litary man he knew well how zealously the secrets of all
fortresses are guarded.

When, on the previous evening, Le Pontois had declared that it would be
an easy matter for him to be granted a view of that great stronghold
hidden away among the hill-tops, he had remarked: "Of course, my dear
Paul, I would not for a moment dream of putting you into any awkward
position. Remember, I am an alien here, and a soldier also! I haven't any
desire to see the place."

"Oh, there is no question of that so far as you are concerned, Sir Hugh,"
Paul had declared with a light laugh. "The Commandant, who, of course,
knows you, asked me a month ago to bring you up next time you visited us.
He wished to make your acquaintance. In view of the recent war our
people are nowadays no longer afraid of England, you know!"

So the visit had been arranged, and Sir Hugh was to take his _dejeuner_
up at the fort.

That day Blanche, with Enid, who had accompanied her stepfather, drove
the runabout car up the valley to the little station at Dieue-sur-Meuse,
and took train thence to Commercy, where Blanche wished to do some
shopping.

So, when the two men had left to ascend the steep hillside, where the
great fortress lay concealed, Blanche, who had by long residence in
France become almost a Frenchwoman, kissed little Ninette _au revoir_,
mounted into the car, and, taking the wheel, drove Enid and Jean, the
servant, who, as a soldier, had served Paul during the war, away along
the winding valley.

As they went along they passed a battalion of the 113th Regiment of the
Line, heavy with their knapsacks, their red trousers dusty, returning
from the long morning march, and singing as they went that very old
regimental ditty which every soldier of France knows so well:

"_La Noire est fille du cannon
Qui se fout du qu'en dira-t-on.
Nous nous foutons de ses vertus,
Puisqu'elle a les tetons pointus.
Voila pourquoi nous la chantons:
Vive la Noire et ses tetons!_"

And as they passed the ladies the officer saluted. They were, Blanche
explained, on their way back to the great camp at Jarny.

Bugles were sounding among the hills, while ever and anon came the low
boom of distant artillery at practice away in the direction of
Vigneulles-les-Hattonchatel, the headquarters of the sub-division of that
military region.

It was Enid's first visit, and the activity about her surprised her.
Besides, the officers were