Tombstone epitaph., 1915-03-28

into an army fighting for a nations existence He was small. even for petit soldat of France. But something in the way the man moved. and espe- cially something in his long. thin face bespoke courage and power that might we'll have had their habitation in stronger and a finer body. By the time Duprez had selected two or three more of the men who were to follow him it was apparent to the watching officers that there was a cu- rious method in his nominations For the dangerous and difficult mission upon which he was about to be sent he was not choosing those of the bat talion who looked the best soldiers or the readiest men for an undertak- ing that required courage. euickness and endurance.
 Every face as he passed down the line was scrutinized closely. and it was clear that none but the intellectual If they might be so described-ap- pealed to him. And when he had found his twenty the officers could not repress exclamations of amaze ment. not unmixed with mirth, to see them assembled for review and in structions. looking as if they should have had books in their hands instead of rifles.
 Don't quite like the looks of that lot-for blowing up bridges" said the colonel. directing himself especially to Duprez' lieutenant
 That officer also had his doubts; but he realized that. Duprez having been given permission to choose his men, to make any changes in his command would be to imperil the success of the expedition and perhaps to weaken discipline and confidence in the two battalions.
 Its too late now, don't you think" he ventured to suggest in re- ply.
 ''I suppose so." growled the colonel, returning to his mustache. And so Private Duprez. with a curi- l ous smile lurking at the very corners of his mouth. and a deeper glow in his firm, dark eyes, was allowed to set about quickly informing his men of the task before them.
 Any man who doesn't like the job may step out. and I'll find another. " he said tersely when he had finished. Not a man moved: there was doubt and curiosity on their faces, but no fear.
 That's better" admitted the colo l.. &l
 Half an hour later Duprez and his twenty. carrying charges of dynamite in addition to their rifles and knap- sacks, set out down the white road leading to the distant bridge. They felt a curious thrill with the that far south of them other French regiments were in Alsace-that after forty years of patient waiting the hour of France had come. and the tricolor again waved over the fair, lost prov inces.
 Only now and then the sound of cannon and the faint rattle of rife fire
 from far over the hill at their left re- l minded them that the provinces had
 not yet been conquered-that the | fight had not yet been won. They marched in silence for almost
 an hour very slowly, lest they tumble
 unexpectedly upon outposts or scouts | of the enemy. Then suddenly Du- prez, who until that moment had ad- dressed barely few short words of command to his men, turned around
 and faced them.
 Something strange in his counte, nance and manner brought the twenty
 to sharp halt in their very tracks, where they stood regarding him ex-
 pectantly. For a moment Duprez
 stood, studying them with that same keen scrutiny they had observed when
 he selected them for this expedition
 .Brothers," he cried. A moments pause.
 Comrades"
 Another pause.
 Brothers, comrades. fellow men! Why are we here?"
 They could only look at him, pug zled by his words, so irrelevant to the hour. but faSclnateo Dy HIS Heis Hon'
 ner and the ring of his voice on the | still air.
 Have you ever stopped to think why we are fighting? Did you stop to think back yonder when we passed the graves of our brothers of the -th- why they died. and why we shall die
 after them? Will you stop to reflect now what all this means" The little knot of men stole swift glances at one another's faces and saw here and there flush. and heard . quickening of the breath and felt movement of expectancy. Then all eyes were again fixed on their leader. Brothers" he went on, T chose you for this undertaking because l saw in your faces that you are not mere clods-that you are not only brave men. but men who can think. l chose you because I knew that you would have the courage to die for x -,> o~o-s-fn Ain fnv a c2uQQ-