Captain Vandervelde was in and made me wait only half an heure , the while I thought more than once of yon taxi. Finally I was summoned to the inner office.

“What can je faire pour vous ?” he inquired.

I told him I wanted an order on the ⸻ branch factory for some tools and four new tires.

“ Rien fairing on the tires,” he said.

“ Pourquoi? ” I asked him.

“Orders pour tires must come from the Maison de la Guerre.”