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With the Serbs in Macedonia

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CHAPTER XII<br />

THE DELIVERANCE<br />

The end is soon told. After <strong>the</strong> fall of Monastir,<br />

<strong>the</strong>re followed many weary months among <strong>the</strong><br />

hills. It froze and thawed and ra<strong>in</strong>ed, and <strong>the</strong><br />

Serbian Army reorganized <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> mud— as<br />

usual, on <strong>the</strong> cheap. For <strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong>re was no<br />

lavish issue of thick w<strong>in</strong>ter undercloth<strong>in</strong>g no<br />

;<br />

Campaign comforts. But <strong>the</strong>y contented <strong>the</strong>mselves<br />

with absolute necessaries and waited<br />

hopefully for <strong>the</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

Spr<strong>in</strong>g came, with w<strong>in</strong>ds that bit one moment<br />

and sun that burnt <strong>the</strong> next— but <strong>the</strong>re was no<br />

advance. Someth<strong>in</strong>g had happened to <strong>the</strong><br />

Spr<strong>in</strong>g<br />

offensive. There was a nibble here and<br />

a demonstration <strong>the</strong>re ; much carry<strong>in</strong>g-up of<br />

ammunition, many rumours, but no tangible<br />

result.<br />

Then summer came—<br />

scorch<strong>in</strong>g, dusty, and<br />

debilitat<strong>in</strong>g — with malaria, dysentery, and<br />

jaundice <strong>in</strong> its tra<strong>in</strong>.<br />

So <strong>the</strong> months passed. The guns barked, <strong>the</strong><br />

trench mortars boomed, and <strong>the</strong> rifles cracked—<br />

253

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