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was　going　over　it。　We　went　on　up　the　bank　looking　for　a　place　to　cross。　Up　ahead　I　knew　there　was　a　railway　bridge　and　I　thought　we　might　be　able　to　get　across　there。　The　path　was　wet　and　muddy。　We　did　not　see　any　troops；　only　abandoned　trucks　and　stores。　Along　the　river　bank　there　was　nothing　and　no　one　but　the　wet　brush　and　muddy　ground。　We　went　up　to　the　bank　and　finally　we　saw　the　railway　bridge。
〃What　a　beautiful　bridge；〃　Aymo　said。　It　was　a　long　plain　iron　bridge　across　what　was　usually　a　dry　river…bed。
〃We'd　better　hurry　and　get　across　before　they　blow　it　up；〃　I　said。
〃There's　nobody　to　blow　it　up；〃　Piani　said。　〃They're　all　gone。〃
〃It's　probably　mined；〃　Bonello　said。　〃You　cross　first；　Tenente。〃
〃Listen　to　the　anarchist；〃　Aymo　said。　〃Make　him　go　first。〃
〃I'll　go；〃　I　said。　〃It　won't　be　mined　to　blow　up　with　one　man。〃
〃You　see；〃　Piani　said。　〃That　is　brains。　Why　haven't　you　brains；　anarchist？〃
〃If　I　had　brains　I　wouldn't　be　here；〃　Bonello　said。
〃That's　pretty　good；　Tenente；〃　Aymo　said。
〃That's　pretty　good；〃　I　said。　We　were　close　to　the　bridge　now。　The　sky　had　clouded　over　again　and　it　was　raining　a　little。　The　bridge　looked　long　and　solid。　We　climbed　up　the　embankment。
〃e　one　at　a　time；〃　I　said　and　started　across　the　bridge。　I　watched　the　ties　and　the　rails　for　any　trip…wires　or　signs　of　explosive　but　I　saw　nothing。　Down　below　the　gaps　in　the　ties　the　river　ran　muddy　and　fast。　Ahead　across　the　wet　countryside　I　could　see　Udine　in　the　rain。　Across　the　bridge　I　looked　back。　Just　up　the　river　was　another　bridge。　As　I　watched；　a　yellow　mud…colored　motor　car　crossed　it。　The　sides　of　the　bridge　were　high　and　the　body　of　the　car；　once　on；　was　out　of　sight。　But　I　saw　the　heads　of　the　driver；　the　man　on　the　seat　with　him；　and　the　two　men　on　the　rear　seat。　They　all　wore　German　helmets。　Then　the　car　was　over　the　bridge　and　out　of　sight　behind　the　trees　and　the　abandoned　vehicles　on　the　road。　I　waved　to　Aymo　who　was　crossing　and　to　the　others　to　e　on。　I　climbed　down　and　crouched　beside　the　railway　embankment。　Aymo　came　down　with　me。
〃Did　you　see　the　car？〃　I　asked。
〃No。　We　were　watching　you。〃
〃A　German　staff　car　crossed　on　the　upper　bridge。〃
〃A　staff　car？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Holy　Mary。〃
The　others　came　and　we　all　crouched　in　the　mud　behind　the　embankment；　looking　across　the　rails　at　the　bridge；　the　line　of　trees；　the　ditch　and　the　road。
〃Do　you　think　we're　cut　off　then；　Tenente？〃
〃I　don't　know。　All　I　know　is　a　German　staff　car　went　along　that　road。〃
〃You　don't　feel　funny；　Tenente？　You　haven't　got　strange　feelings　in　the　head？〃
〃Don't　be　funny；　Bonello。〃
〃What　about　a　drink？〃　Piani　asked。　〃If　we're　cut　off　we　might　as　well　have　a　drink。〃　He　unhooked　his　canteen　and　uncorked　it。
