One of them went on with a sneer: "Ha, so you're scared of the Boches, are you? Well, I'll give you a chance to see a few." He went out, put up his hand as if to give a signal in the direction of the château, and Delautre saw several horsemen emerge from behind the wall of the park. They came galloping up to Delautre, making their horses prance about on the grass for his special delectation. They laughed heartily at his dismay. The two civilians demanded drinks for everybody, and after exchanging a few words in German with the one who seemed to be the leader, they started down the Couilly hill, waving and nodding to the cavalry men; the latter, after watching them a minute, and waving back, galloped off towards Moulin-à-Vent, keeping along the park wall. Delautre is terrified by this visit. One of these men is not a stranger to him. When he is questioned, he is unwilling to give other details than the ones above, saying that people would be too amazed if he let it be known who this man was. He has been entreated to tell, but he always refuses. "Don't talk to me about that patrol," Delautre[2] would say every time anyone mentioned it. "I cannot believe what I saw with my own eyes. I think of it constantly. After the war I will speak, and either that man or I will have to leave this place." Were there several patrols? I think so, for Monsieur Damoiseau, a citizen of Voisins, had the same adventure as my aunt, this time near the oak woods, above the Mareuil quarries. He also went there in the hope of finding a hiding-place for his family. On the plateau (over opposite the one where my aunt went) he saw five German soldiers observing the plain of Iles, and several others watching the road to Quincy. The hill where they were stationed overlooks Voisins and Quincy on one side, and on the other the plain which a few days later was to witness the Battle of the Marne. Not knowing whether to go forward or back, Monsieur Damoiseau stood stock still. The Boche who was in command asked in perfectly good French what he was doing there. "Officer," he replied, "they tell me the Germans are coming, so I am trying to find a place where my family and I can hide." [Illustration: Wounded soldiers at the hospital of Quincy. The author, with her friend Miss Mildred Aldrich by her side, stands in the back row] "Are you sure you aren't on a spying expedition for the English?" "I didn't know there were any English about here." "Well, there are. I know it whether you do or not. But where do you live?" "In Voisins, the little village you see yonder in the valley." "Yes, I know the place. Well, be off, and don't let me catch you around here again, or I'll shoot you." The poor soul didn't need much urging, but took to his heels and ran home as fast as his old legs could carry him, telling his wife and daughter not to stir out of the house.