The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-09-16

and you'll see the campnres of the
French"
We looked across the valley at the
low ridge upon the farther side. and
saw a thousand little yellow points Of
flame, with the dark smoke wreathing
up slowly in the heavy air. There was
another farmhouse on the farther side
Of the valley. and as we watched we
suddenly saw little group of horse
men appear on a knoll beside 1t and
look across at us. There were a dozen
hussars behind. and in front FIVE men.
three with helmets. one with a long.
straight red feather in his hat, and
the last with low cap.
"By God" cried the sergeant.
That's hlmi That's Boney. the one
with the gray horse. Aye. I'll lay
months pay on It."
I strained my eyes to see him. this
man who had cast that great shadow
over Europe which darkened the ma
tiohs for fve-and-twenty years. and
which had even fallen across our out
of-the-world little sheep farm, and
had dragged us all-myself. Edie and
Jim-out Of the lives that our folk had
lived before us. AS far as could see
he was dumpy. square-shouldered
kind Of man. and he, held his double
glasses to his eyes with his elbows
spread very wide out on each side.
I was still staring when heard the
catch of mans breath by my side,
and there was Jim. his eyes glowing
A~~.o 1T ~
my shoulder. st
THAT'S he. Jock. ~'he whispered.
Eyes. that's Boney... said I.
''No, no ;Nirs he. This De Lapp or
De Lissac. or whatever his DEVILS
name is. It is he."
Then saw him at once. 1t was the
horseman with the high red feather in
his hat. Even at that distance could
have sworn to the slope of his shoul-
ders and the way he carried his head.
clapped my hand upon Jim's sleeve.
for could see that his blood was
boiling at the sight of the man. and
that he was ready for any madness.
But at that moment Bonaparte seemed
to lean over and say something to
De Lissac. and the party wheeled and
dashed away. while there came the
bang of gun and white spray of
smoke from battery along the ridge.
At the same instant the assembly was
blown In our village. and we rushed
for our arms and fell in. There was a
burst Of firing all along the line, and
we thought that the battle had begun.
but 1t came really from our fellows
cleaning their pieces. for their prim-
ing was in some danger of being wet
from the damp night.
From where we stood II was a sight
now that was worth coming over the
seas to see. On our own ridge was
the checker Of red and blue, stretching
right away to village over two miles
from us. It was whispered from man
to man In the ranks, however, that
there was too much of the blue and
too little Of the red. for the Belgians
had shown on the day before that their
hearts were too soft for the work, and
we had twenty thousand of them for
comrades. Then even our British
troops were half made up of militia
men and recruits. for the pick Of the
old Peninsula regiments were on the
ocean In transports. coming back from
some fools errand with our kinsfolk
of America. But for all that we could
see the bearskIns Of the Guards, two
strong brigades Of them. and the bon
nets Of the HighIanders. and the blue
Of the old German legion. and the red
lines Of Packs brigade. and Kempt's
brigade, and the green-dotted rifle
men in front and we knew that, come
what might. these were men who would
bide where they were placed. and that
they had a man to lead them who
would place them where they should
bide.
OF the French we had seen little,
save the twinkle of their fires and
curves Of the ridge; but as we stood
and waited there, came suddenly a
grand blare from their bands. and
their whole army came flooding over
the low hill which had hid them-bri-
gade after brigade. and division after
iivision-until the broad slope In its
whole length and depth was blue with
their uniforms and bright with the
CLINT Of their weapons. It seemed that
they would never have done, still pour
ing over and pouring over. while our
men leaned on their muskets and
smoked their pipes, looking down at
this grand gathering and listening to
what the old soldiers, who had fought
the French before. had to say about
them. Then, when the infantry had
formed in long. deep masses, their
guns came whirling and bounding
down the slope. and 1t was pretty to
see how smartly they unlimbered and
were ready for action. And then. at
a stately trot. down came the cav
alry-thirty regiments at the least.
with plume and breastplate. twinkling
sword and fiuttering lance-fOrming