"These masses of broken-hearted people moved silently along, many weeping, few talking. With them they brought a few of their possessions, as pathetically miscellaneous as the effects one might seize in the panic haste of a hotel fire. Ox wagons, bundles and babies on dog-drawn carts or on men's backs, bicycles and handcarts laden with kitchen utensils, all mingled with the human stream. Here were to be seen sewing machines, beds, bedding, food, and there a little girl or boy with some toy clasped uncomprehendingly in a dirty hand; they also knew that danger threatened and that they must save what they held most dear. And even among these unhappy people there were some more unfortunate than the others--men and women who had no bundle, children who had no doll. All the way to Louvain there flowed this human stream of misery. Back along the Tirlemont road rifle firing could be heard and entrenchments were to be seen in the town itself." These scenes between Tirlemont and Louvain were typical of those on every road leading to the larger cities of Belgium as the inhabitants fled before the approach of the dreaded Uhlans. FALL OF NAMUR On the afternoon of Sunday, August 23, the fortress of Namur was evacuated by the Belgians, and the town was later occupied by the Germans. The fortress was said to be as strong as Liège and it owed its importance in the present war to the fact that it was the apex of the two French flanks. One ran from Namur to Charleroi and the other by Givet to Mezieres. Warned by their experiences at Liège, the Germans made most determined efforts against Namur. From the north, south and east they were able to bring up their big guns unhindered, and by assaults at Charleroi and Dinant they endeavored to break the sides of the French triangle. Namur finally collapsed but clever strategy enabled the French to fall back upon their main lines. The fall of Namur, nevertheless, was a decided blow to the allies. This was admitted by the French minister of war, who said at midnight Monday, August 24, of the failure of the "Namur triangle": "It is, of course, regrettable that owing to difficulties of execution which could not have been foreseen our plan of attack has not achieved its object. Had it done so it would have shortened the war, but in any case our defense remains intact in the face of an already weakened enemy. Our losses are severe. It will be premature to estimate them or to estimate those of the German army, which, however, has suffered so severely as to be compelled to halt in its counterattack and establish itself in new positions."