〃Look！　Look！〃　Aymo　said　and　pointed　toward　the　road。　Along　the　top　of　the　stone　bridge　we　could　see　German　helmets　moving。　They　were　bent　forward　and　moved　smoothly；　almost　supernatu　rally；　along。　As　they　came　off　the　bridge　we　saw　them。　They　were　bicycle　troops。　I　saw　the　faces　of　the　first　two。　They　were　ruddy　and　healthy…looking。　Their　helmets　came　iow　down　over　their　foreheads　and　the　side　of　their　faces。　Their　carbines　were　clipped　to　the　frame　of　the　bicycles。　Stick　bombs　hung　handle　down　from　their　belts。　Their　helmets　and　their　gray　uniforms　were　wet　and　they　rode　easily；　looking　ahead　and　to　both　sides。　There　were　two……then　four　in　line；　then　two；　then　almost　a　dozen；　then　another　dozen……　then　one　alone。　They　did　not　talk　but　we　could　not　have　heard　them　because　of　the　noise　from　the　river。　They　were　gone　out　of　sight　up　the　road。
〃Holy　Mary；〃　Aymo　said。
〃They　were　Germans；〃　Piani　said。　〃Those　weren't　Austrians。〃
〃Why　isn't　there　somebody　here　to　stop　them？〃　I　said。　〃Why　haven't　they　blown　the　bridge　up？　Why　aren't　there　machine…guns　along　this　embankment？〃
〃You　tell　us；　Tenente；〃　Bonello　said。
I　was　very　angry。
〃The　whole　bloody　thing　is　crazy。　Down　below　they　blow　up　a　little　bridge。　Here　they　leave　a　bridge　on　the　main　road。　Where　is　everybody？　Don't　they　try　and　stop　them　at　all？〃
〃You　tell　us；　Tenente；〃　Bonello　said。　I　shut　up。　It　was　none　of　my　business；　all　I　had　to　do　was　to　get　to　Pordenone　with　three　ambulances。　I　had　failed　at　that。　All　I　had　to　do　now　was　get　to　Pordenone。　I　probably　could　not　even　get　to　Udine。　The　hell　I　couldn't。　The　thing　to　do　was　to　be　calm　and　not　get　shot　or　captured。
〃Didn't　you　have　a　canteen　open？〃　I　asked　Piani。　He　handed　it　to　me。　I　took　a　long　drink。　〃We　might　as　well　start；〃　I　said。　〃There's　no　hurry　though。　Do　you　want　to　eat　something？〃
〃This　is　no　place　to　stay；〃　Bonello　said。
〃All　right。　We'll　start。〃
〃Should　we　keep　on　this　side……out　of　sight？〃
〃We'd　be　better　off　on　top。　They　may　e　along　this　bridge　too。　We　don't　want　them　on　top　of　us　before　we　see　them。〃
We　walked　along　the　railroad　track。　On　both　sides　of　us　stretched　the　wet　plain。　Ahead　across　the　plain　was　the　hill　of　Udine。　The　roofs　fell　away　from　the　castle　on　the　hill。　We　could　see　the　campanile　and　the　clock…tower。　There　were　many　mulberry　trees　in　the　fields。　Ahead　I　saw　a　place　where　the　rails　were　torn　up。　The　ties　had　been　dug　out　too　and　thrown　down　the　embankment。
〃Down！　down！〃　Aymo　said。　We　dropped　down　beside　the　embankment。　There　was　another　group　of　bicyclists　passing　along　the　road。　I　looked　over　the　edge　and　saw　them　go　on。
〃They　saw　us　but　they　went　on；〃　Aymo　said。
〃We'll　get　killed　up　there；　Tenente；〃　Bonello　said。
〃They　don't　want　us；〃　I　said。　〃They're　after　something　else。　We're　in　more　danger　if　they　should　e　on　us　suddenly。〃
〃I'd　rather　walk　here　out　of　sight；〃　Bonello　said。
〃All　right。　We'll　walk　along　the　tracks。〃
〃Do　you　think　we　can　get　through？〃　Aymo　asked。
〃Sure。　There　aren't　very　many　of　them　yet。　We'll　go　through　in　the　dark。〃
〃What　was　that　staff　car　doing？〃
〃Christ　knows；〃　I　said。　We　kept　on　up　the　tracks。　Bonello　tired　of　walking　in　the　mud　of　the　embankment　and　came　up　with　the　rest　of　us。　The　railway　moved　south　away　from　the　highway　now　and　we　could　not　see　what　passed　along　the　road。　A　short　bridge　over　a　canal　was　blown　up　but　we　climbed　across　on　what　was　left　of　the　span。　We　heard　firing　ahead　of　us。
