diff options
Diffstat (limited to '22095.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 22095.txt | 5436 |
1 files changed, 5436 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/22095.txt b/22095.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3bf0a10 --- /dev/null +++ b/22095.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5436 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Red Cross Girls with the Russian Army, by +Margaret Vandercook + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Red Cross Girls with the Russian Army + +Author: Margaret Vandercook + +Release Date: July 18, 2007 [EBook #22095] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RED CROSS GIRLS *** + + + + +Produced by Mark C. Orton, Linda McKeown, Jacqueline Jeremy +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +THE RED CROSS GIRLS WITH THE RUSSIAN ARMY + +[Illustration: BARBARA PRESENTED HIM WITH THE ELECTRIC LAMP. +(_See page 150._)] + + + + + The Red Cross Girls with the Russian Army + + By + MARGARET VANDERCOOK + + Author of "The Ranch Girls Series," "Stories + about Camp Fire Girls Series," etc. + + Illustrated + + The John C. Winston Company + Philadelphia + + Copyright, 1916, by + THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO. + + + + + CONTENTS + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. A PEASANT'S HUT IN RUSSIA 7 + + II. A FORMER ACQUAINTANCE 23 + + III. GENERAL ALEXIS 37 + + IV. AN ENCOUNTER 53 + + V. OUT OF THE PAST 67 + + VI. THE ARREST 80 + + VII. A RUSSIAN CHURCH 92 + + VIII. ANOTHER WARNING 104 + + IX. THE ATTACK 118 + + X. MILDRED'S OPPORTUNITY 134 + + XI. A RUSSIAN RETREAT 148 + + XII. PETROGRAD 158 + + XIII. THE NEXT STEP 174 + + XIV. MILDRED'S RETURN 191 + + XV. THE WINTER PALACE 206 + + XVI. THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS 217 + + XVII. THE DEPARTURE 236 + + XVIII. A POEM AND A CONVERSATION 247 + + XIX. THE REUNION 256 + + + + +CHAPTER I + +_A Peasant's Hut in Russia_ + + +In the last volume of the Red Cross series the four American girls spent +six months in tragic little Belgium. There, in an American hospital in +Brussels, devoted to the care, not of wounded soldiers, but of ill +Belgians, three of the girls lived and worked. + +But Eugenia went alone to dwell in a house in the woods because the cry +of the children in Belgium made the strongest appeal to her. The house +was a lonely one, supposed to be haunted, yet in spite of this Eugenia +moved in. There the money of the girl whom her friend had once believed +"poor as a church mouse" fed and cared for her quickly acquired family. + +In Eugenia's haunted house were other sojourners furnishing the mystery +of this story and endangering her liberty, almost her life. They were a +Belgian officer and his family whom the Red Cross girl kept in hiding. +Somehow the officer had managed to return to his own country from the +fighting line in Belgium. After securing the papers he desired from the +enemy, by Eugenia's aid, he was enabled to return once more to King +Albert and the Allied armies. Thus Eugenia was left alone to bear the +brunt of the German displeasure after the discovery of her misdeeds. She +was imprisoned in Brussels, and became dangerously ill. Finally, because +she was an American, Eugenia was made to leave the country, rather than +to suffer the punishment which would have been hers had she belonged to +another nationality. + +But the four American Red Cross girls also had the companionship of Dick +Thornton during their stay in the once lovely capital of Belgium. + +Dick had not recovered the use of his arm, but in spite of this had come +to Brussels to help with the work of the American Relief society. + +Here his once friendly relation with Barbara Meade no longer existed. +Because of her change of attitude he apparently grew more attached to +Nona Davis. + +However, at the close of the story, when Barbara is taking Eugenia back +to southern France, she and Dick unexpectedly meet aboard a fog-bound +ship. And in the darkness the light finally shines when Dick and Barbara +discover at last that their feeling for each other is stronger than +friendship. + +Later, near "the pool of truth" not far from the "Farmhouse with the +Blue Front Door," Eugenia Peabody again meets Captain Henri Castaigne, +the young French officer whom she had once nursed back to health. A +short time afterwards he and Eugenia are married. + +Later the three other American Red Cross girls decide to continue their +nursing of the wounded soldiers of the Allied armies in far-off Russia. + +One cold October afternoon three American girls were standing in the +stone courtyard of a great Russian fortress near the border line of +Poland. + +Situated upon a cone-shaped hill, the fort itself had been built like +the three sides of a square, with the yard as the center. Along the +fourth side ran a cement wall with a single iron gate. + +Evidently the three girls were engaged in Red Cross work, for they wore +the familiar service uniforms. One of them had on a heavy coat and cap, +but the other two must have just come out of doors for a few moments. + +Indeed, their first words revealed this fact. + +"I really don't feel that you should be starting upon this expedition +alone, Nona," Mildred Thornton argued. She was a tall girl, with heavy, +flaxen hair and quiet, steel-gray eyes. She was gazing anxiously about +her, for Russia was a new and strange world to the three American Red +Cross nurses, who had arrived at their present headquarters only a few +weeks before. + +Nearly a year had passed since the four friends separated in Belgium. +Then Mildred and Nona Davis had remained at their posts to care for the +homeless Belgian children, while Barbara Meade and Eugenia Peabody +returned to southern France. + +Now at the close of Mildred Thornton's speech to Nona, Barbara Meade +frowned. She was poised on one foot as if expecting to flee at any +moment. + +"I quite agree with you, Mildred," she protested. "Nona's message was +far too mysterious and vague to consider answering. We must not forget +that we are now in a country and among a people whom we don't understand +in the least. Besides, I promised both Dick and Eugenia that we would be +more careful. How I wish one or the other of them were here to advise +us!" + +Shivering, Barbara, who was the youngest and smallest of the girls, +slipped her arm through Mildred's. + +A few yards before them sentries were marching slowly up and down, with +their rifles resting on their shoulders, while a double row guarded a +single wide gate. Every now and then a common soldier passed on his way +to the performance of some special duty. Gray and colorless, the +afternoon had a peculiar dampness as if the wind had blown across acres +of melting snow. + +Nevertheless in reply to her friends' objections Nona Davis shook her +head. + +"Yes, I realize you may both be right, and yet so urgent was my message +that I feel compelled to do what was asked of me. But don't worry about +me, I have the letter with the directions safe in my pocket. Good-by." + +Then before either of the other girls could find time to argue the point +a second time, the young southern girl had kissed each of them and +turned away. Later they saw her give the password at the gate and the +sentry allow her to pass out. + +Before her lay a stretch of sparsely settled country divided by a wide +and much traveled road. Several miles further along a wide river crossed +the land, but near at hand there were only small farms and meagre clumps +of pine woods. + +After a few more words of disapproval, Barbara Meade shrugged her +shoulders, and then she and Mildred re-entered the small curved doorway +of the Russian fort. The left wing was being used as a hospital for the +wounded, while the rest of the great fortification was crowded with +officers and soldiers. + +These men were being held in reserve to await the threatened invasion of +the oncoming German hosts. Warsaw had fallen and one by one the ancient +Russian fortifications once deemed invincible had given way before the +German guns. But here at Grovno, under the command of the great General +Alexis, the Russians were to make a final stand. + +However, without thinking of anything save personal matters, Nona Davis +first set out along the main traveled road. Now and then she was +compelled to step aside to let a great ox cart go past; these carts +were filled with provisions being brought into the fort. Occasionally a +covered car rattled past loaded with munitions of war, or a heavy piece +of artillery drawn on low trucks. But one would like to have seen a far +greater quantity of supplies of all kinds being brought to the old +fortress. It was an open secret that the supply of munitions was not +what it should be, and yet Grovno was expected to withstand all attacks. + +But the young American girl was not reflecting upon the uncertainties of +war during her walk. Neither did she feel any nervousness because of the +newness of her surroundings, for the country in the rear of the +fortifications was chiefly inhabited by Russian women and children and a +few old men. + +Nona walked on quickly and with a speed and careless grace that covered +the ground without apparent effort. + +She was looking extremely well, but above all other things Nona Davis +appeared supremely interested. For some reason, still unknown to her, +she had been more stirred and excited by the coming into Russia than any +country she had yet seen. She both admired and feared the Russian +people, with their curious combination of poetry and stupidity, of +dullness and passion. Before returning to her own land she meant to try +and understand them better. For somewhere she had read that the future +art of the world was to come forth from Russia. It is the Slavic +temperament and not the Anglo-Saxon that best expresses itself in music +and literature. + +Nona's errand this afternoon was a curious and puzzling one, fraught +with unnecessary mystery. + +Four days before, a Russian boy about twelve years old had appeared at +the gate of the fortress at Grovno, bearing a note addressed to Miss +Nona Davis. Oddly enough, although the note was written in perfect +English, it was not signed. In spite of this it requested that the +American girl come to a small house about a mile and a half away to see +a former friend. + +But who the friend could be, not one of the three girls could imagine. +Yet they scarcely talked of anything else. Nona had no acquaintances in +Russia save the people she had met in connection with her work, and +there was no one in her past whom she could possibly conceive of having +come into Russia as a tourist at such a time. + +Therefore it was Mildred Thornton's and Barbara Meade's opinion that +Nona should pay not the slightest heed to such a communication. +Anonymous letters lead to nothing but evil. But in spite of their +objections, here at the first possible opportunity Nona was obeying the +behest. Probably she could not have explained why, for she was too +sensible not to appreciate that possible discomfort and even danger +might lie ahead of her. Perhaps as much as anything she was actuated by +a spirit of sheer adventure. + +So it is little wonder that during her walk Nona's thoughts were now and +then engaged with her own affairs. Yet after a little her attention +wandered from the immediate future and she fell to recalling the +history of the past years' experiences, her own and her three friends. + +No wonder Barbara was often lonely and homesick for Dick Thornton. + +She had become engaged to him on the fog-bound trip she had made with +him in getting Eugenia safely out of Belgium. Remembering Eugenia's +escape, Nona said a short prayer of thankfulness. After her hiding of +the Belgian officer and his family from the German authorities, she +would never have been allowed to leave Belgium unpunished had she not +been an American woman. Remembering the fate of the English girl who +had committed the same crime, Nona appreciated how much they had to be +thankful for. + +And now Eugenia was married to Captain Castaigne, the young French +officer. Curious that among the four of them who had come from the +United States to do Red Cross work among the Allies, Eugenia should +be the first to marry! She, a New England old maid, disapproving of +matrimony and, above all, of international marriages! + +Yet the wedding had taken place in the previous spring at the little +French "Farmhouse with the Blue Front Door," where the four girls had +spent the most cheerful months since their arrival in Europe for the +war nursing. + +Only once had Nona and Mildred deserted their posts in Belgium, where +they had continued Eugenia's work of caring for the homeless Belgian +children. Then they had gone to attend her wedding, but had returned +to Belgium as soon as possible. + +But Eugenia and Captain Castaigne had taken scarcely more time for +their own honeymoon. + +Soon after the ceremony Captain Castaigne had gone to rejoin his +regiment and three days after Eugenia had become a member of the +staff of a French hospital near her husband's line of trenches. + +So it turned out that Barbara Meade was left at the Chateau d'Amelie, +as Madame Castaigne's friend and companion. Dick Thornton boarded in +the village near by, so that he and Barbara had a number of happy +months together. + +But Dick had finally decided that he must return to America and had +urged Barbara and his sister Mildred to return with him. Of course, +Nona had been invited to accompany them, but no special pressure had +been brought upon her. + +However, Mildred did not feel that her Red Cross work in Europe was +finished, while Barbara refused to desert her friends. + +But Barbara had another reason for her decision: she desired Dick to +be alone when he confessed their engagement to his mother and father. +Barbara had little fear of Judge Thornton's disapproval, but felt +reasonably convinced that Mrs. Thornton would be both disappointed +and aggrieved. Certainly she had never hesitated to announce that +she expected her son Dick to make a brilliant match. How could she +then be satisfied with a western girl of no wealth or distinction? + +It happened that Dick Thornton also had a private reason for finally +agreeing to Barbara's wish. His experiences in the past two years had +given him a new point of view toward life. No longer was he willing to +be known only as his father's son and to continue being supported by +him. Before Dick married he intended making a position for himself, so +as to be able to take care of his own wife. + +Nona also recalled that she was really responsible for their coming into +Russia. It had seemed to her that they must make their Red Cross work +complete by nursing in the largest of the Allied countries. + +However, Nona had now to cease her reflections, for she had come to a +place in the road where she had been told to turn aside. + +To make sure the girl opened her note and re-read it for probably the +tenth time. Yes, here were the three pine trees, green shadows against +the autumn sky, and here also was the narrow path that began alongside +of them. + +After another fifteen minutes' walk Nona discovered that she was +approaching a hut of the poorest character. It was built of logs, +with mud roughly filling up a number of cracks. + +Already Nona was learning to understand that the Russian poor are +perhaps the poorest people in the world. This hut was not so +poverty-stricken as many others she had seen; at least, there +were two windows and a front door. + +Outside a hungry dog prowled about, showing not the slightest interest +in the newcomer. Yet Nona was vaguely frightened. She stopped for a +moment to reflect. Should she go in or not? The place looked ugly and +depressing and she could see no signs of human beings. + +Yet perhaps there was illness inside the house and she had been sent for +to give aid. If that were true she must not hesitate. + +As Nona lifted her hand to knock at the door, suddenly it occurred to +her as curious that the note she had received had been written upon +extremely fine paper and in a handwriting which revealed breeding and +education. Yet this peasant's hut suggested neither the one nor the +other. + +But Nona was more mystified than fearful since her Red Cross uniform was +her protection, and these were not days when one dared think of +oneself. + +She knocked quietly but firmly on the wooden door. + +The next moment the heavy bar was slipped aside. Then Nona saw a woman +of about thirty-five, dressed in the costume of a Russian peasant, +standing with both hands outstretched toward her. + +"My dear," she began in perfect English, "this is better fortune than I +dreamed, to find you once again, and in Russia, of all countries!" + + + + +CHAPTER II + +_A Former Acquaintance_ + + +"But," Nona began, and then hesitated, feeling extraordinarily puzzled. +The face of the woman before her was oddly familiar, although she could +not at the instant recall where or when she had known her. + +Yet she remembered the deep blue-gray eyes with their perfectly penciled +dark brows and lashes, even the rather sad expression of them. However, +she must be mistaken, since she could have no acquaintance in Russia! + +However, she allowed herself to be quietly led inside the hut, where the +door was immediately closed behind her. Then the girl followed the woman +inside a bare chamber, furnished with only a few chairs and a rough +table. In an upper corner hung an ikon, the Russian image of the Christ. +The face of the Christ was painted in brilliant colors set inside a +brass square and this square enclosed in a dark wooden frame. + +The ikon is to the Russian who is a Greek Catholic what the crucifix is +to the Roman Catholic. No orthodox Russian home is ever without one. + +But after the first glance, Nona Davis gave no further consideration to +her surroundings. Before her companion could speak the second time she +had suddenly recognized her. + +"Why, Lady Dorian, what has brought you to Russia? You are the last +person I expected to see! Since our meeting on board the 'Philadelphia' +and your stay at the Sacred Heart Hospital I have so often wondered what +had become of you, and if you were well and happy. You promised to write +me." + +"Then you have not forgotten me?" Before saying anything more the older +woman found a chair for her guest and another for herself. + +"No, I have not written you, but I have thought of you many times and +have followed your history more closely than you dream," she returned +quietly, yet with evident earnestness. "I have been well and I suppose +as happy as most people. How can any human being be anything but +wretched during this tragic war? If only we might have peace!" + +Lady Dorian's face became white and drawn and Nona felt that she had +aged a great deal since their first meeting, and indeed since the months +they had spent as fellow workers for the British soldiers at the Sacred +Heart Hospital. Nevertheless she still felt strangely attracted toward +her companion, although mingled with the attraction was a new and +uncomfortable feeling of distrust. + +Lady Dorian had come to the hospital cleared of the charge made against +her on board the "Philadelphia" of being a spy. Yet she had never given +any explanation of her history. Then had followed her surprising meeting +with the British officer, Colonel Dalton, and their betrayal of a former +acquaintanceship. Although the older woman had promised to explain their +connection later, she had only said that they had once known each other +rather intimately in London. But as they were friends no longer, she +preferred not speaking of him again. + +All this passed swiftly through Nona's mind while the older woman was +speaking. But the girl devoutly hoped that her face did not betray +her thoughts. For here was the