d in the
afternoon to St. Justen-Chaussee. He was kept busy all day. When he
returned to Cantigny, a little before dark, he was told to remain at
headquarters, and for a while he feared that he was going to be
court-martialled for overstaying his leave.

When he was at last admitted into the presence of the commanding
officer, he shifted from one foot to the other, feeling ill at ease as
he always did in the presence of officialdom. The officer sat at a heavy
table which had evidently been the kitchen table of the French peasant
people who had originally occupied the poor cottage. Signs of petty
German devastation were all about the humble, low-ceiled place, and they
seemed to evidence a more loathsome brutality even than did the blighted
country which Tom had ridden through.

Apparently everything which could show an arrogant contempt of the
simple family life which had reigned there had been done. There was a
kind of childish spitefulness in the sword thrusts through the few
pictures which hung on the walls. The German genius for destruction and
wanton vandalism was evident in broken knick-knacks and mottoes of hate
and bloody vengeance scrawled upon floor and wall.

It did Tom's heart good to see the resolute, capable American officers
sitting there attending to their business in quiet disregard of all
these silly, vulgar signs of impotent hate and baffled power.

"When you first met these Germans," the officer asked, "did the big
fellow have anything to say?"

"He asked us some questions," said Tom.

"Yes? Now what did he ask you?" the officer encouraged, as he reached
out and took a couple of papers pinned together, which lay among others
on the table.

"He seemed to be interested in transports, kind of, and the number of
Americans there are here."

"Hmm. Did he mention any particular ship--do you remember?" the officer
asked, glancing at the paper.

"Yes, he did. _Texas Pioneer_. I don't remember whether it was Texan or
Texas."

"Oh, yes," said the officer.

"We didn't tell him anything," said Tom.

"No, of course not."

The officer sat whistling for a few seconds, and scrutinizing the
papers.

"Do you remember the color of the officer's eyes?" he suddenly asked.

"It was only in the dark we saw him."

"Yes, surely. So you didn't get a very good look at him."

"I saw he had a nose shaped like a carrot, kind of," said Tom
ingenuously.

Both of the officers smiled.

"I mean the big end of