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exclude those strangers within its gates who were there on sufferance-unofficially and unknown.
Driven by one mighty impulse the children of France rose to defend their beloved country. Even those who had no legal right to call themselves France's children felt in their hearts the warm glow of love which they had probably felt for no other country before. The land that had cradled the freedom of Europe had many alien defenders, men of all nations to whom France was the motherland of Liberty.
Thus it was that among France's soldiers could be found Yaska, the gaiter maker, who in truth had nothing to defend other than the air he breathed, for his legal status in the country was of the thinnest, depending only on the questionable yellow passport he carried. This he had acquired when he had disregarded the taboo on Spain which had been in effect among his people ever since the time of the Inquisition, and had gone forth to battle in the ranks of the Loyalists for Spain's freedom. The peoples of the earth had become a single army fighting for the life of man against the Nazi-fascist Beast, in Spain, in Germany, in Italy and wherever the brown and black assassins raised their heads. Twice he had been wounded, and he had fought until the last shot was fired. And when he had returned to Paris his reward had been a qualified permission to breathe the free air of France-unofficially. And now, when the aroused blood of the French people communicated its fever to Yaska's veins, he could feel until it hurt how dear and precious to him was this cherished oasis, that for some reason he liked to call his own country! Here was the well of life which could quench his thirsting soul.
In order not to fall under the control of the Polish government, which had now been given military power over all Polish subjects on French soil, Yaska joined the Foreign