On the Path of Adventure (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1919 Excerpt: ... incident--The battalions Sanitaires--I return to Troyes--I sketch my friend the commissaire--A sauf conduit to Rheims--I leave for Chalons. only natural, we got into conversation. They were of quite ordinary appearance, over the military age, and I put them down as engaged on some Government work. Soon a word or two they let slip made me smell a rat, and put me on my guard at once, and sure enough they turned out to be detectives--" mouchards "--who were detailed specially to entrap looters and battlefield ghouls. They remained some days in Mailly, and during that time we became HAT evening at dinner two civilians I had not previously seen turned up and sat next to me, whether intentionally or not I could not make out; anyhow, as was quite friendly, and gradually they told me a lot about their dangerous job. Our meeting was particularly fortunate for me, curiously enough, as before they left one of them gave me his card and said that if I ever happened to be in Rheims I should generally find him at the address he had written on it, which was that of a brasserie in one of the principal streets, adding that if he happened to be away, and I gave the landlord his card, I would always be given a room and the best of food and wine at "police " prices, as this was one of their rendezvous, and was kept by an exsergeant of the detective force. Although I had no intention at the time of going to Rheims, I put the card by carefully, and as it turned out it was lucky for me I did so, as it afterwards proved useful. The following day I was obsessed by a morbid impulse to have another prowl across the battlefield, so started off by myself after dejeuner. I biked out again till I came within sight of Sommesous and then wandered into the direction of t...