Xavier has considered taking all the morphine at once to kill himself, and realizes he must do this soon or face running out. He feels like a criminal with Niska around, but now injects the morphine in front of her. He flashes back to the time when Elijah is made acting corporal while Thompson is away, recovering from his wounds. Elijah is ecstatic, and Xavier wonders why no one recognizes his accomplishments.

The battalion is sent to Albert, where the soldiers are awestruck by a large statue of the Virgin Mary that is still standing, though at an incline. A superstition has arisen about the statue: if it stands, the Allies will stand; if it falls, they will also fall. The soldiers are later moved again, this time in preparation for taking Courcelette, a German-held town that the Canadians are tasked with securing. Elijah and Xavier will go out first and find sniping positions. The Canadians have implemented a new form of attack, the creeping barrage, so the pair must be sure not to get stuck in the line of fire. They spy a crumpled farmhouse that will make a good position to protect themselves and have clear views for sniping.