most surprising situation of all! Lady +Dorian had seemed to be a woman of wealth at the beginning of their +acquaintance and certainly had given a large sum of money to the +Sacred Heart Hospital. Now to find her dressed as a peasant and +living in a peasant's hut in Russia! + +Her skirt was of some cheap black material and her bodice of velveteen, +laced with black cords over a white cotton waist. She also wore a +Russian peasant's apron of brighter colors. + +Yet Nona recognized the older woman's beauty and distinction in spite of +her costume, even while her present circumstances and her eccentricities +antagonized her visitor. + +The woman was sitting with her level brows drawn together looking +closely at the younger girl. + +"I am sorry you don't seem to feel your former faith in me, Nona," she +began unexpectedly. "Not that I blame you, for I do not know myself +whether it is wise for me to have intruded into your life again. I would +not have done so if there had not been a reason more important than you +can appreciate." + +For a moment the girl's attention had been wandering, engaged by the +oddness of her surroundings, but now she tried to conceal her growing +discomfort. Lady Dorian was appearing more mysterious than ever! If she +desired to renew their acquaintance because they had formerly liked each +other, that was a sufficient reason for her summons. It was scarcely +worth while to try to produce other motives. + +But Lady Dorian had gotten up and now stood facing her. + +"What I am going to tell you is extraordinary, Nona, although life is +too full of strange happenings to make us wonder at anything. In the +first place, will you please cease to call me _Lady Dorian_, for that is +not my name. Nor is it remarkable for you to discover me living in +Russia, because I am a Russian by birth. I have not always made my home +in my own country, but that makes no difference, since my love and +sympathy have always been with my own people. Here I am only known as +'Sonya.' But I do not wish to speak of myself, but of you. I have a +strong reason for my interest in you, Nona, for although you may find it +hard to believe, I once knew your mother." + +"Knew my mother?" The young American girl scarcely understood what was +being said. She was so many thousands of miles both in fact and in +thought from her own home and her own history. She could not believe +that her companion was telling the truth. In any case she was merely +mistaking her for some one else. + +So Nona shook her head gravely. "I am sorry, but I don't think that +possible," she explained. "My mother was a southern woman, who lived +very quietly in an old-fashioned city. I can't see how your lives could +ever have touched." + +Until this instant Nona had remained seated with her former friend +standing before her. + +She did not realize how much she showed her resentment at this use of +her mother's name. Now she made an effort to rise from her chair. + +"I am very happy to have seen you again," she protested in the formal +manner which Barbara Meade sometimes admired and at other times +resented. + +But her companion was not influenced and indeed paid no attention to the +younger girl's hauteur. She merely put a restraining hand on her +shoulder, adding, + +"It is not worth while for us to argue that point until you hear what I +have to say. The fact is, I know more of your mother, Nona, than you do +yourself. For one thing, your mother was also a Russian. She was older +than I, but we were together at one time in the United States. She went +to visit in New Orleans and there met your father and married. I knew +she had a daughter by your name, but curiously when I first met you on +board the steamer your name conveyed nothing to me. Perhaps the last +thing I expected was to find the daughter of your father, General Robert +Davis, serving as a Red Cross nurse. He was a conservative of the old +school, and I supposed would never have allowed you to leave home. But +after we came together again and I met you for the second time at the +Sacred Heart Hospital, I began to think of what association I had with +your name. Soon I remembered and then I endeavored to discover your +history. There was a chance that the name had no connection with the +girl I sought. But it was simple enough to make the discovery." + +"Simple enough to make the discovery!" Stupidly Nona Davis repeated the +words aloud, because they puzzled her. Then it occurred to her that the +woman before her was so associated with mysteries that a family problem +must be comparatively simple. Doubtless she had been able to discover +more of Nona's mother's history than she herself had ever found out. + +But Nona was by no means pleased with the thought of an association +between her own people and Lady Dorian, who had just frankly confessed +that this name had been an assumed one. + +Nor did she wish to go into the subject of her family connection with so +uncomfortable a stranger. First she wished to have time to think the +situation over and to try to make it clearer to her own mind. Then she +wished to discuss it with Mildred and Barbara. + +The girl glanced at the old-fashioned watch belonging to her father, +which she always wore. In the back it held her mother's picture, but not +for worlds would she have revealed this fact at the moment. + +Curious that she should feel this extreme distrust of her companion, +when she had been her ardent defender in their earlier acquaintance! But +then she had never expected to be drawn into any intimacy with her. + +Besides, Russia was an incomprehensible country. The class distinctions +which had so impressed her in England were as nothing to the differences +in rank here. + +Russia, in truth, seemed a land of princes and paupers! To a girl of +Nona Davis' ideas and training, to find herself associated with the +lower orders of Russian society was distinctly disagreeable. She had +lived so long on the tradition of family that social position seemed of +first importance. + +Now her former acquaintance was living in a peasant's house and was +dressed like a peasant woman. Some strange change must have taken place +in her life to reduce her to such a position, when previously she had +given the impression of wealth and distinction. + +Nona got up hurriedly, drawing her coat about her. Later perhaps she +might be willing to hear what the other woman wished to confide, but not +today. + +Yet Nona felt that she did not wish to look into her companion's eyes. +She must try not to think of her any longer as Lady Dorian, though +"Sonya" was an exquisite Russian name, it certainly gave no clue to her +identity. + +However, she could not fail to see that the other woman's expression +revealed surprise and sorrow at her attitude, but was without +resentment. It was as if she had grown accustomed to distrust and +coldness. + +"I am sorry you don't wish me to speak of your mother, Nona. It is true +I can give you no explanation of the change in my surroundings, but the +present need not affect the past. I know that your father has kept your +mother's story a secret from you. Yet there is nothing in it of which +you may not be proud, that is, if you have the nature which I have hoped +to find in you." + +Embarrassed and yet determined not to listen any further, Nona continued +obstinately walking toward the door, with Sonya quietly following her. + +"Will you wait a moment, please?" the older woman asked. "I have two +friends here in the house with me, whom I would like you to meet. When +you talk me over with Mildred and Barbara to find out their opinion of +me and of what I have tried to tell you, you can explain to them that I +am not alone. I realize that I have always been a mystifying +acquaintance and I'm sorry, but it is not possible to tell you my +history at present. Some day I may be able to explain." + +Sonya's tone was half grave and half gay. Moreover, her blue eyes with +their curiously dark brows and lashes watched the younger girl with an +almost wistful affection. + +The situation was more than puzzling. Yet, although she grew more +anxious each minute to be away, Nona could only agree to her companion's +request. + +For a moment she was left alone in the crude, bare room. It was +cheerless and cold and she grew even more uncomfortable. Surely, Russia +was the strangest land in the world. How could her history as a young +American girl have any connection with it? Why had she so insisted upon +continuing her Red Cross nursing in Russia, when without her urging the +other Red Cross girls would have been content to remain where they were? + +The next moment a very old woman and a man came into the room with +Sonya. There was no doubting they were both peasants. With them it was +not merely a matter of rough clothes. They were both heavily built, +with stupid, sad faces and they mumbled something in broken English when +they were introduced to Nona, eyeing her with suspicion. It was only +when their gaze rested upon Sonya that their faces changed. Then it was +as though a light had shone through darkness. + +Sonya introduced them by name, some queer Russian name which Nona could +not grasp. + +However, she was trying her best to find something civil to say in +return, which they might be able to understand, when an unexpected noise +interrupted them. + +Some one had unceremoniously opened the door in the hall and was walking +toward them. + +For an instant Nona thought she saw a shade of anxiety cross the faces +of her three companions, but the next instant it was gone. + +Nona could scarcely swallow a gasp of surprised admiration when, soon +after, the door opened. + +A young Russian soldier entered the room. He wore the uniform of a +Cossack: the high boots, the fur cap and tunic. + +To Nona Davis' American eyes the young man seemed a typical Russian of +the better classes. He was extremely handsome, more than six feet tall, +with dark hair and eyes and a colorless skin. + +He appeared surprised at Nona's presence, but explained that he was +stationed at the Russian fort where a number of wounded were being cared +for. He remembered having seen Nona and her two friends. They were the +only American nurses in the vicinity, so it was not strange to have +noticed them. + +Michael Orlaff was the soldier's name. Sonya spoke it with distinctness, +but gave him no title. Yet evidently they knew each other very well. + +A moment later and Nona finally got away. She was late and nervous about +returning to the fortifications alone. Yet as she hurried on she was +thinking over the afternoon until her head ached with the mystery of it. +Perhaps it might be wise if she could avoid meeting this particular +group of people again. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +_General Alexis_ + + +All that day Mildred Thornton had scarcely left the bedside of her +patient. + +For the Russian boy was dying, and as there was no hope for him, Mildred +could only do her best to make him as comfortable as possible. + +Now he seemed half asleep, so with her hands folded in her lap the girl +sat near him trying to rest, although unable to keep her mind as quiet +as her hands. + +How strange her surroundings! Since her arrival in Europe as a Red Cross +nurse she had lived and worked in two other countries and certainly had +passed through remarkable experiences, yet none of them were to be +compared with these few weeks of nursing in Russia. One might have been +transferred to another planet instead of another land. + +As an ordinary American tourist, Mildred had been familiar with Europe +for several years, having spent three summers abroad traveling with her +parents. But this was her first vision of the East, for Russia is +eastern, however she may count herself otherwise. + +The American girl now lifted her eyes from the figure of the dying boy +and let them wander down the length of the room which sheltered them. + +An immense place, it held rows on rows of other cot beds with white-clad +nurses passing about among them. When they spoke or when the patients +spoke Mildred could rarely guess what was being said, as she knew so few +words of Russian. Yet she had little difficulty with her nursing, for +the ways of the ill are universal and she had already seen so much +suffering. + +Now the hospital room was in half shadow, but it was never light nor +aired as the American nurse felt it should be. + +The hospital quarters were only a portion of the fortress, a great room, +like a barracks which had been hastily turned into a refuge for the +wounded. + +The long stone chamber boasted only four small windows hardly larger +than portholes and some distance from the ground. These opened with +difficulty and were protected by heavy iron bars. But then in Russia in +many private houses no window is ever voluntarily opened from autumn +until Easter, as the cold is so intense and the arrangements for heating +so crude. + +Today Mildred wondered if the heavy, sick-laden air was giving her +extraordinary fancies. She kept seeing dream pictures. For as she stared +about the cold chamber of sorrow she beheld with greater distinctness +the image of her own rooms at home. + +This was the hour when the maid came to light her yellow-shaded electric +candles; then she would put a fresh log on the fire and stir it to +brightness, not because the added warmth was needed in their big +steam-heated house, but because of the cheerfulness. Then would follow +her mother's invitation to drink a cup of tea with her and Dick in the +library, or would she prefer having it served in her own room? + +With this thought the girl's eyes clouded for a moment. Doubtless Dick +and her mother would be having tea together this afternoon and Dick +would in all probability be trying to explain why his sister was not +with him. During her work in France and Belgium her mother and father +had been more than kind, but with this suggestion of coming into Russia +to continue her nursing both her parents had protested. + +It is true that they had not actually demanded her presence at home, for +she would not have disobeyed a command. But undoubtedly they had urged +her homecoming. + +Her father longed for her because of the rare affection between them and +the fact that he dreaded the conditions and experiences that might await +her and her friends in Russia. For these same reasons her mother also +desired her return, yet Mildred knew that there was another motive +actuating her mother. She might be unconscious of the fact, but if her +daughter should reappear in New York society at the present time, +because of her war experiences she would become an object of unusual +interest and attention. + +At this instant the smile that appeared at the corners of the girl's +mouth banished the tired expression it had previously worn. One big +thing her war experiences had done for Mildred Thornton, it had given +her a new sense of values. Now she _knew_ the things that counted. +She had learned to smile at her own failure as a society girl, even to +understand and forgive her mother's chagrin at the fact. + +Yet Mildred was influenced in a measure to continue her work in Europe +by these trivial points of view. + +Should she return home and re-enter society as her mother wished, sooner +or later she must prove a second disappointment. For she had no social +gifts; she could never learn to talk as her friends did. If questions +were asked of her she could only reply with facts, not because she was +lacking in sympathy or imagination, but because she had not the grace of +words. So with neither beauty nor charm, how could she ever even hope to +gratify her mother by securing the distinguished husband she so desired +for her? + +But since there was a place in the world for bees as well as +butterflies, Mildred never meant to allow herself to grow unhappy +again. She had a real talent for nursing; her work had received only +praise. So here in Europe, where there seemed to be the greatest need +of her services, she meant to remain as long as possible. This, in spite +of the alluring picture of home which would thrust itself before her +consciousness. + +At this instant the boy on the bed moved and sighed and at the same +instant the American girl forgot herself. He had opened his eyes and +Mildred could see that he had become dimly conscious of his own +condition and his surroundings. + +But this boy could never have been more than dimly conscious of most +things in his short life, he was so stupid and could neither read nor +write; indeed, he had a vocabulary of but a few hundred words. Peter had +been a laborer on the estates of a Polish nobleman when the call came to +arms. And so often in the past week while she had been caring for him +Mildred had been reminded of some farm animal by the way the boy +endured pain, he had been so dumb and uncomplaining. + +Even now he made no attempt to speak, but as she leaned over and took +his hand Mildred realized that the boy could live but a few moments +longer. + +After a little tender smoothing of his cover the girl turned away. The +Russian peasant is always a devout Catholic, so Mildred realized that he +would wish a priest with him at the end. + +She had walked only a few feet from the young soldier's bedside when an +unaccustomed atmosphere of excitement in the ward arrested her +attention. + +It would not be necessary for her to summon a priest; some one must have +anticipated her desire. For the priest was even now approaching. +However, he was a familiar figure, passing hourly among the wounded and +their attendants; his presence would cause no excitement. + +The next instant Mildred understood the priest was not alone. He was +accompanied by one of the most famous men in all Europe. + +Although she had never seen him until this instant, Mildred Thornton +had not a moment's doubt of the man's identity. This was the Commander +of the fortress at Grovno, General Dmitri Alexis, at the present hour +the bulwark of many Russian hopes. + +For the past few weeks the Germans had been driving the Russians farther +and farther back beyond the boundaries of Poland and near the heart of +Russia. Here at Grovno the Russian army was expected to make a +victorious stand. The faith of the Russian people was centered in +General Dmitri Alexis. + +Unlike most Russian officers, he had always been devoted to the +interests of the common people, although a son of one of Russia's noble +families. But he was known to be a shy, quiet man with little to say for +himself, who had risen to his present rank by sheer ability. + +To Mildred's eyes he seemed almost an old man; in fact, he must have +been about fifty. His hair was iron gray, but unlike most Russians his +eyes were a dark blue. As he wore no beard, the lines about his mouth +were so stern as to be almost forbidding. + +Mildred knew that he was an intimate personal friend of the Czar and +realized just to what extent he must feel the weight of his present +responsibilities. + +Therefore she was the more surprised at his appearance in the hospital +ward. + +Except for a courtly inclination of his head the great man paid no +attention to the greetings that were offered him by the nurses and +doctors. Walking down the center of the room he had eyes only for the +wounded men who lined the two walls. Then his sternness relaxed and his +smile became a curious compound of pity and regret. + +Mildred found herself staring without regard to good manners or +breeding. Why should this man create such an atmosphere of trust and +respect? She had seen other great generals in the armies of the Allies +before today, but never one who had made such an impression. + +General Alexis and the priest paused by the bedside of the Russian boy +who was Mildred's patient. + +There the great man's face softened until it became almost womanish in +its sympathy. Slowly and reverently the dying boy attempted to