We　came　up　on　the　railway　beyond　the　canal。　It　went　on　straight　toward　the　town　across　the　low　fields。　We　could　see　the　line　of　the　other　railway　ahead　of　us。　To　the　north　was　the　main　road　where　we　had　seen　the　cyclists；　to　the　south　there　was　a　small　branch…road　across　the　fields　with　thick　trees　on　each　side。　I　thought　we　had　better　cut　to　the　south　and　work　around　the　town　that　way　and　across　country　toward　Campoformio　and　the　main　road　to　the　Tagliamento。　We　could　avoid　the　main　line　of　the　retreat　by　keeping　to　the　secondary　roads　beyond　Udine。　I　knew　there　were　plenty　of　side…roads　across　the　plain。　I　started　down　the　embankment。
〃e　on；〃　I　said。　We　would　make　for　the　side…road　and　work　to　the　south　of　the　town。　We　all　started　down　the　embankment。　A　shot　was　fired　at　us　from　the　side…road。　The　bullet　went　into　the　mud　of　the　embankment。
〃Go　on　back；〃　I　shouted。　I　started　up　the　embankment；　slipping　in　the　mud。　The　drivers　were　ahead　of　me。　I　went　up　the　embankment　as　fast　as　I　could　go。　Two　more　shots　came　from　the　thick　brush　and　Aymo；　as　he　was　crossing　the　tracks；　lurched；　tripped　and　fell　face　down。　We　pulled　him　down　on　the　other　side　and　turned　him　over。　〃His　head　ought　to　be　uphill；〃　I　said。　Piani　moved　him　around。　He　lay　in　the　mud　on　the　side　of　the　embankment；　his　feet　pointing　downhill；　breathing　blood　irregularly。　The　three　of　us　squatted　over　him　in　the　rain。　He　was　hit　low　in　the　back　of　the　neck　and　the　bullet　had　ranged　upward　and　e　out　under　the　right　eye。　He　died　while　I　was　stopping　up　the　two　holes。　Piani　laid　his　head　down；　wiped　at　his　face；　with　a　piece　of　the　emergency　dressing；　then　let　it　alone。
〃The　……；〃　he　said。
〃They　weren't　Germans；〃　I　said。　〃There　can't　be　any　Germans　over　there。〃
〃Italians；〃　Piani　said；　using　the　word　as　an　epithet；　〃Italiani！〃　Bonello　said　nothing。　He　was　sitting　beside　Aymo；　not　looking　at　him。　Piani　picked　up　Aymo's　cap　where　it　had　rolled　down　the　embankment　and　put　it　over　his　face。　He　took　out　his　canteen。
〃Do　you　want　a　drink？〃　Piani　handed　Bonello　the　canteen。
〃No；〃　Bonello　said。　He　turned　to　me。　〃That　might　have　happened　to　us　any　time　on　the　railway　tracks。〃
〃No；〃　I　said。　〃It　was　because　we　started　across　the　field。〃
Bonello　shook　his　head。　〃Aymo's　dead；〃　he　said。　〃Who's　dead　next；　Tenente？　Where　do　we　go　now？〃
〃Those　were　Italians　that　shot；〃　I　said。　〃They　weren't　Germans。〃
〃I　suppose　if　they　were　Germans　they'd　have　killed　all　of　us；〃　Bonello　said。
〃We　are　in　more　danger　from　Italians　than　Germans；〃　I　said。　〃The　rear　guard　are　afraid　of　everything。　The　Germans　know　what　they're　after。〃
〃You　reason　it　out；　Tenente；〃　Bonello　said。
〃Where　do　we　go　now？〃　Piani　asked。
〃We　better　lie　up　some　place　till　it's　dark。　If　we　could　get　south　we'd　be　all　right。〃
〃They'd　have　to　shoot　us　all　to　prove　they　were　right　the　first　time；〃　Bonello　said。　〃I'm　not　going　to　try　them。〃
〃We'll　find　a　place　to　lie　up　as　near　to　Udine　as　we　can　get　and　then　go　through　when　it's　dark。〃
