Major Bayer passes, with von W------'s counter-signature, got us as
far as Schaerbeek, we were challenged by the guards at the railroad
station. The stations were watched with the most astounding
precaution. Of course there was no such thing as a ticket; once inside
the gate you could jump a troop train, ammunition car, or blow up the
track if you felt like it. Wherefore they guarded the stations carefully.

"At the gates had a terrible pow-wow with an officious Bavarian who
called himself the Officer-of-the-Day. I played all my best German
cards, including Count von Bemstorffs letter. At the end of half an
hour our pig-headed officer shipped us back to Brussels. We
returned to von W------, then in Brussels, who vised our pass with a
note to the effect that although we were civilians, exceptional
circumstances demanded our hurried return to Aix by military train.

"When we eventually got into the Schaerbeek station we had two
hours to wait. Walked up and down the tracks or sat on the platform,
keeping an eye on everything that was going on. Luther says I spent
most of my time trying not to look like an Englishman. Occasionally,
when we spoke a word of English, some officer would shoot us a 42
cm. glance and demand our papers. We were undoubtedly marked
figures, because in the first place no civilians were allowed along the
railway line, especially foreigners.

"Watched several westbound loads go by until about two o'clock,
when they made up a combination train consisting of Red Cross
coaches and empty freight trucks going back to Aix for fresh loads of
men and ammunition. Aix is the great distributing center for the line of
communication into northern Belgium. Most of the open cars were
empty, barring occasional gun carriages on the way home for repairs;