raise his +general's hand to his lips. + +General Alexis said a few words in Russian which the young soldier +understood, but Mildred could not. For he attempted to shake his head, +to whisper a denial, then smiling dropped his arms down by his sides. + +Mildred made no effort to move forward to assist him, for she did not +feel that she had a place in the little group at this moment. She merely +watched and waited, trying to see clearly through the mist in her eyes. + +The boy's broad chest, strong once as a young giant's, but now with a +scarcely beating heart beneath it, quivered with what seemed a final +emotion. The same instant General Alexis leaned down and pinned against +the white cotton of his rough shirt the iron cross of all the Russias. +Afterwards he kissed him as simply as a woman might have done. + +That was all! So natural and so quiet it was, Mildred Thornton herself +was hardly aware of the significance of the little scene she had just +witnessed. + +Here in a country where the gulf between the rich and the poor, the +humble and the great was well nigh impassable, a single act of courage +had bridged it. + +What act of valor Peter had performed Mildred never knew. She only knew +that it had called from his duties one of the greatest men in Europe, +that he might by his presence and with his own hands show homage to the +humblest of soldiers. + +When the simple ceremony was over the boy lay quite still, scarcely +noticing that his general knelt down beside his bed. For his eyes were +almost closing. + +Neither did Mildred dare move or speak. + +Against the walls the other nurses and doctors stood quiet as wooden +figures, while the wounded were hushed to unaccustomed silences. + +Then the Russian priest began to intone in words which the American +girl could not understand, but in a voice the most wonderful she had +ever heard. His tones were those of an organ deep and beautiful, of +great volume but without noise. + +Ceasing, he lifted an ikon before the young soldier's dimming eyes, and +pronounced what must have been a benediction. + +The next moment the great stillness had entered the hospital chamber and +the Russian boy with the iron cross above his heart lay in his final +sleep. + +All at once Mildred Thornton felt extraordinarily weary. Backward and +forward she could see the big room rise and recede as though it had been +an immense wave. The dim light was turning to darkness, when +instinctively reaching out her hand touched the back of a chair. With +this she steadied herself for the moment. Until now she had not known +how tired she was from her vigil, nor how she had been moved by the +scene she had just witnessed. After a little she would go to her own +room and perhaps Nona or Barbara would be there. But she must wait until +General Alexis and the priest had gone away. + +The next moment she realized that the great man had risen and was +approaching toward her. + +Mildred looked wholly unlike a Russian woman. Her heavy flaxen hair, +simply braided and twisted about her head, showed a few strands +underneath her nurse's cap. Her face was almost colorless, yet her +pallor was unlike the Russian, which is of a strange olive tone. Now and +then in her nurse's costume Mildred Thornton became almost beautiful, +through her air of strength and refinement and the unusual sweetness of +her expression. + +The eyes that were turned toward General Alexis were a clear blue-gray, +but there were deep circles under them, and the girl swayed a little in +spite of her effort to stand perfectly still. + +For several seconds the great man regarded her in silence. Then he +stretched forth his hand. + +"You are an American Red Cross nurse, I believe. May I have the honor of +shaking your hand. I have been told that three young American women are +here at our fortress at Grovno helping to care for our wounded. You have +traveled many miles for a noble cause. In the name of my Emperor and his +people may I thank you." + +The little speech was made in perfect English and with such simplicity +that Mildred did not feel awed or surprised. + +However, she was not certain how she replied or if she replied at all. +She only felt her cold fingers held in a hand like steel and the next +moment the great general had gone out of the room. + +Immediately after Mildred found herself surrounded by a group of Russian +nurses. The Russians are amazing linguists and several of the nurses +could speak English. Evidently they were overwhelmed by the honor the +American girl had just had bestowed upon her. It had almost overshadowed +for the time the greater glory of the young soldier. + +An American Red Cross nurse had been individually thanked by one of the +greatest commanders in Europe for her service and the services of her +friends to his soldiers and his country. + +But there was another personal side to the situation which the Russian +hospital staff appeared to find more amazing. + +General Dmitri Alexis was supposed never to speak to a woman. He was an +old bachelor and was said to greatly despise the frivolities of Russian +society women. + +Incredible as it may seem, there is gossip even inside a great fortress +in time of war. + +But Mildred's Russian companions had neither time nor opportunity to +reveal much to her at present. As soon as it was possible she begged +that she might be allowed to go to her own room. Although she shared +it with Nona and Barbara, neither one of them was there at the time. + +But instead of lying down at once Mildred wrote a few lines to her +mother. She knew that she would be greatly pleased by the attention +that had just been paid her. Of course Mildred realized that the +General's thanks were not bestowed upon her as an individual, but +as a representative of the United States, whose sympathy and +friendliness Russia so greatly appreciated. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +_An Encounter_ + + +Barbara had been writing a letter to Dick Thornton. She was seated on +the side of her cot bed in a tiny room high up in a tower, with only one +small window overlooking the courtyard below. + +Although it was well into the twentieth century, this room was just such +an one as might have concealed the hapless Amy Robsart in the days of +Lord Leicester and Kenilworth Castle. But although Barbara had not to +suffer the thought of a faithless lover, at the present moment she was +feeling extremely sorry for herself. + +Russia had no charms for her as it appeared to have for Mildred Thornton +and Nona Davis. She disliked its bleakness, its barbarity and the +strange, moody people it contained. Of course she realized that there +was another side to Russian life, before the present war its society was +one of the gayest in the world. But these days, when the Germans were +driving the Russian army backward and even further backward behind their +own frontiers, were days for work and silence, not social amusements. +Moreover, Barbara knew that she could never expect to have any part in +Russian social life when her mission lay among the wounded. So far she +had met only other Red Cross nurses, a few physicians and the soldiers +who required her care. But really Barbara was not so foolish as to +resent these conditions; she was merely homesick and anxious to see Dick +Thornton, and if not Dick, then Eugenia. + +France had not seemed so far away from the United States and she had +loved France and its brave, gay people. She had understood them and +their life. Almost she had envied Eugenia her future possession of the +old chateau and the little "Farmhouse with the Blue Front Door." But +then Eugenia had seemed to find France as strange and uncongenial as +Barbara now considered Russia. + +Even after her marriage to Captain Castaigne, Eugenia had confessed to +the younger girl how she dreaded her own inability to become a +Frenchwoman. She still feared that she would never be equal to the +things Captain Castaigne had a right to expect of her, once the war was +over. Eugenia had merely cared too much to be willing to give him up, +but was too wise to expect that her problems would end with marriage. + +So with this thought Barbara Meade finally removed a tear from the end +of her nose. It had trickled quite comfortably out of her eyes, but as +her nose was somewhat retrousse, it had hesitated there. + +After all, an American marriage was best for an American girl! Barbara +tried to convince herself that she should be rejoicing instead of +lamenting. Certainly Dick was the most agreeable and to be desired +person in the entire world. But then there was another side to this! +Had he not been, perhaps she would not at this moment be missing him +so terribly and at all the moments. Letters were so infrequent! +Mrs. Thornton might positively refuse to allow her son to marry +so insignificant a person, and Dick forget all about her! + +But in the midst of this last and most harrowing thought, fortunately +Nona Davis came into the room. + +She looked excited, but on catching sight of her friend's face her +expression changed. + +"Good heavens, Barbara!" she began. Then the next moment she walked over +and tilted the other girl's chin with her hand. + +"You are just homesick, aren't you, and longing for some one who shall +be nameless? You frightened me at first; I feared you had heard dreadful +news. Come, get your coat and have a walk with me. We have both nearly +two hours of freedom and I've permission to go outside the +fortifications." + +The other girl shook her head and shivered. + +"It is too cold, Nona dear, and besides, I'm afraid. I know the Russians +are said to be holding the line of fortifications beyond us, but then +the Germans may break through at any time. Goodness knows, I don't see +what you and Mildred find so fascinating in Russia! I am afraid I am not +brave enough to have come with you." + +While Barbara was arguing Nona had taken her coat from its hook on the +wall and was putting it about her friend. + +"Yes, I know all that, but just the same you are coming for a walk. As +long as you are here you must keep strong enough to do your work. But +there, I can't scold half so well as Eugenia. I suppose if Dick belonged +to me I should be as wretched as you are without him. You are a dear to +have stuck by Mildred and me during this Russian work. But do come, I've +something really interesting to tell you. Perhaps you may feel a tiny +bit less lonely afterwards." + +In the meantime Nona had put on her own coat and cap and the two girls +started. They had to walk down a narrow stone corridor and then a long +flight of winding stone steps to reach the courtyard below. + +To the right the soldiers were drilling. One could hear the harsh +clatter of their heavy boots and the crash of their rifles when they +touched the frozen earth. + +It had turned unexpectedly cold, and yet without a spoken word both +girls stopped and stared about them as soon as they reached the +outdoors. + +Certainly the scene formed an extraordinary setting for two young +American girls! + +The sky was gray, and although it was only early autumn, there were +occasional flurries of snow. + +Behind them stood a long, low line of stone and iron fortifications with +enormous guns mounted at intervals along the walls. At one end was an +observation tower, where one could see miles on miles of trenches +stretching in a kind of semicircle before the fortifications. Should the +enemy destroy the trenches the Russian soldiers could then mass behind +the fort and afterwards, if necessary, accomplish their retreat. For a +small force could delay the enemy through the strength of their position +and the use of their big guns. + +Sheltered behind breastworks of earth, barbed wire entanglements and a +natural protection of trees, the girls could barely discern the +aerodrome. In this place were situated the machine shops for building +and repairing aeroplanes, and also from here their flights and returns +could be made. + +Yet in spite of these signs of active warfare, the place was curiously +silent. Barbara felt puzzled. Only the endless tramp, tramp of the +soldiers at drill and an occasional guttural command. The noises from +the inside of the fort never penetrated to the outside. But then these +Russians were a quiet people. + +Within a few moments the two girls showed their order to the sentry and +were allowed to pass beyond the gate. They then started on their walk +along the same road which Nona had traveled alone several days before. +But actually this was the first chance the girls had for talking over +Nona's experiences together. True, they shared the same bedroom, so that +on her return Nona had given a brief report. But really they had been +too tired at night to grasp the situation. + +Now naturally Barbara thought her companion meant to talk of her recent +experience. Neither one of them attempted conversation at the beginning +of their walk, for the main road was as filled with supplies of every +kind that were being hauled to the great fort, as it had been on the day +of Nona's solitary excursion. But indeed this was a daily occurrence. + +So, as soon as possible, the girls got away from the road into a lane +that was lined with peasants' huts. This lay in an opposite direction +from the path Nona had previously taken. She had no desire to meet her +former acquaintance again until she had made up her mind as to her own +attitude toward her. + +Neither Barbara nor Mildred had so far been able to give her any +definite advice. + +Mildred really refused to consider that the older woman could have known +Nona's mother years before in their own country. Her story was too +incredible to be believed. + +Barbara had not taken this same point of view. At the present moment +she was going over the situation in retrospection. In the first place, +it was absurd to think that any train of circumstances could be +impossible in such a surprising world. The woman, whom they had once +known as Lady Dorian and whom they now were to think of by another name, +had evidently once been a woman of wealth and culture, no matter what +her present condition of poverty. She seemed to have traveled everywhere +and she may of course have met Nona Davis' family. There was actually no +reason why she should not have known them, Barbara concluded in her +sensible western fashion. Doubtless when Nona allowed the older woman to +explain the situation it would not be half so mysterious as it now +appeared. The really remarkable thing was, not that the other woman +should be familiar with Nona's mother's history, but that her own +daughter should be so in ignorance. + +For her part she intended to advise Nona to listen to whatever their +former friend wished to tell her. But just as Barbara opened her lips +to offer this advice, her companion spoke. + +"Barbara, you have been in such a study you haven't asked for the piece +of news I have to give you. Do you remember almost quarreling with me +because I did not wish to write a note to the English fellow we once +knew when we were in Brussels, after you discovered him in prison +there?" + +Barbara nodded, her mind immediately distracted from her former train of +thought. + +"Lieutenant Hume? Why, do you know what has become of him?" she +inquired. + +In reply Nona took a letter out of her pocket. + +"I had a note from him today. You see, after your lecture I continued +writing him in prison every now and then during the year we spent in +Belgium. Just occasionally he was allowed to send me a few lines in +reply. Then a long time passed and I had almost forgotten him. Now he +writes to say that by an extraordinary freak of fortune he has been +returned home. It seems that he became very ill, so when the Germans +decided to agree on an exchange of prisoners, he and our little blind +Frenchman, Monsieur Bebe, were both sent back to their own lands. +Lieutenant Hume does not say what is the matter with him. His letter +isn't about himself. He is really tremendously anxious to hear news of +us. He has just learned of Eugenia's marriage to Henri Castaigne, and he +thinks we are pretty foolhardy to have offered our services for nursing +in Russia." + +Instinctively Barbara held her companion's arm in a closer grasp. + +"Far be it from me to disagree with him!" she murmured. + +For her attention had just been arrested by the noise of a horse's hoofs +approaching. Both girls looked up to see a young Cossack soldier riding +toward them. He sat his horse as though he were a part of it, his feet +swinging in long stirrups and his hands barely touching the reins. + +Both girls felt a stirring sense of admiration. But to their surprise, +as the horse drew near the young soldier pulled up and slid quietly to +the ground. + +The next instant he came up toward Nona. + +"You will pardon me," he said, speaking English, although with a +noticeable accent, "but it will not be wise for you to continue to walk +any further along this road. It is growing late and there are stragglers +coming in from several villages where a German raid is feared." + +He had taken off his pointed Cossack cap of lamb's wool and held it in +his hand as though he had been a young American meeting a group of +friends upon an ordinary thoroughfare. + +Barbara was struck by the incongruity of his appearance and his +behavior. He looked like a half-civilized warrior of centuries ago, and +yet his manner was the conventional one of today. However, it would not +be wise to expect him to remain conventional under unusual conditions. +Barbara could see that the young Russian officer was a son of the east, +not the west. He had a peculiar Oriental pallor and long, slanting dark +eyes, and his small black moustache scarcely concealed the thin red +lines of his lips. + +Nona was frowning at him in a puzzled fashion. + +But the next instant she bowed with an expression of recognition. + +"Thank you, we will do as you suggest. It is odd to see you so soon +again after our unexpected meeting the other afternoon. Lieutenant +Orlaff, this is my friend, Miss Meade." + +Barbara inclined her head, too surprised to do more. But as the Russian +officer continued to walk beside them with his horse following, she soon +understood where he and Nona had met each other. + +"Yes, she is an old friend, Sonya Valesky. I knew her years ago and then +she went away into other countries." + +The young Russian hesitated. Barbara and Nona were both watching his +face closely, so that they could see the cloud of doubt, even of +struggle, that swept over it. + +"You are strangers in my country, but you have come here to help us in +our need," he protested, almost as if he were thinking aloud. + +"I would not have you doubt my friend. I cannot explain to you, and +yet I wish to warn you. Do not be too intimate with Sonya Valesky. +Russia is not like other countries in times of war or peace. She has +many problems, tragedies of her own to overcome which the foreigner +cannot understand. Forgive me if I should not have spoken." + +Then before either girl could fully grasp what the young man's confused +speech could mean, he had bowed, mounted his horse and ridden off. