I enquired if it would be necessary for we to have a _sauf-conduit,_
being bound for Charly, and possibly the station at Nogent, where I
hoped that the soldiers of a passing train would throw me a newspaper.

Mr. Duguey replied that he would gladly present me with the first
passport, and seemed wonderfully taken with my idea about the papers. He
admitted that living in darkness was beginning to get on his nerves,
too, and asked me, in case my plan should prove successful, if I would
be willing to put it on the public sign board so all could see the news.
I acquiesced willingly, and after he had asked a few questions as to
names, age, characteristics and destination, he stamped the seal on my
paper, and I departed.

At Charly the same preparations had been made, and two elderly men,
leaning on their guns, smiled as I presented my paper for their
inspection.

At the hotel, the proprietor had just returned after having waited
nearly twenty-four hours in line to present his machines. All save one
had been bought for the army. But with his double-seated taxi he
promised to drive me to Soissons the following morning.

I continued my road, and reached Nogent to find that I was not alone in
my idea about begging the papers. Several others from neighboring
villages, so I heard, had already succeeded in obtaining a sheet, and
had driven off hastily with their trophies. My proceeding was very
simple. It consisted of crossing the rails to the up-train platform, to
stand in line with the other women already assembled, there to wait like
birds on a fence until a train coming from Paris passed by. Then as it