〃Let's　go　then；〃　Bonello　said。　We　went　down　the　north　side　of　the　embankment。　I　looked　back。　Aymo　lay　in　the　mud　with　the　angle　of　the　embankment。　He　was　quite　small　and　his　arms　were　by　his　side；　his　puttee…wrapped　legs　and　muddy　boots　together；　his　cap　over　his　face。　He　looked　very　dead。　It　was　raining。　I　had　liked　him　as　well　as　any　one　I　ever　knew。　I　had　his　papers　in　my　pocket　and　would　write　to　his　family。　Ahead　across　the　fields　was　a　farmhouse。　There　were　trees　around　it　and　the　farm　buildings　were　built　against　the　house。　There　was　a　balcony　along　the　second　floor　held　up　by　columns。
〃We　better　keep　a　little　way　apart；〃　I　said。　〃I'll　go　ahead。〃　I　started　toward　the　farmhouse。　There　was　a　path　across　the　field。
Crossing　the　field；　I　did　not　know　but　that　some　one　would　fire　on　us　from　the　trees　near　the　farmhouse　or　from　the　farmhouse　itself。　I　walked　toward　it；　seeing　it　very　clearly。　The　balcony　of　the　second　floor　merged　into　the　barn　and　there　was　hay　ing　Out　between　the　columns。　The　courtyard　was　of　stone　blocks　and　all　the　trees　were　dripping　with　the　rain。　There　was　a　big　empty　twowheeled　cart；　the　shafts　tipped　high　up　in　the　rain。　I　came　to　the　courtyard；　crossed　it；　and　stood　under　the　shelter　of　the　balcony。　The　door　of　the　house　was　open　and　I　went　in。　Bonello　and　Piani　came　in　after　me。　It　was　dark　inside。　I　went　back　to　the　kitchen。　There　were　ashes　of　a　fire　on　the　big　open　hearth。　The　pots　hung　over　the　ashes；　but　they　were　empty。　I　looked　around　but　I　could　not　find　anything　to　eat。
〃We　ought　to　lie　up　in　the　barn；〃　I　said。　〃Do　you　think　you　could　find　anything　to　eat；　Piani；　and　bring　it　up　there？〃
〃I'll　look；〃　Piani　said。
〃I'll　look　too；〃　Bonello　said。
〃All　right；〃　I　said。　〃I'll　go　up　and　look　at　the　barn。〃　I　found　a　stone　stairway　that　went　up　from　the　stable　underneath。　The　stable　smelt　dry　and　pleasant　in　the　rain。　The　cattle　were　all　gone；　probably　driven　off　when　they　left。　The　barn　was　half　full　of　hay。　There　were　two　windows　in　the　roof；　one　was　blocked　with　boards；　the　other　was　a　narrow　dormer　window　on　the　north　side。　There　was　a　chute　so　that　hay　might　be　pitched　down　to　the　cattle。　Beams　crossed　the　opening　down　into　the　main　floor　where　the　hay…carts　drove　in　when　the　hay　was　hauled　in　to　be　pitched　up。　I　heard　the　rain　on　the　roof　and　smelled　the　hay　and；　when　I　went　down；　the　clean　smell　of　dried　dung　in　the　stable。　We　could　pry　a　board　loose　and　see　out　of　the　south　window　down　into　the　courtyard。　The　other　window　looked　out　on　the　field　toward　the　north。　We　could　get　out　of　either　window　onto　the　roof　and　down；　or　go　down　the　hay　chute　if　the　stairs　were　impractical。　It　was　a　big　barn　and　we　could　hide　in　the　hay　if　we　heard　any　one。　It　seemed　like　a　good　place。　I　was　sure　we　could　have　gotten　through　to　the　south　if　they　had　not　fired　on　us。　It　was　impossible　that　there　were　Germans　there。　They　were　ing　from　the　north　and　down　the　road　from　Cividale。　They　could　not　have　e　through　from　the　south。　The　Italians　were　even　more　dangerous。　They　were　frightened　and　firing　on　anything　they　saw。　Last　night　on　the　retreat　we　had　heard　that　there　had　been