How many among those men who are marching by will see their own again? Alas! Many of these women, these mothers, these sisters, will all their lives remain fixed in the same attitude--waiting. By force of habit, through the long years, each of them will keep her ear strained for the footsteps on the road, her eye fastened on the door, hoping against hope to see her loved one enter there. * * * * * The State road is full of troops, marching in close formation. The ranks extend from the foot of Couilly hill as far as the eye can reach, in the direction of Meaux, along the streets of Voisins and Quincy. The 8th Division of the 4th Army Corps, the 115th, 117th, and 124th regulars, the 148th, 246th, etc., cavalry goes towards Charny. A captain asks me to show him the road to Saint-Fiacre. While I give him the information he wants, I walk along a moment beside his horse. This movement of troops interests me. Before leaving me, he expresses his surprise that I should be here all alone, and asks if I am not afraid. "No," I answered, "I am not afraid. Perhaps I shall be, later. Do you think, Captain, that there is still danger? The Germans are falling back, aren't they?" "Yes, but who can tell? Tomorrow you might see very ugly things. They are not far away yet." "They evacuated Penchard yesterday, didn't they?" "Yes, and they left behind them unspeakably foul traces of their Kultur." "But, Captain, seeing all these troops here reassures me. We were two whole days without setting eyes on a soldier. That was the time to be afraid. All the troops you are bringing up will drive them back still further. And besides, Captain, if danger threatened, wouldn't these troops insure the escape of the civilians who are left?" "If it were in their power, certainly." "But, Captain, let me say again, I have faith in your soldiers." "You are quite right," he said, as he shook hands with me and wished me good luck. "For my part, Captain, I am sure good luck will go with you." The 117th stopped at Voisins. The soldiers are billeted everywhere, but preferably in the few houses that are still inhabited. This regiment, which made the retreat from Belgium, has just come on foot from Asnières where it had been sent to recuperate. Several of the men with bleeding and blistered feet stop me in the street to ask if I can give them socks. Unfortunately, I have none. All I can offer them is women's stockings, linen bandages, and talcum powder. [Illustration: Voisins-Quincy. Rue de Condé] For several days Boche aviators have been reconnoitring above us. One of them was only a hundred or two feet up, directly over the heights of Huiry. We thought he was going to land. He looked like an immense bat.