It was at once a solemn and a cheering sight. However horrible this war of science and ingenuity had become, it reacted in greater humanity than has ever been known. The sound of an automobile horn in front caused Clem to look up and he was almost face to face with Don Richards. The younger lad was about to look away, but he quickly chose to salute his townsman. The corporal nodded stiffly as Don passed on. The sound of rifle fire interspersed with the cloth-ripping noise of machine-guns and the detonation of heavier artillery, began to come nearer. A company of French infantry, marching in perfect order, but in quick time, appeared in the distance. It wheeled sharply and passed to the south, around the extreme right of the Americans. In a few minutes it was followed by other and larger contingents, a regiment in part, with great gaps in its ranks, a battalion of machine gunners, each squad with its wicked _mitrailleuse_, ammunition handcarts, more infantry and still more until very soon they had thinned out to scattered and broken units, often without officers. Many of these came up and passed through the American lines. The expressions on the faces of these French soldiers told of varied emotions. Some were morose, angry, or despairing. Others laughed and jested. Some smiled and wore an air of undying confidence. Clem had learned too little French so far to understand their rapid utterances, but the lieutenant stood near him, talking with a French subaltern who spoke excellent English and who began to question the retreating soldiers. There was a nasal babble and then the translation, with some remarks, to the lieutenant. Clem easily caught much of it. “He says the enemy was too strong for them; that there must be half a million men. But I think that an exaggeration.” “This fellow says that the enemy came at them, swarming like ants. It is no use, he says, to try to check them now; they are irresistible.” “This man declares that they are many, but they are not overwhelming, and that if the retreat had not been ordered we could have held the enemy awhile.” “He says that it is no use to try to stop them--they come like a tidal wave.” “This fellow hopes you Americans may stop them.” “He says if there had only been a few more of us we could have stopped them.” “Here is one who insists that Paris is doomed, and all is lost. But, you see, his companion was killed by his side.” The officers moved rapidly away and then, almost suddenly, there was an end of the retreating French. The ambulances also had ceased in their errands of mercy over the ground ahead. A strange hush fell upon everything but the forces of nature. The breeze toyed with the wheat. Birds sang blithely; across the fields a cow was lowing, a poor creature, perhaps that a farmer who had suddenly vacated his home before the oncoming Huns, had failed to drive along toward the west.