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Page 113
"He is not here, but his friend, Caumartin, is only a half-mile away.
I'll send a man at once with a message to him to find Lannes, who will
surely follow us, if he can be found. And now, my brave young Yankee,
here is my machine. Into it, and we'll lead the way."
John sprang into the automobile, and sank down upon the cushions. He had
a vast sense of ease and luxury. He had not known until then, the extent
of his mental and physical overstrain, but de Rougemont, who was also in
the machine, observed it and gave him a drink from a flask, which
revived him greatly.
Then the automobile turned into the road and moved forward at a slow
gait, puffing gently like a monster trying to hold in his breath. From
the wood and the fields came the tread of many thousand men, marching
to the night attack. Behind their own automobile rose the hum of
motors, bearing troops also, and dragging cannon.
John felt that he was going back in state, riding by the side of a
general and at the head of an army. He found both pride and exultation
in it. Sleep was far from his eyes. How could one think of sleep at such
a moment? But youth, the restorer, was bringing fresh strength to his
tired muscles and he was never more alert.
At one point they stopped while the general examined the dusky horizon
through his glasses, and a company of men with faces not French marched
past them. They were John's own Strangers, and despite the presence of
General Vaugirard both Wharton and Carstairs reached up and shook his
hand as they went by.
"Welcome home," said Wharton.
"See you again in the morning," said Carstairs.
"God bless you both," said John with some emotion.
Captain Daniel Colton nodded to him. They were not effusive, these men
of the Strangers, but their feelings were strong. When the automobile in
its turn passed them again and resumed its place at the head of the
column, they seemed to take no notice.
No more shells passed over John's head. He knew that General Vaugirard
had sent back word for the batteries to cease firing in that direction,
but both to south and north of them the sullen thunder went on. The
night remained light, adorned rather than obscured by the little white
clouds floating against the sky. The only sound that John could hear was
the great hum and murmur of a moving army, a sound in which the puffing
of automobiles had introduced a new element. He wondered why they had
not roused up German skirmishers, but perhaps those vigilant gentlemen,
had grown weary at last.
They reached the first brook, and, as they were crossing it, the rifle
fire expected so long began to crackle in front. Then the French
trumpets shrilled, and the whole force marched rapidly, rifles and field
guns opening in full volume. But the French had the advantage of
surprise. Their infantry advanced at the double quick, a powerful force
of cavalry on their right flank galloped to the charge, and
Bougainville's Paris regiment and the Strangers swept over the field.
A heavy fire met them, but the general's automobile kept in front
puffing along the main road. General Vaugirard puffed with it, but now
and then he ceased his puffing to whistle. John knew that he was pleased
and that all was going well. The battle increased in volume, and their
whole front blazed with fire. The dark was thinning away in the east and
dawn was coming.
"The ch�teau! The ch�teau!" cried John as a dark shape rose on the
horizon. Even as he looked a shell burst over it and it leaped into
flames. He cried aloud in fear, not for himself, but for those who were
there. But General Vaugirard was calmly examining the field and the
house through powerful glasses.
"They're pouring from the building," he said, "and it's full time. Look
how the fire gains! What a pity that we should destroy the home of some
good Frenchman in order to drive out the enemy."
"Faster, sir! Faster! Ah, I pray you go faster!" exclaimed John, whose
heart was eaten up with anxiety as he saw the ch�teau roaring with
flames. But he did not need the general's glasses now to see the people
stream from it, and then rush for refuge from the fire of the French.
The surprise had been so thorough that at this point the enemy was able
to offer little resistance, and, in a few moments more, the automobile
reached the grounds surrounding the burning ch�teau.
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