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +_Out of the Past_ + + +But circumstances afterwards made it impossible for Nona Davis to follow +the young Russian officer's advice. + +A week went by at the hospital without a decision on the girl's part +and without another word from her former friend. Sonya Valesky she must +remember was her Russian name. A beautiful name and somehow it seemed +to fit the personality of the woman whom Nona at once admired and +distrusted. For the name carried with it its own suggestion of beauty +and of melancholy. What secret could Sonya Valesky be concealing that +forced even her friends to warn others against her? + +Of course there could be no answer in her own consciousness to this +puzzle, yet Nona kept the problem at the back of her mind during the +following week of strenuous work. Nursing inside the bleak fortress +at Grovno was of a more difficult character than any work the three +American Red Cross girls had yet undertaken. The surroundings were so +uncomfortable, the nursing supplies so limited. Worse than anything +else, an atmosphere of almost tragic suspense hung like a palpable +cloud over every inmate of the fort. + +Authentic news was difficult to obtain, yet refugees were constantly +pouring in with stories of fresh German conquests in Poland. For it +chanced that the months after the arrival of the three American girls in +Russia were among the darkest in Russia's history during the great war. +Military strategists might be able to understand why the Grand Duke +Nicholas and his army were giving way before almost every furious German +onslaught. They could explain that he was endeavoring to lead the enemy +deeper and deeper into a foreign land, so as to cut them off from their +base of supplies. Yet it was hard for the ordinary man and woman or the +common soldier to conceive of anything except fresh danger and disaster +in each defeat. + +So day after day, night after night the business of strengthening the +line of fortifications at Grovno went on. The work was done with the +silence and the industry of some enormous horde of ants. + +Shut off in the left wing of the fort with the ill and wounded soldiers, +the Red Cross nurses had only occasional glimpses of the warlike +preparations that were being made. Once when there was a review of the +troops in the courtyard behind the fortifications Mildred Thornton +summoned Nona and Barbara. She had already told them of her experience +with the commanding officer of the fort, but she wished the other two +girls to have a look at him. It was difficult to get a vivid impression +of a personality from a bird's-eye view out of a small upper window. Yet +the figure of General Alexis could never be anything but dominating. +There was a hush of admiration from every man or woman inside the +fortifications whenever their leader's name was mentioned. If he could +not hold the German avalanche in check, then the world must weep for +Russia. So Mildred became a kind of heroine among the nurses because +she had received a few moments of the great man's praise and attention. + +Finally, at the end of a week Nona Davis had a second letter from Sonya +Valesky. It was sent by a messenger, as the other had been, and Nona was +presented with it when she first went on duty on one Saturday morning. + +This communication was not merely a note, however, for the envelope was +sealed and had a bulky appearance. Yet Nona did not open it all that day +or the morning of the next as she had a premonition that the letter was +not an ordinary one. Either Madame Valesky was confiding her own +history, or she was insisting upon proving to the American girl that +she had at one time been a friend of her mother's. Really, it was this +information that Nona both expected and feared. So as she had a +particularly difficult case on hand she decided to wait for more +leisure before trying to solve the mystery. + +The opportunity came when she was allowed two hours rest on Sunday +afternoon. + +Nona was glad that both Mildred and Barbara were busy at the time, +because she preferred to be alone. After her letter had been read and +considered then she could decide on the degree of her confidences. + +But after all, Barbara's prediction came true. The story that Sonya +Valesky had to tell of her acquaintance with Nona's mother was not half +so strange as the fact that the mother's history had been concealed from +her daughter. + +The story was unique but comparatively simple. The only curious fact was +the accidental meeting between the Russian woman and the American girl. +But then just such comings together of persons with a common bond of +interest or affection is an hourly occurrence in the world. Behind such +apparent accidents is some law of nature, a like calling unto like. + +The older woman explained that she had known Nona's mother many years +ago when they were both children in Russia, although she was a number of +years younger. There was as little as possible of Sonya Valesky's own +history in the letter. She stated without proof or comment that her +father had once been Russian Ambassador to the United States. Here Anna +Orlaff, Nona's mother, had made her a visit and had then gone away south +to New Orleans and soon afterwards married. For many years the younger +girl had not seen her friend again. She had received letters from her, +however, and learned that her marriage was not a success. + +Sonya Valesky did her best to explain the situation to Nona. But how was +she to know how much or how little an American girl understands of life +and conditions in Russia? Was Nona aware that there were many girls and +young men, oftentimes members of noble families, who believed in a new +and different Russia? + +Had Nona ever read of a great writer named Tolstoi, who wrote and +preached of the real brotherhood of man? He insisted that the words of +Christ should be interpreted literally and desired that Russia, and +indeed the world, should have no rich and poor, no Czar and slave, but +that all men and all women were to be truly equal. Nona's mother had +been a follower of Tolstoi's principles; therefore, her people had sent +her away from her own country because they feared if she continued to +live in Russia with these ideas she might be condemned to Siberia. So +Anna Orlaff had gladly left her own country, believing that in the +United States she would find the spirit of true equality. + +Naturally her marriage had been a disappointment. At this point in Sonya +Valesky's letter, Nona Davis began to have a faint appreciation of the +situation. She remembered the narrow, conservative life of the old south +and that her father had lived largely upon traditions of wealth and +family, teaching her little else. What did it matter to him that there +were no titles in America, no more slaves to do his bidding, when he +continued to believe in the domination of one class over another. + +Dimly at first, more vividly afterwards, Nona Davis could see the +picture of the young Russian girl, a socialist and dreamer, married into +such an environment. How disappointed and unhappy she must have been in +the conservative old city of Charleston, South Carolina! No wonder +people had never mentioned her name to her daughter, and that her father +had been so silent! A Russian socialist was little less than a criminal. + +Nona was seated in a hard wooden chair in a small, cell-like room many +thousands of miles away from her own old home. Certainly something +stronger than her own wish must have drawn her to Russia, for here she +must learn to understand the story of her mother's life and to find her +own place in it. + +At this point in the narrative Nona let her letter fall idly in her lap. +The girl's hands were clasped tightly together, for now her imagination +could tell her more than any words of another's. + +Her father had been devoted to her, but he had not been fair, neither +had his friends nor her own. Why had they always led her to believe by +their silences that there was something to be ashamed of in her mother's +story? It was odd, of course, to be different from other people, but +there was no sin in being a dreamer. + +Nona could see the picture of her mother in the white muslin dress and +the blue sash there in their old drawing room in Charleston. She had +been only a girl of about her age when she remembered her. + +But then what had become of her mother? Why had she gone away? + +Again the girl picked up her letter, for the last few sheets must +explain. + +This portion was hardest of the story to understand, but Sonya Valesky +had tried to make it clear. + +Nona's father had insisted that his young wife give up her views of +life. She was to read no books, write no letters, have nothing to do +with any human being who thought as she did. Above all, she was to make +him a written and sacred promise that she would never reveal her ideas +of life to her daughter. This Nona's mother had refused to do and so had +gone away, expecting to come back some day when her husband relented. + +Within a year she had died. But here Sonya Valesky's letter ended, for +she enclosed another written by Nona's mother to her friend. + +If Nona had needed proof of the truth of the other woman's statement she +could find it here. The letter was yellow with age and very short. It +merely asked that if Sonya Valesky should ever find it possible to know +her daughter, Nona Davis, would she be her friend? + +Then Sonya had also enclosed another proof, if proof were needed. This +was a small picture of Nona's mother which was exactly like the one the +girl had found concealed in the back of her father's watch. It was the +same watch with the same picture that she now wore always inside her +dress. + +Then for nearly an hour the young American girl sat dreaming almost +without a movement of her body. + +Little by little she recalled stray memories in her life which made her +mother's history appear not so impossible as she had at first conceived. +Always she had thought of her as foreign. She had only believed her to +be French because she spoke French so perfectly and had married in New +Orleans. But then she herself was beginning to learn that educated +Russians are among the most accomplished linguists in the world. What +else was she to find out about this strange country before her work as +a nurse was over? Could she ever feel so entirely an American again? + +All at once Nona Davis jumped hastily to her feet. There were hundreds +of questions she yearned to ask. Fortunately for her she was near the +one person who might be able to answer them. Sonya Valesky had never +said why she had not sought to find her friend's daughter until their +accidental meeting on shipboard. Even then she had not recognized Nona's +connection with the past. Was it because she was too engrossed in her +own life and her own mysterious mission? + +Although she was at this instant engaged in putting on her coat and cap +to go to her, Nona again hesitated. How little the Russian woman had +said of herself! What was she doing here near the Russian line of +fortifications, living like a peasant with only two old peasants in +attendance upon her? And why should the young Russian officer have +warned her against his own friend? + +"Michael Orlaff." Automatically Nona Davis repeated the name of her new +acquaintance. "Orlaff." The name was the same as her mother's. Was there +a chance that the young Russian lieutenant might be a possible +connection? + +However, the girl recognized that she was stupid to continue to ask +herself questions. Moreover, she had now made up her mind that she must +not distrust Sonya Valesky unless she had a more definite cause. +Doubtless Sonya shared the same views of life that her mother had +cherished! But in any case it was wonderful to have found a woman who +had been her mother's friend and who might still be hers. + +Nona had walked across her small room to the door, when she heard some +one knocking. + +A summons had been sent for her to return to her nursing, as the two +hours of her recreation were over. How stupid she had been! Actually +Nona had forgotten what had called her to Russia, even the war tragedy +that was raging about her. Of course she could not leave the hospital! +It might be several days or more before she could hope to receive +permission to revisit Sonya. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +_The Arrest_ + + +Five days later Nona Davis went again to the little wooden house, where, +to her surprise, she had previously discovered a former acquaintance. + +But on this occasion Sonya Valesky did not open the door. + +Instead it was opened by the old peasant man whom Nona had seen before. + +Today he looked more wretched than stupid. His little black eyes were +red rimmed, his sallow skin more wrinkled than ever. + +When Nona inquired for Sonya he shook his head disconsolately and then +motioned her toward the same room she had formerly entered. + +There was now a cot in the room and on this cot lay the Russian woman. + +At once Nona forgot herself and her desire to ask questions. She +remembered only her profession, yes, and one other thing. She recalled +the words that the old French peasant, Francois, had once spoken to her +and to Barbara. + +"Have you pity only for wounded soldiers? Do girls and women never care +to help one another? This war has made wounds deeper than any bullets +can create." + +Immediately Nona had seen that Sonya Valesky was very ill. Now, no +matter who she was, or what she had done, she must be restored to +health. First and last Nona must put her own emotions aside, for the +sake of her mission as a Red Cross nurse. + +Yet what was she to do? Her services belonged to the soldiers in the +Russian fortress. + +As quietly and quickly as possible Nona gave her orders. + +She could not be sure, but Sonya's appearance indicated that she was +suffering from the terrible scourge of typhus. + +This disease had been one of the most terrible results of the war. +Because of a greater lack of sanitation and cleanliness the fever had +been more widespread in Servia and in Russia than in any other +countries. + +Personally Nona had never nursed a case before, yet she had heard the +disease discussed and believed she recognized the symptoms. + +First she made a thorough examination of the little house. It was +cleaner than most of the peasants' huts, so far Sonya must have +prevailed, but still its conditions left much to be desired. + +Without being able to speak more than a few words of their language, +Nona yet managed to give her directions. + +She was beginning to guess that the old peasant couple, who at first had +seemed mysterious companions for the beautiful Russian woman, were +probably old servants. If Sonya was a follower of Tolstoi as her mother +had been, she must have refused to recognize any difference between +them. + +But this was not their feeling. The American girl could see that in +spirit old Katja and Nika were the devoted slaves of the younger woman. + +Sonya was not at first conscious of the seriousness of her illness. + +She wore a dressing gown of some rough homespun, a curious shade of +Russian blue, the color of her own eyes. Her hair, which had turned far +whiter in the past year, was partly concealed under a small lace cap +such as the Russian peasant woman often wears. Then, although she did +not seem able to talk, she knew Nona and thanked her for coming and for +the advice she was giving the two old people. + +But when Nona had finished with her orders she came and sat down near +Sonya. + +"I have read your letter and I have not been able to answer it until +now. It seems like a miracle that I should have found out about my own +mother here in a strange land. But perhaps I was meant to take care of +you. You must promise to do what I tell you. I must go away now, but +I'll come back in a little while." + +Nona was getting up when Sonya took hold of her skirt. + +Her face was flushed and her dark blue eyes shining. + +"You must not stay in this house, not for long at a time," she pleaded. +"I cannot explain to you why not, but perhaps when I am strong again I +can tell you enough to have you guess the rest. Now you must go." + +Sonya took Nona's cool hands in her hot ones and held them close for a +moment. + +The next moment the American girl had gone. + +At the hospital inside the fortress she explained the situation, at +least so far as it could be explained. A Russian woman, who had once +been her friend, lay seriously ill at one of the nearby huts. Would one +of the hospital physicians come and see her? Also would it be possible +for her to be spared from caring for the soldiers to look after her +woman friend? + +Certainly a Russian doctor would attend the case; moreover, after +certain formalities Nona was allowed a leave of absence from the +hospital demands. + +Then began an experience for the young American girl that nothing in her +past two or more years of nursing had equaled. + +She was living and working in a new world, amid surroundings which she +could not understand and of which she was afraid. + +The little hut was crude and lonely. The two old peasants could speak no +English, but went about their tasks day after day mute and dolorous. +Sonya was too ill to recognize her nurse, and Nona could not allow +Barbara or Mildred to come near her, since her patient's illness was of +the most contagious nature. + +Naturally Barbara and Mildred wholly disapproved of the risk Nona was +running and she had not time nor strength to make them see her side of +the situation. She had written them that Sonya Valesky had proved +herself to have been an old friend of her mother's. For that reason and +for several others she felt it her duty to care for her. + +But strangest of all Nona's experiences were the fragments of +conversation which she heard from the lips of her ill friend. + +Sonya sometimes spoke of her girlhood and then again of her life in the +United States and in England. Once or twice she even called the name of +Captain Dalton. Nona supposed that she must be recalling her meeting +with Captain Dalton at the Sacred Heart Hospital. Then she remembered +that Sonya had spoken of knowing the English officer years before. + +But although her patient betrayed many facts of her past life to her +nurse, never once did Sonya explain why she was living in such an +out-of-the-way place. Neither did she give any clue to the kind of work +that must have engaged her time and energy. Surely Sonya Valesky must +have been upon some secret mission in the days of their first meeting on +board the "Philadelphia!" Even then she had papers in her possession +which she would allow no one to see. + +However, Sonya was too desperately ill to permit her nurse much +opportunity for surmising. Nona would never have left her alone for a +moment except that she knew it was her duty to keep up her own strength. + +Every afternoon she went for a short walk. And because no one but the +Russian physician was allowed to enter the house, now and then the +young Russian lieutenant would join Nona along the road. This could only +occur when he was able to get leave, yet Nona began to hope for his +coming. She was so depressed and lonely. + +Once she asked him if he had ever heard of a member of his family named +"Anna Orlaff." Of course she gave no reason for her question. But it +made no difference, because the young soldier could recall no such +person. + +In the course of one of their talks, however, he confided to Nona that +he was a younger brother, but that his family were members of the +Russian nobility. + +Never once, however, did the young man betray any fact connected with +Sonya Valesky's history. He explained that their families had long known +each other and that he had always been fond of her, nothing more. + +So for this reason as well as others Nona found herself attracted by the +young Russian officer. He seemed very simple, much younger than an +American of the same age. At this time Michael Orlaff must have been +about twenty-three. But Nona was wise enough to discover that he was not +so simple and direct as she had first believed him. A Russian does not +readily betray either his deeper thoughts or his deeper feelings. The +young Russian lieutenant would not even speak of the war nor his own +part in it. Yet Nona guessed from her own observation and from certain +unconscious information that he was one of the favorite younger officers +of the Russian general in command of the Grovno fortifications. + +So a number of weeks passed, until now and then Nona Davis almost forgot +the war