A soldier of the Legion . ose let-ters meant a good deal to all of us andthey were in our minds during the longwait that followed. One man suddenly i6 A SOLDIER OF THE LEGION began to intone the every man joined in singing. Itwas a very Anthem of Victory. Wewere ready, eager, and confident: forus to-morrow held but one chance —Victory. ^ Ill Slowly the column swung out ofcamp, and slowly and silently, withouta spoken word of command, it changedits direction to the right and straight-ened out its length upon the road lead-ing to the trenches. It was lo pre-cisely by my wa
A soldier of the Legion . ose let-ters meant a good deal to all of us andthey were in our minds during the longwait that followed. One man suddenly i6 A SOLDIER OF THE LEGION began to intone the every man joined in singing. Itwas a very Anthem of Victory. Wewere ready, eager, and confident: forus to-morrow held but one chance —Victory. ^ Ill Slowly the column swung out ofcamp, and slowly and silently, withouta spoken word of command, it changedits direction to the right and straight-ened out its length upon the road lead-ing to the trenches. It was lo pre-cisely by my watch. The night wasquite clear, and we could see, to rightand to left, moving columns march-ing parallel to ours. One, though therewas not quite light enough to tellwhich, was our sister regiment, the i^Regiment Etranger. The other, as Iknew, was the 8™^ Zouaves. The threecolumns marched at the same gait. Itwas hke a funeral march, slow and veryquiet. There was no singing and shout-ing; none of the usual badinage. Even. A SOLDIER OF THE LEGION the officers were silent. They were allon foot, marching like the rest of knew there would be no use forhorses to-morrow. To-morrow was the day fixed forthe grand attack. There was not a manin the ranks who did not know thatto-morrow, at , was the time man, I suppose, wonderedwhether he would do or whether hewould die. I wondered myself. I did not really think I should I had arranged my earthly can never tell, as the Frenchsoldier says with a shrug. I had writ-ten to my friends at home. I hadnamed the men in my company towhom I wished to leave my personalbelongings. Sergeant Velte was tohave my Parabellum pistol; Casey myprismatics; Bircliler my money-belt19 A SOLDIER OF THE LEGION and its contents; while Sergeant Jovertwas booked for my watch and com-pass. Yet, in the back of my mind, Ismiled at my own forethought. I knewthat I should come out alive. I re-called to myself the numerous timesthat
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