"It has, but you must remember that our own friendship was pretty
sudden. It developed in a few minutes of flight from soldiers at the
German border."

"That is so, but it was soon sealed by great common dangers. Who is your
new friend, John?"

"A little Apache named Pierre Louis Bougainville, whom I have nicknamed
Geronimo, after a famous Indian chief of my country. He has already gone
to fight for France, and, Philip, he made an extraordinary impression
upon me, although I don't know just why. He is short like Napoleon, he
has the same large and beautifully shaped head, and the same penetrating
eyes that seem able to look you through and through. Maybe it was a
spark of genius in him that impressed me."

"It may be so," said Lannes thoughtfully. "It was said, and said truly
that the First Republic meant the open career to all the talents, and
the Third offers the same chance. One never can tell where military
genius is going to appear and God knows we need it now in whatever shape
or form it may come. Did you hear of the bomb?"

"I saw it fall. But, Phil, I don't see the object in such attacks. They
may kill a few people, nearly always the unarmed, but that has no real
effect on a war."

"They wish to spread terror, I suppose. Lend me your glasses, John."

Lannes studied the heavens a long time, minutely examining every black
speck against the blue, and John stood beside him, waiting patiently.
Meanwhile the throng of fleeing people moved on as before, silent and