and her original reasons for being in her present strange +position. No one brought her papers; Barbara's and Mildred's letters +contained little war news. The truth was possibly being concealed from +them, or else there was no way of their discovering it. + +So Nona was at least spared the anxiety of knowing that the victorious +German hosts were drawing nearer and nearer the fortress of Grovno. Like +stone houses built by children the other ancient Russian forts had +fallen before his "Excellenz von Beseler," the victor of Antwerp, who +was known as the German battering ram. + +Even when Sonya opened her eyes, after weeks of an almost fatal illness, +and asked for news of the war, Nona was unable to tell her. + +Then as the days of Sonya's convalescence went by she would not let her +talk of it. Always war is a more terrible thing to girls and women than +it is to boys and men. But ever since their first acquaintance Nona had +realized that the horror of it went deeper into Sonya's consciousness +than any person she had yet seen. It must be the war that had aged her +so in the past year. + +So the Russian woman and the American girl spoke of everything else. +Sonya told of her own life and of Nona's mother when they were little +girls. They had both been allowed to go away to college. It was in +school that they imbibed their revolutionary ideas. No wonder that their +families never forgave them! + +Sonya was dressed and sitting in her chair the day when the summons +finally came for her arrest. + +It was Nona Davis in her nurse's Red Cross costume who opened the door +for the two men in uniform. They were not dressed like soldiers, and as +she could not understand what they said, she did not dream of their +errand. + +But Sonya's peasant servants must have understood, for at the sight of +the strangers they dropped on their knees and held out imploring hands. + +Sonya herself finally made things clear. The men were two police +officers who had been sent to bring her to Petrograd. She had been in +hiding here near Grovno for several months and had hoped to escape their +vigilance. Evidently Sonya had been arrested by the Russian authorities. + +In spite of Nona's insistence that her patient was not well enough to be +moved, Sonya agreed to go with them at once. + +And only at the moment of parting did she bestow any confidence upon the +younger girl. + +Then she looked deep into Nona's golden brown eyes with her own +strangely glowing blue ones, and whispered: + +"I have done nothing of which I am ashamed, Nona, or I should never have +asked for your friendship. It may be that I can make the Russian people +understand, but I do not feel sure. This war has made men blinder than +ever. I have only tried to be a follower of the 'Prince of Peace.'" + +Then after she had walked away a few steps she came back again. + +"Go back to your United States as soon as you can, Nona," she urged. +"Russia is no place for you or your friends." + +Because Nona Davis dared not trust herself to speak, Sonya afterwards +went away without a word of faith or farewell from her. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +_A Russian Church_ + + +One afternoon, after Nona had been nursing her friend, Sonya Valesky, +for some time, Mildred Thornton went alone into a little Russian church. + +The church was situated behind the line of the fortifications at Grovno. +Many years before it had been erected, and now it did not occur to the +Russian officers that it stood in especial peril. Yet the church had the +golden dome of all Russian churches, glittering like a ball of fire in +the sun. Certainly it afforded an easy target for the enemy's guns, and +more than this would aid German aeroplanists in making observations of +the geography of the surrounding neighborhood. But since Grovno was +deemed invincible, apparently no one considered the possibility of the +other side to this question. + +High cement walls guarded and mounted with cannon encircled the +countryside for many miles, while running out from the fortress itself +were numerous secret passages and cells, at present stored with +ammunition. + +On this afternoon of Mildred's visit to the church she stood outside +for a few moments looking upward. At first she was merely admiring the +beauty of the little church. The gold of the dome seemed to be the one +appealing spot of color in all the surrounding landscape. Then she +opened the bronze doors and stole quietly inside. + +Always the church was left open for prayer, but today on entering +Mildred Thornton found it empty. + +A Russian church is unlike all others except the Greek, for it is filled +with brilliant colors. Instead of images such as the Roman Catholics +use, the Russians have paintings dealing with the life of Christ, almost +obscuring the ceiling and the walls. There are no pews such as we find +in our own churches, for the Russian remains standing during his +ceremony and kneels upon the stone floor in time of prayer. So one +finds only a few chairs scattered about for old persons and ill ones. + +Mildred secured a stool and sat down in the shadow, gazing up toward the +high altar. + +She was an Episcopalian, therefore the Russian church and its services +did not seem so unusual to her as they did to Barbara Meade. Really she +had been deeply impressed by the few services she had seen. There was no +organ and no music save the intoning of the voices of the priests, and +the words of the service she could not understand. Nevertheless the +Russians were a deeply religious people and perhaps their reverence +had influenced the American girl. + +This afternoon, although alone, Mildred felt strangely at peace. Indeed, +her eyes were cast down and her hands clasped in prayer, when the noise +of some one else entering the church disturbed her reverie. + +To the girl's surprise the figure was that of a man whom the next +instant she recognized as General Alexis. He had come into the church +without a member of his staff, so that evidently he too desired to be +alone for prayer. + +What should she do? Mildred was too confused to decide immediately. +Feeling herself an intruder, yet she did not wish to create a stir and +draw attention to herself by hastily leaving. + +General Alexis had evidently not seen her, too intent upon his own +devotions. For he had at once approached the altar and knelt reverently +before it. + +Mildred kept silent, hardly conscious of her own absorption and +forgetting her meditations in her interest in the kneeling soldier. + +In these days of little faith, small wonder that it struck Mildred as +inspiring to see this man of many burdens and responsibilities at the +foot of the altar. + +From a western window the afternoon sun shone down upon him, revealing +the weary lines in the great soldier's face. He did not look stern or +forbidding to Mildred this afternoon, only deeply careworn and +depressed. However much his soldiers and the Russian people might +trust in his power to bring them safely through an attack at Grovno, +evidently there were hours when the distinguished general suffered like +lesser people. Mildred Thornton understood enough of human nature to +realize what General Alexis must at this moment be enduring. The fate +of a people, of a nation, almost of half the world, in a measure rested +in his hands. How inadequate any mortal must feel in the face of such a +task! + +By and by Mildred's eyes dropped their lids. She felt that she was +seeing too deeply into the holy of holies of the man before her. This +would not be just to any human being, unaware of her presence. If only +she could get away without disturbing him! Doubtless on discovering her +General Alexis would be angered, or at any rate annoyed, perhaps he +might even consider her behavior as characteristic American intrusion. + +Once Mildred started to her feet, but she did not try to move again, for +at almost the same instant the Russian general rose from his knees. + +His face had become a little less careworn than at the moment of his +entrance; his blue eyes, which were remarkable with his other Russian +coloring, were less sombre. Since he did not appear to observe her, +Mildred was glad for this last glance at her companion. + +Since their one meeting for some reason he had haunted her thoughts more +than she could explain. This was partly due to the fact that he was so +much talked of at the fortress and so idolized by his soldiers. He was +said to be without fear, or any human weakness, but after today Mildred +Thornton knew better than this. + +Unconsciously the girl must have moved or made a sound of some kind at +this instant, for General Alexis, who had almost reached the door, +turned quickly around. At the same time his right hand grasped his +pistol. + +Was there a spy or an assassin lurking in his church to destroy him? +There were many men of other lands who would gladly give their lives for +his. + +But General Alexis' hand dropped to his side again, as soon as it had +touched the metal of his pistol. To his surprise he had discovered a +pair of blue-gray eyes staring at him earnestly, with almost wistful +sympathy. + +General Alexis came back to where Mildred stood. + +"You were here in church with me and I did not see you," he said as +simply and naturally as an ordinary person, "I hope I did not disturb +you." + +"_Disturb me!_" Mildred stuttered a little in her surprise at his +words. "Oh, I beg your pardon, it was I who should not have been here +when you came. But I did not know, that is I did not dream you ever +left the fort, while I like to steal in here during the hours I have +for rest. I will not come again." + +General Alexis shook his head. "I should be very sorry. Rather than that +this should happen I would stay away during those hours. But is there +not room enough here and peace enough for us both?" + +Without replying Mildred inclined her head and began walking toward the +door, General Alexis keeping beside her. + +"If you are returning to the fortress and will permit me, I should like +to go back with you?" he asked. + +And again Mildred could only stammer a confused acquiescence. + +In the little court before the Russian church General Alexis' guard of +soldiers was awaiting him. However, at an inclination of his head they +fell in at once, marching at a respectful distance behind their general +and his companion. + +"I remember our having a short conversation a few weeks ago," the +Russian officer continued gravely, after they had gone on a few yards. +Mildred had been vainly endeavoring to make up her mind whether she +should be the one to speak. If so, what on earth should she say? + +She was glad to be spared having to make up her mind. + +"You were very kind," the girl returned. "I did not imagine you would +know me again, but perhaps it is because I am an American." + +Just as if he had been a young man and an everyday one, General Alexis +smiled, and Mildred was no longer afraid of him. + +"Oh, I may remember you, Miss Thornton, for other reasons. But to be +truthful it is because you are an American that I am taking this +opportunity to talk to you again." + +This time the Russian officer hesitated. + +"You will not mention what I am going to say to any persons except your +two American friends," he added, not as a request, but as a command. + +"Miss Thornton, as soon as it is possible for convenient arrangements to +be made for you I want you to know that I intend having you sent back to +Petrograd. You must of course have a safe escort or I should have seen +to the matter sooner." + +Ordinarily Mildred Thornton possessed unusual self-control, but the +surprise, indeed, the shock of the speech, took her unawares. + +She had not dreamed that she and Barbara and Nona had been such complete +failures in their Red Cross work. Why, after their several years of war +experience they had felt themselves of perhaps unusual value in the +Russian nursing. So far as she knew there had been no complaints of +their work, only praise. But in any case how could their failures have +reached General Dmitri Alexis' ears? It seemed incredible that he should +ever be annoyed with such trifling concerns. + +"Just as you wish," Mildred answered quietly, yet with greater personal +dignity than any one of the other American Red Cross girls could have +summoned. "We have done our best to help with the nursing. If we have +failed it is, of course, wisest that we should return to Petrograd. +Afterwards we can go home to the United States." + +"Failed in your nursing? And it is for that reason you believe I wish to +have you sent away from my fortress?" + +Actually General Alexis stopped in his walk and faced his companion, +since Mildred was, of course, obliged to stop also. + +"That is folly. I know nothing of your nursing. But from your face, from +a something, a serenity and strength that your presence suggests, I feel +that you must understand and love your profession." + +General Alexis was now studying Mildred Thornton with surprising +intentness, as though he were trying in this moment of their +acquaintance to pierce beneath the surface of the girl before him. This +was characteristic of the man. No human being was ever too small or too +unimportant for his consideration. He was a strange combination: a great +soldier and yet one of the gentlest of men. + +"I want you to go back to Petrograd because I fear for your safety and +the safety of your friends should you remain much longer at Grovno," he +continued. "It is of this fact you are not to speak. I have reason to +know that at almost any hour in the next few days we may expect the +German attack. Grovno will resist to the uttermost. But it may be that +the old fortifications are not so invincible as we once thought them to +be. A new war has brought a new world and the old order changeth." + +Once again Mildred saw beneath the outer surface of the man, but almost +at once he was again the soldier. + +"You understand that I do not expect this. If I decide it may be wiser +to retreat, it will only be to form a conjunction with another part of +Grand Duke Nicholas' army. But in any case I should prefer to have you +three American nurses away from all possible danger. The Russian nurses +will share the fate of their own soldiers. Be prepared to leave within a +few days. When the necessary arrangements are made you will receive +instructions." + +Then before Mildred could protest, and she had scarcely the courage for +this, they had reached the gate of the fortress. + +Here General Alexis bowed and waited for his guard to come up with him. +Mildred could feel the surprise even of the sentries at the gate and the +few soldiers who chanced to be near at their unexpected appearance. +Truly it was amazing that the great commander should be concerned with +the fate of three unimportant American girls, and even more amazing that +he should actually show his consideration and friendliness to one of +them! + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +_Another Warning_ + + +Two hours after Sonya Valesky had been taken away by the Russian police +Nona Davis started back for the Russian fortress. + +Only a few moments were required to pack her own belongings, since the +little house and everything inside it had been fumigated as soon as +Sonya reached a state of convalescence. Nona's time had been spent in +trying to comfort Sonya's servants, old Katja and Nika, and also in +trying to acquire some information from them. + +In neither effort was she successful. Either the old man and woman knew +nothing of Sonya's actions, or else they were too grief-stricken to +confide their knowledge. There was also the third possibility that Sonya +had warned them against betraying her to any human being. Whatever the +reason, they were dumb, except for their half-broken Russian prayers and +stories of Sonya as a little girl. If she had not long ago been fully +aware of the fact, Nona was now assured that the two peasants had been +former servants of the Russian woman. It was Sonya who would not +recognize the distinctions of maid and mistress, who called herself by +no title and would allow her servants to call her by none. + +Therefore it was almost night when Nona left the little hut, old Nika +carrying her bag and plodding behind her. The girl felt that she must +return to her two American friends to receive their aid and sympathy. + +Surely something could be done for Sonya, it was horrible to think of +her being carried off to a Russian prison, concerning which one had read +such dreadful stories. She was too ill and she seemed so utterly without +friends or relatives. Yet Nona herself was utterly powerless, knowing no +one with any influence in Russia. Nevertheless she felt a strange bond, +which had come to her out of the past, between herself and Sonya +Valesky. + +One person, however, might be willing to give her advice, though she +doubted his help. In returning to the fort, Nona meant as soon as +possible to request an interview with the young Russian officer, Michael +Orlaff. + +She was not frightened during her walk through the dismal Russian +country. Wearing her Red Cross uniform she felt a sufficient protection, +besides old Nika's presence. But the real truth is she was too absorbed +in considering Sonya's history and fate to be aware of anything else. + +She was therefore more annoyed than frightened when a figure appeared +before her at the crossing of the road by the Three Pines. The voice +that straightway called out to them held a quality of command that made +Nika drop at once on his knees. Nona was not in the least frightened, +but then she had seen the outline of the young officer's figure and the +glistening of his sword hilt. + +"I am Nona Davis, an American Red Cross nurse on my way back to the +fortress, Lieutenant Orlaff," the girl explained. "I am glad to have met +you, as perhaps you will tell me what I must do when I reach the gate." + +The Russian officer saluted as though Nona had been a superior officer. + +"I was on my way at the present moment to Sonya Valesky's home to +inquire for her. This is the first hour of freedom I have been able to +command all day. But tell me what brings you back to the fortress at +this time? Has Sonya grown worse or is she better?" + +Here was her opportunity. Nona felt that fate must have sent it to her +by a special dispensation. Now there need be no delay in her confidence. + +Lieutenant Orlaff came of a noble family, he must have powerful +connections, if he could only be persuaded to use them in Sonya's +behalf. Certainly he had appeared to be her friend, although +disapproving of her behavior and views of life. + +As sympathetically and as quickly as possible Nona told of the coming +of the Russian police. Then she laid great stress on the fact that Sonya +was too ill to have been taken away at such a time. Yet she had gone +without resistance, making no plea for herself and asking for no aid. +What must _they_ do? The situation was unendurable. + +Intentionally Nona used the pronoun "they," including Lieutenant Orlaff +with herself in their interest in Sonya. Yet except for his first +muttered exclamation the Russian officer had made no comment. + +In the darkness Nona gazed at him resentfully. The Russians were a cruel +people, sometimes all fire and then again all ice. She would like to +have told him what an American man would have attempted for a friend, +who was a woman and in such a tragic position, no matter what her crime +or mistake. But Nona was sure by this time that Sonya Valesky had +committed no crime. She had come to know her too well, her exquisite +gentleness, so oddly combined with a blind determination that took no +thought of self. Besides she recalled her friend's final words, "a +follower of the Prince of Peace." Surely there were but few such +followers in the European world today! + +Awaiting his answer, Nona