sat with
her chin in her hands, which with her was a sure sign of deep
preoccupation.

Next morning the papers could tell us little more. The main attack had
been on both sides of St Quentin, and though the British had given
ground it was only the outposts line that had gone. The mist had
favoured the enemy, and his bombardment had been terrific, especially
the gas shells. Every journal added the old old comment--that he had
paid heavily for his temerity, with losses far exceeding those of the
defence.

Wake appeared at breakfast in his private's uniform. He wanted to get
his railway warrant and be off at once, but when I heard that Amiens
was his destination I ordered him to stay and travel with me in the
afternoon. I was in uniform myself now and had taken charge of the
outfit. I arranged that Blenkiron, Mary, and Peter should go on to
Boulogne and sleep the night there, while Wake and I would be dropped
at Amiens to await instructions.

I spent a busy morning. Once again I visited with Blenkiron the little
cabinet in the Boulevard St Germain, and told in every detail our work
of the past two months. Once again I sat in the low building beside the
Invalides and talked to staff officers. But some of the men I had seen
on the first visit were not there. The chiefs of the French Army had
gone north.

We arranged for the handling of the Wild Birds, now safely in France,
and sanction was given to the course I had proposed to adopt with
Ivery. He and his guard were on their way to Amiens, and I would meet
them there on the morrow. The great men were very complimentary to us,
so complimentary that my knowledge of grammatical French ebbed away and
I could only stutter in reply. That telegram sent by Blenkiron on the
night of the 18th, from the information given me in the Pink Chalet,
had done wonders in clearing up the situation.

But when I asked them about the battle they could tell me little. It
was a very serious attack in tremendous force, but the British line was
strong and the reserves were believed to be sufficient. Petain and Foch
had gone north to consult with Haig. The situation in Champagne was
still obscure, but some French reserves were already moving thence to
the Somme sector. One thing they did show me, the British dispositions.
As I looked at the plan I saw that my old division was in the thick of
the fighting.

'Where do you go now?' I was asked.

'To Amiens, and then, please God, to the battle f