of the past--thanks to Heaven. There are other crimes in the
world just as bad, alas! as that of treachery to one's country."

CHAPTER IX

THE LITTLE OLD FRENCHWOMAN

ALTHOUGH Sir Hugh had on frequent occasions been the guest of his
son-in-law at the pretty Chateau de Lerouville, he had never expressed a
wish, until the previous evening, to enter the Fortress of Haudiomont.

As a mi