continued to look at her companion. The young +Russian might have stood for the figure of "Mars," the young god of war, +as he strode along beside her. He was six feet in height, splendidly +made, and tonight in the semi-darkness his face showed hard and unmoved. + +"I am grieved but not surprised at what you tell me," he returned the +next moment. "Not a hundred, but a thousand times I have warned Sonya +that she must give up her mad ideas. There was sufficient danger in them +when the world was at peace. Now in time of war to preach that men are +brothers, that there should be no such thing as patriotism, that all men +are kin, no matter what their country, there never was such folly. It is +hard to feel pity or patience." + +"Then you will do nothing to help?" Nona inquired, trying to hide the +anger she felt. "Of course I understand that from your point of view +and from the view of nearly all the world Sonya Valesky is hopelessly +wrong. But I can't see why she should be punished because she has a +higher ideal than other people?" + +If Nona had only thought for a moment she would have realized that the +world has always thus rewarded its visionaries. + +"But Sonya is not content to think in this way alone. She has spent her +life in trying to persuade other persons to her view, and has many +followers. Once she was a very rich woman and traveled in many lands +preaching her universal brotherhood," the young officer ended his speech +with a characteristic shrug of his shoulders, which is the Oriental +fashion of announcing that fate is stronger than one's will. + +"To have continued advocating such a doctrine in a time of war was worse +than madness. I have done what I could, I have even risked my own honor +and safety in remaining Sonya's friend. Now retribution has come," he +concluded, as though the subject was not to be resumed. + +And Nona did not reply at once. So the young Russian officer and the +American girl walked on toward the fortress through darkness that was +each moment growing more dense. There were no lights save the stars, +since the fortress was only dimly lighted in the interior; outside +lights would too plainly have exposed their position to the enemy. + +"What then do you think will become of Sonya? What punishment will she +have to suffer?" Nona inquired when she felt that she had gotten her +voice under control. + +"Siberia," Lieutenant Orlaff returned briefly. Then feeling that his +companion desired him to say more, he went on: + +"In many cases a man or woman who has done what Sonya Valesky has would +be hung as a traitor. She has been preaching peace, which means she has +been urging men not to fight. That is treason to Russia. But I believe +that Sonya will be lightly dealt with because she comes of a family that +once served the Czar and his father. Besides, Sonya is a woman and a +beautiful one and it would not do to make a martyr of her." + +"Then you think Siberia a light punishment?" Nona questioned, no longer +trying to keep the bitterness out of her tones. "Well, surely you accept +a friend's misfortune easily! I have not your philosophy. I do not think +I can do much, as I have no friends in Russia and no money, but as soon +as I receive permission I shall go to Petrograd to be of whatever +service I can." + +Lieutenant Orlaff stared at the girl beside him. It was impossible to +see anything but the outline of her face, yet he could observe its +pallor and the sheen of her hair under the nurse's cap. Besides, he felt +the contempt she had not allowed herself to express, for the Russian is +singularly proud and sensitive. + +"I repeat that I am very sorry," the young officer added. "You are wrong +in thinking I take Sonya Valesky's fate lightly. Her family and mine, as +I once told you, have been friends for many years. After the death of +her parents my father was for a little time her guardian until she came +of age. I will do what I can; I will write letters to her relatives and +to people who were once her friends. But I warn you to expect nothing. +Long ago they became weary of her wild theories and have had nothing to +do with her for years." + +"Then all the more reason why I should do what I can. Even if I +accomplish nothing, at least Sonya will have the comfort of knowing that +a friend is near her during her trial," the girl said aloud, although +really not addressing her companion. + +During the latter part of his speech she had been thinking very rapidly. +First of all, she must ask for a leave of absence from her Red Cross +nursing and explain that it was necessary for her to return to Petrograd +for a time. But where was she to obtain the money for her expenses? She +had nothing of her own except the few roubles which she was paid for her +work and which she had forfeited when she undertook to care for Sonya +Valesky. In all probability when Mildred Thornton knew her mission she +could borrow the money from her. But then this would mean a delay so +long that she might be of no service to Sonya. For Mildred kept only a +small amount of extra money with her and would be compelled to write her +father for any large sum. Weeks would pass before Judge Thornton could +receive his daughter's request and then there would be more time +required for the transmission of the check. + +However, besides Mildred there was Eugenia who could be appealed to for +aid. There was no doubt of Eugenia's assistance, once she learned Sonya +Valesky's story and realized why she had seemed a suspicious character +to all of them in the days of their meeting on board the "Philadelphia." +But Eugenia was away off somewhere in France nursing in a Red Cross +hospital near her husband's line of trenches. It would also take time to +reach Eugenia. Nevertheless she was the best person to whom to make a +request. + +"But what connection have you with Sonya Valesky? Why should you not be +willing to leave her to her fate?" Lieutenant Orlaff had to ask the +second time before Nona heard him. "You have done what you could in +nursing her through a dangerous illness; friendship could expect nothing +more. Besides, you are an American girl and can have only a slight +acquaintance with Sonya." + +Again Nona Davis did not reply immediately. How much or how little +should she take the Russian officer into her confidence? However, it +did not seem to her of much importance then. + +"You are mistaken. I am not simply an American girl," Nona explained +quietly. "My father was an American, but my mother was a Russian. She +and Sonya Valesky knew each other as girls, although my mother was the +older. There is a stronger tie between us than you imagine. And I have +reason to believe that my mother once thought as Sonya does about many +things." + +"Your mother, impossible!" Michael Orlaff exclaimed, with more +consternation and regret in his voice than was reasonable. "But you, +surely you cherish no such ideas?" + +The American girl shook her head, although she seemed to be pondering +over her companion's question before replying. + +"No," she returned at last. "I have no such ideas and I believe never +will have them. Even though my mother was a Russian, I am an American in +all my feelings and instincts and training. Russia fascinates me, but it +frightens me at the same time. Besides, it is not necessary in our +country that we should teach peace and equality, because it is in those +two principles that the American people most believe. If Sonya is +released I mean to try and take her back to the United States with me to +remain until the war is over." + +"But Sonya will not be released, I have tried to make you understand," +Lieutenant Orlaff added doggedly. "What is one woman more or less in +times like these? Go to Petrograd if you will, Miss Davis. I have told +you it is not wise for you and your friends to remain at Grovno. But +when you reach Petrograd have nothing to do with Sonya Valesky. I have +known you only a short time, yet I am your friend and I warn you. +Cannot you see that I care very much what becomes of you? You are a +guest in my country; you have come to do us a service. It would be a +poor return if trouble overtook you." + +Nona and Lieutenant Orlaff with old Nika hobbling behind them had by +this time about reached the entrance to the fortress. Nona was truly +grateful. She was very tired and depressed from the day's experiences. +Moreover, she did not understand the manner or the words of the young +officer beside her. At one moment he seemed extraordinarily hard and at +the next unnecessarily concerned. Nothing could happen to her in +Petrograd of a serious character, but in any case her experiences could +not interest Lieutenant Orlaff. + +As soon as possible Nona said good-by to him. Later, in recalling their +conversation, she often thought of a phrase he used: "What is one woman +more or less in times like these?" + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +_The Attack_ + + +There was a great deal more for the three American Red Cross girls to +confide to one another than they could find time for, soon after Nona +Davis' return to the fortress. + +But two evenings later it chanced that the three girls were all on day +duty and therefore had the same evening and night free. + +In the left wing of the fortress, near the hospital quarters, was the +single, small bedroom which the three American nurses shared. Once +before Nona had discovered Barbara Meade rereading one of Dick +Thornton's letters and giving way to the blues in their small, cold +chamber. This evening she made the discovery a second time. + +It chanced that Barbara had gotten away from her nursing first and +hurried off to the only privacy that was possible under the +circumstances. Because she was looking forward to a long and serious +conversation with her two friends she made ready to meet the situation +as comfortably as possible. This means that Barbara slipped out of her +nursing uniform and into the pretty kimono that Mildred had presented +her with long ago in Paris. Then, while she waited for the others, she +read Dick's and Eugenia's latest letters once again. + +At last Dick had arrived in New York City and was writing from the +lovely home Barbara remembered so well. He had only been there a little +while when this letter had been written, but already Dick had confided +the news of his engagement to his mother and father. + +Barbara could read between the lines in a characteristic feminine +fashion. Dick declared that his father was delighted to hear of his +happiness and that he had not forgotten that they probably owed their +son's life to the girl to whom he was now engaged. + +But Judge Thornton agreed with his son--a man should be able to support +his wife before he married. Therefore he meant to do all that he could +to get Dick started in the right way, so that he might go ahead as +quickly as possible. + +Dick did not seem to feel that it would take very long to accomplish +this delectable result, but to Barbara, away off in Russia, a land she +both disliked and feared, the situation looked pretty indefinite. + +Moreover, Dick had said nothing about the way in which his mother had +received the news of a prospective daughter-in-law. This was not an +oversight on Dick's part; Barbara understood him too well to be deceived +into any such impression. He and his mother were too intimate and +devoted for him not to care intensely about her attitude toward the girl +he wished to marry. Never could he have forgotten to mention his +mother's position! No, it was merely what she had always expected. Mrs. +Thornton thoroughly disapproved of her son's engagement and Dick would +not wound the girl he loved by writing her this fact. Later there was a +chance that his mother might be persuaded to change her mind. But in any +case it would be easier to explain by word of mouth than coldly to set +down the present situation. + +Moreover, if Barbara had required further proof, she would have had it +in the fact that Mrs. Thornton had not written her a single line to say +either that she was glad or sorry that the daughter of her husband's old +friend had become engaged to her only son. If she had spoken of the +matter to Mildred, Mildred had never referred to it, proving again that +any comment from Mrs. Thornton must have been unfavorable. + +While she made these reflections following the rereading of her fiance's +letter, Barbara was lying on her cot-bed with an army blanket drawn +close up under her chin. Now she buried her curly head deeper in her +pillow and turned from Dick's to Eugenia's letter. + +It was difficult to think of Eugenia Peabody as Madame Castaigne, indeed +as the Countess Castaigne, only neither she nor her husband would ever +be induced to use their titles. The old Countess might always remain in +safe possession of hers. + +Barbara wondered if Eugenia was happier than she was. Then she felt +ashamed of herself. Eugenia's husband was every instant in danger of +losing his life, while Dick had only returned to the United States, +where he was now safe in his own home. Yet Eugenia's letter made no +complaints. She mentioned having seen Captain Castaigne once in the past +month, when he had received a leave of absence of twenty-four hours and +had hurried to her. + +No, Eugenia's letter was chiefly devoted, as all her previous letters +had been, to her interest and concern in the three American Red Cross +girls. She wished them to return immediately to France and to the old +chateau, where the Countess Castaigne would be only too happy to shelter +them. Later, if they wished, they could find other Red Cross work to do +in France. But Russia was not a country where the girls should have +gone at this time, and certainly not without her to look after them. +Moreover, the news from the Russian lines grew more and more alarming. +Everywhere the Germans seemed to be conquering. It was disheartening +after the Russian triumphs at the beginning of the war. The letter +closed with a final plea: would Barbara do her best to persuade Nona and +Mildred that they should as soon as possible come back to France. There +would be no cowardice or desertion of duty in leaving Russia at present, +only discretion and good sense. + +And upon this point of view Barbara was reflecting when Nona found her. + +Personally Barbara agreed with Eugenia and wished that Nona and Mildred +would join her in withdrawing from Russia whenever they could best be +spared. But she could not decide whether she ought to thrust her point +of view upon her friends since she was uncertain whether her judgment or +her desire most swayed her. + +France would be so much nearer New York and therefore Dick's letters +could be so much more frequent. Then there was the Countess Castaigne, +to whom she could pour out all her heartburnings. Moreover, there was +the chance of every now and then seeing her beloved Eugenia. + +But Barbara also remembered that she had always been the least brave and +determined of the four American nurses ever since their arrival in +Europe. Should she reveal herself in the selfsame light again? + +At this instant Nona snuggled under the blanket beside the younger girl. + +The Russian winter was fast approaching and frequently it was bitterly +cold. Besides, there were no chairs in the Red Cross girls' bedroom, +only the three beds and some stools, so it was simpler to lie down than +be seated. + +"I have a long story to tell you, Bab, and I want your advice, only I +think we had best wait for Mildred, so you may not have to hear +everything twice," Nona began. + +"You mean about Sonya Valesky?" Barbara queried. Of course Nona had told +her two friends of Sonya's arrest, but had not been able to go into the +details of the story, nor had she mentioned her own intentions. Very +possibly both the girls would disapprove, as Lieutenant Orlaff had done, +of her becoming more closely involved with Sonya Valesky's history. + +Fortunately Mildred appeared at the door without further delay. + +But when she entered the room, both of her companions could see that she +also had something of importance upon her mind which she wished to +discuss at once. + +Instead of lying down, Mildred immediately seated herself upon the edge +of her cot, facing her friends. Then she drew her own blanket up around +her shoulders. + +"Girls," she began, "I don't usually do the talking, but I want both of +you to listen to me for a few moments tonight. I have been trying to +speak of this for several days, and if I don't tell you now the order +may come when you are wholly unprepared. We are to be sent back to +Petrograd as soon as a safe escort can be found for us." + +"Sent back to Petrograd! Thank fate for even so much!" Barbara +whispered under the cover. "Petrograd might be the beginning of a return +journey to France." + +Then she drew her chin up, endeavoring to appear deeply wounded. + +"Do you mean, Mildred, that our services as Red Cross nurses are not +considered valuable?" she demanded. "Why, only today one of the Russian +surgeons declared that it was difficult to decide which one of us did +the best work. Of course, I think Mildred at present deserves the prize, +Nona has been off duty so long in taking care of Sonya Valesky." + +Mildred Thornton glanced from one girl's face to the other. In spite of +Barbara's effort to conceal her pleasure, it was evident that she was +secretly rejoicing. But Mildred understood Barbara's position; it was +natural that she should feel as she did under the circumstances. Then +Barbara had never put forth any claims to being a martyr. + +What really surprised Mildred Thornton was Nona Davis' expression of +relief, almost of pleasure, at her news. + +Why, Nona had been more enthusiastic than any one of them over the Red +Cross nursing in Russia! She it was who had originally planned their +coming into Russia and had been most deeply interested since their +arrival. + +"But why are we to be sent back to Petrograd?" Nona also demanded, +frowning a little in her effort to grasp the situation. "What reason +was given; have we failed in any duty or service since our arrival at +Grovno?" Nona went on, sitting up, while two spots of color appeared +in her cheeks. "Please, Mildred, don't be mysterious. Tell us where +you received your information and why we are to be sent away so +ignominiously?" + +Mildred Thornton shook her head in quiet reproach. She was not so +impatient nor so unreasonable as the other two girls. + +"I am waiting to tell you," she returned. "The other afternoon I was +sitting alone in the little Russian church when General Dmitri Alexis +came in. On leaving he chanced to discover me and asked me to walk with +him for a few moments. You know I told you I had met him the day he came +into my hospital ward to decorate the dying soldier?" Mildred added. + +This time her companions only nodded, not wishing to interrupt. + +"Well, it was General Alexis himself who said that he wished us to go +back to Petrograd. It was not that he felt the fortress at Grovno would +not be able to hold out against the German attacks, but that a soldier +should be prepared for any emergency. In case Grovno should fall, or +General Alexis decide it wiser to retreat and join another portion of +Grand Duke Nicholas' army, he does not wish us at Grovno. He says that +the Russian Red Cross nurses have the right to remain with their own +soldiers, but that we are Americans and with us the circumstances are +different. He does not intend that harm shall befall us. So I am afraid +we have no choice in the matter. As soon as the order comes from General +Alexis we must be ready to leave at once. One can scarcely dare disobey +the commander in chief," Mildred concluded, with regret in her tones. + +"Certainly not," Barbara added with emphasis. + +Then for another moment Nona Davis continued gazing thoughtfully at +Mildred. + +"I suppose I ought to tell you, Mildred, you