A tall, sallow, dark-haired, shining-eyed youth, white clad from top to toe, clambered up towards the platform shouting loyally, and sprang down again and receded, looking backward.

Heads, shoulders, hands clutching weapons, all were swinging with those marching cadences.
Faces came out of the confusion to him as he stood there, eyes met his and passed and vanished.

Men gesticulated to him, shouted inaudible personal things.

Most of the faces were flushed, but many were ghastly white.

And disease was there, and many a hand that waved to him was gaunt and lean.