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again。 Will you guess； mademoiselle？ Or you； Marie？ Rene？〃
〃A tear？〃 ventured Sara Lee。
〃But … do I look like weeping？〃
He did not； indeed。 He stood； tall and young and smiling before them；
and produced from his pocket the walnut。
〃Perceive！〃 he said； breaking it open and showing the kernel。 〃Has
human eye ever before seen it？〃 He thrust it into Marie's open mouth。
〃And it is gone！ Voila tout！〃
It was that evening； while Sara Lee cut bandages and Henri rolled
them； that she asked him what his work was。 He looked rather surprised；
and rolled for a moment without replying。 Then： 〃I am a man of all work；〃
he said。 〃What you call odd jobs。〃
〃Then you don't do any fighting？〃
〃In the trenches … no。 But now and then I have a little skirmish。〃
… Page 91…
THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
A sort of fear had been formulating itself in Sara Lee's mind。 The
trenches she could understand or was beginning to understand。 But this
alternately joyous and silent idler； this soldier of no regiment and no detail
… was he playing a man's part in the war？
〃Why don't you go into the trenches？〃 she asked with her usual
directness。 〃You say there are too few men。 Yet … I can understand
Monsieur Jean； because he has only one eye。 But you！〃
〃I do something；〃 he said； avoiding her eyes。 〃It is not a great deal。 It
is the thing I can do best。 That is all。〃
He went away some time after that； leaving the littie house full and
busy justifying its existence。 The miller's son； who came daily to chat with
Marie； was helping in the kitchen。 By the warm stove； and only kept from
standing over it by Marie's sharp orders； were as many men as could get
near。 Each held a bowl of hot soup； and … that being a good day … a piece of
bread。 Tall soldiers and little ones； all dirty； all weary； almost all smiling；
they peered over each other's shoulders； to catch； if might be； a glimpse of
Marie's face。
When they came too close she poked an elbow into some hulking
fellow and sent him back。
〃Elbow…room； in the name of God；〃 she would beg。 Over all the room
hung the warm steam from the kettles； and a delicious odor； and peace。
Sara Lee had never heard of the word morale。 She would have been
astonished to have been told that she was helping the morale of an army。
But she gave each night in that little house of mercy something that
nothing else could give … warmth and welcome； but above all a touch of
home。
That night Henri did not come back。 She stood by her table bandaging；
washing small wounds； talking her bits of French； until one o'clock。 Then；
the last dressing done； she went to the kitchen。 Marie was there； with
Maurice； the miller's son。
〃Has the captain returned？〃 she asked。
〃Not yet； mademoiselle。〃
〃Leave a warm fire；〃 Sara Lee said。 〃He will probably come in later。〃
… Page 92…
THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
Maurice went away； with a civil good night。 Sara Lee stood in the
doorway after he had gone； looking out。 Farther along the line there was a
bombardment going on。 She knew now what a bombardment meant and
her brows contracted。 Somewhere there in the trenches men were enduring
that； while Henri …
She said a little additional prayer that night； which was that she should
have courage to say to him what she felt … that there were big things to do；
and that it should not all be left to these smiling； ill…clad peasant soldiers。
At that moment Henri； in his gray…green uniform； was cutting wire
before a German trench； one of a party of German soldiers； who could not
know in the darkness that there had been a strange addition to their group。
Cutting wire and learning many things which it was well that he should
know。
Now and then； in perfect German； he whispered a question。 Always he
received a reply。 And stowed it away in his tenacious memory for those it
most concerned。
At daylight he was asleep by Sara Lee's kitchen fire。 And at daylight
Sara Lee was awakened by much firing； and putting on a dressing gown
she went out to see what was happening。 Rene was in the street looking
toward the poplar trees。
〃An attack；〃 he said briefly。
〃You mean … the Germans？〃
〃Yes； mademoiselle。〃
She went back into the little ruined house； heavy…hearted。 She knew
now what it meant； an attack。 That night there would be ambulances in the
street； and word would come up that certain men were gone … would never
seek warmth and shelter in her kitchen or beg like children for a second
bowl of soup。
On the kitchen floor by the dying fire Henri lay asleep。
… Page 93…
THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
CHAPTER XIII
Much has been said of the work of spies … said and written。 Here is a
woman in Paris sending forbidden messages on a marked coin。 Men are
tapped on the shoulder by a civil gentleman in a sack suit； and walk away
with him； never to be seen again。
But of one sort of spy nothing has been written and but little is known。
Yet by him are battles won or lost。 On the intelligence he brings attacks
are prepared for and counter…attacks launched。 It is not always the airman；
in these days of camouflage； who brings word of ammunition trains or of
new batteries。
In the early days of the war the work of the secret service at the Front
was of the gravest importance。 There were fewer air machines； and
observation from the air was a new science。 Also trench systems were
incomplete。 Between them； known to a few； were breaks of solid land；
guarded from behind。 To one who knew； it was possible； though dangerous
beyond words； to cross the inundated country that lay between the Belgian
Front and the German lines； and even with good luck to go farther。 Henri；
for instance； on that night before had left the advanced trench at the
railway line； had crawled through the Belgian barbed wire； and had
advanced； standing motionless as each star shell burst overhead； and then
moving on quickly。 The inundation was his greatest difficulty。 Shallow in
most places； it was full of hidden wire and crisscrossed with irrigation
ditches。 Once he stumbled into one； but he got out by swimming。 Had he
been laden with a rifle and equipment it might have been difficult。
He swore to himself as his feet touched ground again。 Fo