and Barbara both, that I am +not sorry we are to go to Petrograd; indeed, I am truly glad. Because I +had intended to try to get permission to return there alone. You know I +told you of Sonya's arrest, but I did not tell you that I intend to do +all that I possibly can to befriend her. She seems to have no one who +cares what becomes of her so far as I can find out, except her two old +servants, Katja and Nika. I may not be able to do much, but I have +written Eugenia, asking her to lend me some money and to forward it to +the American Ambassador at Petrograd as soon as possible. I would like +to leave almost at once. You see, I don't know what has become of Sonya, +nor when her trial may take place." + +"And for my part I hope you may never know," Barbara protested, sitting +up with her cheeks suddenly crimson and her hair much tousled. + +"See here, girls, I know neither of you think much of my advice, and +very probably you don't consider me especially brave. I'm not disputing +the last point. But I am more sensible than either of you and I can see +both sides of a situation better. Mildred is an idealist, and Nona, you +are a dreamer. You think you are not, but I expect you have more of your +mother's blood in you than you realize. I am desperately sorry for Sonya +Valesky. I think she is an exquisite and much-wronged woman with the +courage and devotion necessary to a martyr. But I don't see that you are +particularly fitted to follow her example, Nona. That is all that would +happen if you attempt to mix yourself up with Sonya Valesky's political +fortunes in Petrograd. You have no important friends and could do +absolutely nothing for her, but you might manage to get yourself and us, +because we care for you, into a great deal of hot water." + +Mildred began to undress. + +"I think Bab is right, Nona, though I understand just how you feel. It +does seem too cruel to desert a friend in a time of such extremity. When +we get to Petrograd perhaps we can talk Sonya Valesky's case over with +our Ambassador and he may help us with his advice. Let's get to sleep +now; we can judge more wisely in the morning." + +It was too cold for a leisurely disrobing, so in a very short time the +three girls were ready for the night. Soon after they were asleep. + +For many hours, lasting all through the darkness, the fortress at Grovno +appeared wrapped in a profound silence. This in spite of the presence of +many thousands of men without and within its gates. Now and then there +may have been the faint noise of a sentry changing his watch, or a scout +arriving with a report for headquarters. + +It was just at dawn when the German attack began. But the Russian +general had been warned and was awaiting it. + +Never in all the grim history of war was there ever a more sudden or +more terrific cannonading. + +The three American girls were at first stunned by the unexpected noises +of the explosions. Shell after shell shrieked over the walls of the +fortress, cannon after cannon repeated an unceasing bombardment. + +Neither were the Russian guns slow in replying. Except for the location +of the sounds it was impossible to tell which were the Russian cannon +and which those of the enemy. + +For some time no one of the three American girls attempted to speak. It +would have been impossible to have heard one another. But by and by +Barbara crawled out of her cot and put her arm about Mildred Thornton. + +"I am frightened, Mildred. I wish your General's order had come sooner +and we were safely away from Grovno. I think perhaps because of Dick I +don't want anything dreadful to happen. I want to be happy." + +There was a sob in Barbara's voice which Mildred heard, if not with her +ears, at least with her heart. + +"It is going to be all right, little sister," she returned. "I can't +explain exactly why, but I have perfect faith in General Alexis." + + + + +CHAPTER X + +_Mildred's Opportunity_ + + +For five days and nights the firing continued almost without cessation. + +In a measure the occupants of the Russian fortress grew accustomed to +the noises, unless one explosion seemed a little more terrific than the +others. + +Actually the Red Cross nurses went about their work inside the hospital +wing of the fort as though the Germans were not attacking. + +There was one fact, however, that could not be overlooked: more and more +wounded were constantly being brought in, until not only the cots but +most of the floor space of the wards were covered with stricken +soldiers. + +There was no definite news. No one could say whether the Germans had +been seriously depleted by the Russian gun fire, or whether the Grovno +fort would be able to continue its resistance. A few of the outer +defenses had already fallen. The Russian soldiers in the trenches behind +the first line of barricades had sought safety inside the fortress. But +these signs meant nothing of moment, and no one dared ask questions of +the Russian officers, who alone might know the purpose of their +commander. + +Then on the morning of the seventh day, at dawn, Mildred Thornton, who +chanced to be gazing out of a small window which overlooked the +courtyard of the fort, made a discovery. + +She had not been asleep all night, as there was so much work to be done, +but on the way to her room had stopped for a single breath of fresh air, +after the fever and confusion of the hospital. + +What she saw were enormous cannon being lifted on low motor trucks and +these trucks being driven as swiftly as possible outside the Grovno gate +and along the Russian highway. There were a few soldiers accompanying +them. + +Almost with the flash of an intuition the idea came to Mildred: General +Alexis was contemplating a retreat. He must have decided that, alone and +with only a limited number of regiments at his command, he would be +unable to hold out against the enemy for an unlimited time. Therefore it +might be wiser to draw them further into Russia and away from their own +supplies. General Alexis could join Grand Duke Nicholas beyond the Styr +River and there be better prepared to meet the invaders. Mildred knew +that the country on the other side of the river covered miles of swamps. +If the bridges over the river were destroyed, the Germans would find +great difficulty in pursuit. + +Therefore the cannon and other heavy guns, with whatever munitions could +be spared, were first to be taken to places of safety. Later on General +Alexis would probably give orders for a more general retreat. But when +Grovno fell the Germans would find none of the spoils of war left behind +for the victors. + +All this Mildred thought out slowly and carefully as she stood for a few +moments beside the tiny window. Then she went into her room, changed +her uniform for a fresher one and returned to her work. Not a word of +her idea did she breathe to any one. She had no foundation for her +impression, and at first it was an impression, nothing more. Yet Barbara +or Nona might have been frightened by the suggestion. + +However, as the dawn passed and the hours of the day followed, other +persons beside Mildred Thornton began dimly to appreciate the possible +conditions. More and more of the munitions of war were hauled away, and +surely this did not look as if the fight were to be persisted in at +Grovno. + +Finally, just before twilight the order came that the wounded, with +their nurses and surgeons, were to be moved at nightfall. Whatever +preparations were necessary must be made at once. + +Silently small groups of soldiers were already being marched away. + +Oh, of course the old guns of the famous fortress continued to belch +forth destruction, and there was no lessening of the front ranks of +soldiers, who were directly attacking the enemy. General Alexis was +merely drawing off the men whom he did not actually need for defense. +Grovno could be protected by a comparatively small number of soldiers +without the enemy appreciating any depreciation in their numbers. For +all the firing was done behind a barricade of walls. So far the Germans +were about a mile away. There would be no hand-to-hand combats until the +fortress was finally demolished. + +Even under such dangerous conditions the American Red Cross girls were +relieved to hear that they were to be sent from Grovno. They were also +told that they were not to follow the army. As soon as they reached a +railroad, the wounded and their nurses were to be removed to Petrograd. +There they would find hospitals ready for their accommodation. + +So it was to be Petrograd after all! The three girls were not seriously +frightened; indeed, they were less so than at the time of the French +retreat. It was so evident that General Alexis was providing for the +safety of the wounded before the danger time. They would find all the +roads open to them now, while the Germans were being held on the farther +side of the ancient stone walls. + +Just after dusk the hospital staff and their patients were ready for +departure. Parties of ten, consisting of seven wounded soldiers, two +nurses and a physician, gathered quietly in the stone courtyard enclosed +by the wings of the fortress. They were then placed in low carts, drawn +by gaunt horses and driven by a Russian moujik, wearing a long blouse, +high boots and a cap with the peculiar Russian peak. + +There were no such facilities for transportation in Russia as the +American Red Cross girls had found in France. The motor cars and +ambulances owned by the Russian army were few in number and inadequate +to their needs. These could only be employed in cases where swiftness +was a pressing necessity. + +The three American girls were standing together just outside a stone +doorway leading into the yard and awaiting orders. As a matter of +course they wore their Red Cross uniforms: the long circular cape and +the small close-fitting bonnet. But Barbara had also put on nearly +everything else she possessed. They would be traveling all night under +extremely uncomfortable conditions and through a bitterly cold country. +In fact, Barbara looked rather like a little "Mother Bunch" with her +squirrel fur coat on top of her sweater and her cape over them both, and +carrying her army blanket. + +Mildred was also prepared for the cold with a heavy coat under her +uniform cape. Unfortunately, Nona owned nothing to make her more +comfortable, except that Mildred had insisted upon lending her her +sweater. But both girls had their blankets over their arms and small +bags in their hands. There would be no room for other luggage. + +"We are going to have a wonderful night, I think," Barbara murmured. "Of +course it will be hard and we may have to suffer discomfort and see +others suffering far worse things. But a retreat through this strange +country, with its odd inhabitants, as unlike as if they belonged in +different planets, will be an experience none of us will ever wish to +forget." + +It was curious that Barbara should almost whisper her little speech, as +if her voice could be heard above the uproar of the cannonading. Yet in +the pauses between the firing lasting a few moments the silence seemed +almost unearthly. + +At present there was just such a silence, so that the American girls +could even hear the creaking of the old wagon wheels as the ambulance +carts rolled out of the fortress yard. Now and then there was a faint +groan from a wounded man that could not be repressed. The wagons had no +springs, but were made as comfortable as possible by layers of hay +covering the wagon floors. + +Almost the moment that Barbara's speech was finished, some one suddenly +stepped out of the door, near which the three girls were standing. +Looking up they discovered a colonel in the Russian army, on the +personal staff of General Alexis. No one of the three girls knew the +officer's name; his rank they recognized from the uniform he wore. +Moreover, they had observed him always accompanying the Russian +commander as one of his chief aides. + +His appearance in the courtyard at this moment was surprising, but in +all probability he wished to issue a direct order concerning the plan of +retreat. + +Yet the officer did not at once move forward to where groups of soldiers +were also making preparations to be on the march. Instead he stood for a +few moments just outside the door, gazing searchingly about him. + +No one of the Red Cross girls spoke. They were too awed by the gravity +of the situation to make trivial remarks. Moreover, the big Russian +officer was an impressive figure. It was more interesting to watch him +until they were summoned to take their places in the wagons that were +now leaving the fortress at intervals of about ten minutes apart. + +By chance Mildred Thornton made a movement and immediately the Russian +colonel directed his glance toward her. He stared at her for a moment in +silence and then, stepping forward, touched her upon the arm. + +"I should like to speak to you a moment alone, nurse," he announced in +low tones, although Barbara and Nona both heard this part of his speech. + +Instantly Mildred complied, and the girl and man moved a few feet away, +where they could talk without being overheard. + +Under the circumstances neither Barbara nor Nona had the temerity to +follow them. But this did not mean that they were not both +extraordinarily curious. At least they strained their ears as much as +possible in order to try and catch a stray word spoken either by Mildred +or her companion. But they heard nothing except the low murmur of the +two voices, the officer asking questions and Mildred making replies. + +"What on earth do you suppose he can be saying to Mill?" Barbara +finally whispered. + +Nona only shook her head. Any guessing would be a pure waste of energy, +since Mildred would return in a few moments to explain. + +She did come back almost immediately, but with her first words her +friends realized that something unusual had occurred. Ordinarily Mildred +was calm and self possessed. Now her voice shook and indeed she seemed +to be shivering either from cold or excitement. + +"I can't go with you to Petrograd, girls," she said quietly enough, +however. "Listen, please, so I can make matters plain to you, for you +may be ordered to leave at any moment. Barbara, I want you to write my +father and mother and try and make them see I had no choice in this +decision. But you must not speak of the circumstances to any one else. +It would be dangerous for me and for us all if you betray this +confidence. The officer who talked with me just then is Colonel +Feodorovitch. He is very near General Alexis and tells me that General +Alexis has been wounded. The wound is not considered serious and he +refuses to give up his command or to leave the fort until the final +moment for retreat. Neither must his soldiers learn of what has taken +place. His own surgeon is with him now and will remain with him. But +there is a chance that they will also require a nurse. Colonel +Feodorovitch came to find one before we all got away. By accident he +saw me first and requested me to remain behind. I could not refuse." + +"Mildred!" Nona and Barbara exclaimed in unison, with no attempt to +conceal their dismay, almost their horror. + +"But you can't accept, Mildred," Barbara expostulated. "If you do I +shall not leave you. Why, what would your mother and father and Dick +think of my deserting you at such a time? Besides, don't you remember +that General Alexis himself wanted us safe in Petrograd before the +retreat. He would be bitterly opposed to your being chosen to remain +behind. Didn't you speak of this to Colonel Feodorovitch?" + +"I couldn't, Barbara," Mildred insisted. "It would have been such a +long story and Colonel Feodorovitch knows about as much English as I +do Russian. It would only have looked as though I were shirking a most +important duty. General Alexis will not recall ever having thought or +spoken to me, at a time when the Russian army, perhaps the whole Russian +nation, is dependent on his failure or success. If I can do even the +least thing to help him at such a crisis, why, how could I refuse? +Please try and see this as I do, Barbara, you and Nona. There may be +nothing for me to do. General Alexis' wound is not serious or he could +not retain his command. I must leave you now; I am wanted at once. I'll +join you in Petrograd as soon as it is humanly possible." + +But Barbara had clutched Mildred's coat. + +"You shall not stay alone. I am almost your sister and I won't allow +it." + +Quietly Mildred unclasped the younger girl's hand. + +"For my own sake I would give a great deal to have you stay, Bab, but we +have no choice. Remember, we are under discipline like soldiers. We must +do as we are commanded." + +With this Mildred returned inside the fortress. + +At the same instant Nona Davis and Barbara Meade heard their names being +called. At once they moved forward and were assisted inside the wagon, +which soon after passed out of the gate and moved creakingly along the +main road in the direction of the Styr River. + +They were to cross one of its bridges, as the main army was now doing. +The last of the regiments at Grovno would see that the bridges were +destroyed before the German soldiers could come up to them. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +_A Russian Retreat_ + + +For many hours the ambulance wagon in which Nona and Barbara were riding +jogged on, forming one of a procession of similar wagons. + +The girls grew cold and cramped. Now and then they tried to move in +order to make their patients more comfortable or at least to give water +to the wounded men. But the wagons were so crowded that the slightest +stirring was well nigh impossible. + +Nevertheless, as Barbara Meade had predicted, the long night was one +neither she nor Nona would ever be willing to forget. + +At first they rode along, passing the wooden huts of the peasants that +once had lined both sides of the main road leading to the middle bridge +across the river Styr. But many of these shacks had suffered from the +stray shells of the Germans, which, having passed beyond the fortress, +had brought desolation to the country side. These little wooden houses +in many places were mere heaps of burnt-out ashes. Others were half +burned, or else collapsed, as if they had been houses built by children, +who had afterwards kicked them down. + +Everywhere, from the little homes that were unhurt, as well as from the +ruined ones, the peasants were fleeing. With the passing of the first +Russian regiment _away_ from Grovno they had guessed what must +inevitably follow. + +There were bent-over old women and men carrying packs on their backs +like beasts of burden, and in truth the Russian peasant has been nothing +more for many centuries. The children, who ran along beside them, were +incredibly thin and dirty and hungry. + +One member of each little group would carry a lighted pine torch, +pointing the way with fitful shadows. But wherever it was possible they +followed in the wake of the wagons. + +At first the night was dark and the American girls could hear their +driver muttering strange Russian imprecations as his horses stumbled +and felt their way along. Finally Barbara presented him with the +electric lamp, which had been Dick Thornton's farewell present to her on +the day of her sailing from New York City. She had used it many times +since then, but never for a queerer purpose. + +However, before they reached the river the moon had risen and both Nona +and Barbara were grateful for the added light. Yet the scene they next +witnessed was lighted by many camp fires. + +The Russian infantry, who had been first to begin the retreat from +Grovno, had camped on this side the river for a few hours rest. + +A confused murmur of sounds arose. In little knots before the fires men +squatted on their knees in Oriental fashion, waiting for the copper pots +to boil. For at all hours of the day and night the Russian drinks tea, +now more than ever, since by command of the Czar the soldier is +forbidden to touch alcohol. + +The girls could observe that the men had curiously unlike faces. It was +difficult to understand how they could all be Russians. Never before had +they seen so many of the soldiers at one time. Some of them had flat +faces and high cheek bones, with eyes like the Chinese. + +It was very strange! Yet Nona whispered that they must remember some of +these Russian soldiers had come from Asia, from beyond the Caspian Sea. +Perhaps their ancestors had been members of the great Mongolian horde +that had once invaded Europe under Genghis Khan. + +In their interest Nona and Barbara began discussing the possible history +of these soldiers aloud. By and by, one of the wounded men, who chanced +to be a Russian university graduate, smiled to himself over the interest +and excitement of the two American nurses. He had been suffering +intensely from the jolting and was glad for anything that would distract +his mind from his suffering. + +"The soldiers you are discussing are called 'Turcomen,'" he remarked +aloud. + +Nona and Barbara were startled by the voice out of the darkness, but +they murmured confused thanks. + +"Perhaps we had best not discuss our surroundings so openly," Nona +suggested, and Barbara agreed with a silent motion of her head. + +By this time they had reached the central bridge. It was built of steel +and stretched like a long line of silver across the dark river. + +Over the bridge, like enormous over-burdened ants, the American girls +could see other ambulance wagons moving slowly on. For the horses had +become weary of their heavy loads and yet were to have no rest of any +length until daylight. + +On the farther side of the river there were other small encampments. But +by and by Barbara Meade fell asleep with her head pressed against Nona's +shoulder. + +Occasionally Nona drowsed, but not often. She was torn between two +worries. What would become of Mildred Thornton, left behind with +strangers in a besieged fortress that might fall at any hour? Surely her +situation was more fraught with danger than any in which the Red Cross +girls had found themselves since their arrival in Europe. + +Nona wished that she had taken sides with Barbara more decisively and +refused to leave Grovno unless Mildred accompanied them. + +But Mildred had disappeared so quickly. Then the order had come for +their departure almost at the same instant. There had been so little +time to protest or even to think what was best. Certainly Mildred +herself should have refused to accept such a dangerous responsibility. +But at the same moment that Nona condemned her friend, she realized that +she would have done exactly the same thing in her place. In coming to +assist with the Red Cross nursing they had promised to put the thought +of duty first. Mildred could not shirk the most important task that had +yet been asked of her. + +Perhaps no harm would befall her. Certainly Nona appreciated that +everything possible would be done to insure Mildred's safety. Her life +and honor would be the first charge of the soldiers surrounding her. +Moreover, General Alexis would certainly leave the fortress before there +was a chance of his being taken prisoner. He was too valuable a +commander to have his services lost and the Germans would regard him as +too important a capture. + +So Nona's attention wandered from Mildred to her other friend, Sonya +Valesky. What had become of Sonya and how was she ever to find her in +the great and unknown city of Petrograd? If she only had a friend to +consult, but she had even been compelled to leave Grovno without seeing +Lieutenant Orlaff again. He had promised to write a few letters in +Sonya's behalf, although assured that they would do no good. + +Yet in some way Nona was determined to discover the Russian woman. +Perhaps the Czar himself might be brought to pardon Sonya if he heard +that she would leave for the United States and never return to Russia +again. Then Nona smiled and sighed at the same time over her own +simplicity. The Czar was at the head of his troops, with the fate of +his crown and his country at stake. "What did one woman more or less +count in times like these?" + +Before daylight Nona must have also slept, because she was finally +awakened by the stopping of their ambulance wagon. + +When she opened her eyes she was surprised to see a rose flush in the +sky and to hear the slow puffing of an engine. + +The wagons had arrived at a small railroad station, connecting with the +main road leading into Petrograd. + +Word of the approach of the ambulances must have been sent ahead, for a +train of more than a dozen coaches was even now in waiting. + +As quickly as possible Nona and Barbara crawled out of their wagon, +stamping their feet on the frozen ground and waving their arms in order +to start their circulation. Then they began to assist in transferring +the wounded soldiers from the wagons to the cars. The men were +wonderfully patient and plucky, for they must have suffered tortures. +They had first to be lifted on to an ambulance cot and then transferred +to another cot inside the train. A few of the soldiers fainted and for +them Nona and Barbara were relieved. At least they were spared the added +pain. + +Yet by and by, when the long line of cars started for Petrograd, the +occupants of the coaches were amazingly cheerful. Tea and bread had been +served all of the travelers and cigarettes given to the men. + +Some of the soldiers sang, others told jokes, those who were most +dangerously ill only lay still and smiled. They were on their way to +Petrograd! This meant home and friends to some of them. To others it +meant only the name of their greatest city and the palace of their Czar. +But to all of them Petrograd promised comfort and quiet, away from the +horrible, deafening noises of exploding bullets and shells. + +Naturally Nona and Barbara were affected by the greater cheerfulness +about them. + +"If only Mildred were with us, how relieved I would be. Really, I don't +know how we are to bear the suspense of not knowing what has become of +her," Barbara said not once, but a dozen times in the course of the day. + +But night brought them into the famous Russian capital. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +_Petrograd_ + + +On their arrival Barbara and Nona went with the wounded soldiers to a +Red Cross hospital in Petrograd. + +There, to her consternation, a few days later Nona Davis became ill. The +illness was only an attack of malarial fever, which Nona had been +subject to ever since her childhood; nevertheless, the disease had never +chosen a more unpropitious time for its reappearance. + +For a few days she seemed dangerously ill, then her convalescence left +her weak and exhausted. She was totally unfit for work and only a burden +instead of an aid to the hospital staff. + +Poor Barbara had a busy, unhappy time of it. She did her best to look +after Nona in spare moments from her regular nursing, and she also tried +not to lose courage when no word came from Mildred. Neither from +newspapers nor inquiries in all possible directions could she even learn +whether Grovno had fallen. + +She was unable to read the newspapers for herself and so was compelled +to wait until one of the other nurses could find time to laboriously +translate the information into English. + +Evidently at the present time the Russian papers did not desire the +Russian people to learn the fate of the fortress and its commander. For +all news on the subject was carefully withheld. + +Under the strain Barbara might have broken down herself except for a +piece of good fortune that at length came to Nona and to her. + +An American woman, married to a Russian, the Countess Sergius, learning +of the presence of the two American Red Cross nurses in the Russian +hospital, called at once to see if she could do anything for their +comfort. Discovering Nona ill and Barbara on the verge of a breakdown, +the American woman insisted that the girls be her guests. They were not +able to be of special assistance at the hospital under the present +circumstances, while a week or so of rest and change might do wonders +for them both. + +In answer to Nona's protest that she was not well enough to be an +agreeable visitor and could not bear the ordeal of meeting strangers, +the older woman announced that the girls could live as quietly as they +liked. She would let them have a private apartment in her house and they +need see no one except the servants who would look after them. + +As the American Countess was undoubtedly extremely wealthy and most +anxious to be of service, Barbara and Nona gratefully accepted her +invitation. So about ten days after their arrival in Petrograd they were +living in one of the handsomest houses along the famous Nevski Prospect. +This is the Fifth Avenue of Petrograd, a wide avenue three miles in +length. Nothing is small in Russia or in the Russian people. + +The girls were delightfully comfortable. One-half the third floor of the +great house had been given up to them, consisting of two bedrooms, a +bath, and a sitting room where their meals were served. + +Indeed, the girls soon discovered that although the Countess meant to be +hospitable and kind, she was sincerely glad that they wished to be left +alone. She was an extremely busy woman, one of the important hostesses +of Petrograd in times of peace. But now, like most society women in the +allied countries, she was devoting all her energies to relief work. +There were charity bazaars and concerts and Russian ballet performances, +for the benefit of the soldiers, that must be managed day and night. + +After three days of luxury and idleness Nona Davis felt strong again. + +Perhaps more than the other Red Cross girls she deserved credit for her +devotion to her nursing. For Nona had the southern temperament which +loves beauty and ease, and there were times in her life when she had +deliberately to shut her eyes to these enticements. + +But now, with the thought of Sonya Valesky ever on her mind, she could +not allow herself to relax an hour longer than necessary. + +Contrary to Barbara Meade's judgment, Nona decided to ask the advice of +their hostess as to how she should begin the search for her Russian +friend. + +Instantly the American woman became less cordial. But when Nona had told +as much of the other woman's story as she dared, the Countess frankly +discussed the situation with her. + +If Nona would be guided by an older woman she would give up the quest +for Sonya Valesky. Certainly Sonya's fate was an unhappy one, but she +was wholly responsible for it herself. If she had been content to take +life as she found it she would now have been occupying a brilliant +position. + +The Countess evidently had no use for reformers or persons who break +away from recognized conditions. She confessed to Nona that her own +position in Russian society had been difficult to attain. Not for worlds +would she be suspected of having anything to do with a Socialist, or an +Anarchist, or whatever dreadful character Nona's friend might be! The +Countess was perfectly polite, but Nona thoroughly understood that if +she insisted upon discovering the unfortunate Sonya, her presence as a +guest in the Countess' home would no longer be desired. + +Since there was nothing else to do, Nona decided that she must wait +until help came from some unexpected direction. She had no idea of +giving up the search for Sonya. But in the meantime she could enjoy +a brief rest and see Petrograd. + +In the winter time Petrograd is the most beautifully quiet city in the +world. And now in war times it was scarcely less so, for the ground was +covered with many inches of snow. There was a muffled sound even to the +tread of the soldiers' feet, marching through the frozen streets. +Neither was there a single wagon or carriage to be heard, since +everybody went about in sleighs and everything was hauled in the same +way. But now, because all the best horses were at the front, one often +saw great oxen drawing sledges through the once gay and fashionable +city. + +The Countess Sergius had retained only a single pair of horses for her +own use and that of her big household, nevertheless, she now and then +loaned her sleigh for an afternoon to her two American girl guests. + +Sight-seeing was the only amusement which kept Nona and Barbara from a +morbid dwelling on their worries. Barbara had written to Judge and Mrs. +Thornton in the way that Mildred had directed. But she could not feel +that either of Mildred's parents would feel any the less wretched and +uneasy because their daughter believed that she was only "doing her +duty." Since the original letter Barbara had never been able to write +them again. What could she say, except that no word of any kind had +since been received from Mildred? There would be small consolation in +this news, and of course Barbara wrote Dick every few days. + +One afternoon Barbara and Nona left the Countess' house at about three +o'clock and drove down the entire length of the Nevski Prospect toward +the Winter Palace of the Czar. + +There were scudding gray clouds overhead and a light snow falling. + +No one could have failed to be interested. The Russian streets are +ordinarily paved with sharp-edged stones, but the ice made them smooth +as glass. Over the windows of the shops the girls could see painted +pictures of what the shopkeepers had to sell inside. This is common in +Russia, since so many of her poorer people are unable to read. + +Most of the buildings in Petrograd are of stucco, and indeed, except for +her churches and a few other buildings, the Russian capital resembles a +poor imitation of Paris. Peter the Great, who constructed the city upon +the swamp lands surrounding the river Neva, was determined to force +Russia into the western world instead of the east. For this reason he +brought all his artists from France and Italy, so that he might model +his new city upon their older ones. + +The Winter Palace itself the girls discovered to be a Renaissance +building, with one side facing the river and the other a broad square. +Their sleigh stopped by the tall monolith column commemorating Alexander +the First, which stands almost directly in front of the Palace. Leading +from the Palace to the Hermitage, once the palace of the great +Catherine, is a covered archway. + +The Hermitage is one of the greatest art museums in the world and +contains one of the finest collections of paintings in Europe. Although +the two Red Cross girls had now been in Petrograd several weeks, neither +of them had yet been inside the famous gallery. + +"Suppose we go in now and see the pictures," Barbara proposed. "We might +as well take advantage of our opportunities, even if we are miserable," +she added with the characteristic wrinkling of her small nose. "Besides, +I'm frozen, and you must be more so, Nona. How I have adored my squirrel +coat and cap ever since we came to this arctic zone! Thank fortune, our +Countess has loaned you some furs, Nona! Do you know, I really am not so +surprised that your mother was a Russian noble woman. You look like my +idea of a Russian princess, with your pale gold hair showing against +that brown fur. Who knows, maybe you'll turn into a Russian princess +some day! But shall I tell our driver to stop?" + +Nona Davis shook her head, smiling and yet rather pathetic, in spite of +her lovely appearance in borrowed finery. + +"I don't want to be a Russian princess, Bab, or a Russian anything, I am +afraid, in spite of my heritage. I think it a good deal nicer to be +engaged to an American like Dick Thornton. If you don't mind, let's +don't try to see the pictures today. I am tired and we ought to be fresh +for such an experience. If you are cold, suppose we go back into the +center of the town and walk about for a while. Then we can send the +sleigh home to the Countess. I don't feel that we should keep it for +our use the entire afternoon, and if we stop to look at the pictures it +would take the rest of the day. There are some queer side streets that +join the Nevski Prospect I should like to see." + +The Countess Sergius lived about two miles away from the Winter Palace. +When the girls were within a quarter of a mile of the house where they +were guests, they finally got out of the sleigh. Their driver was an old +man with a long beard and not the character of servant the American +Countess would have employed under ordinary conditions. But her former +young men servants were in the army, and like other wealthy families in +Russia at this time, she was glad to employ any one possible. + +However, Nona undertook to make the man understand that they would not +need his services again that afternoon. She had more of a gift for +languages than the western girl and her knowledge of French was always +useful. So after a little hesitation, the big sleigh at last drove away. +And actually for the first time since their arrival in Petrograd Nona +and Barbara found themselves alone in the Russian streets. + +There could be no danger of getting lost, for they had only to come to +this central thoroughfare and the Countess' house lay straight ahead. + +So the two girls turned into the side street that lay nearest them. + +After a five minutes walk they found themselves in another world. + +On the Nevski Prospect they were in Europe; here they were in Asia. + +It was curious, but even the smells were different. These were Asiatic +odors, if the girls had only known, queer smells of musk and attar of +roses and other less pleasant things. + +The Russian women and children were crowding the narrow streets, while +inside the little shops the wares were displayed on big tables. In the +summer time these goods were sold on open stalls in the streets. + +"Let us go into one of the shops and buy a few trinkets," Barbara +suggested. "I would like to own one of those embroidered Russian +aprons." + +Then she stopped, her attention caught, as Nona's had been, by a sudden +rustling in the air above them. A moment later a flock of gray and white +pigeons was crowding about their feet. These also were the pigeons that +haunt the thoroughfares of the east. + +Personally Nona Davis would have preferred remaining outside in the +fresh air. She was cold, but she objected to the squalid atmosphere of +the interior of so many Russian houses. However, she could not refuse to +agree to every request Barbara made of her all that afternoon. + +A moment later and she was almost as interested as the younger girl in +making purchases. + +There were odd pieces of beautiful, gayly colored embroideries that, +according to American ideas, appeared incredibly cheap. Then there were +bits of Russian brass, that seemed to interest Barbara particularly, as +it is probable that she had a sudden rush of the housekeeper's ardor. +Here were interesting things that might be purchased for her own and +Dick's apartment in New York almost for nothing! + +Whatever the cause, Nona, after fifteen or twenty minutes, found her +own pleasure cooling. Moreover, she had very little money to spend on +frivolities, and so found a stool in a corner and sat down to wait for +Barbara and to watch the crowd. + +There were numbers of people in the shop, although few of them seemed +to be making purchases. Now and then a big soldier, crowned by his +peaked fur cap, would stalk proudly in to purchase a trinket, possibly +for the girl of his heart. The Russians are ardent lovers, and as the +soldier was only at home on a short leave, he had to make the best of +his opportunity. + +Most of the women who were not wearing furs had heavy shawls drawn over +their heads and shoulders. Nona could not see their faces very well, +and only received flitting impressions of dark eyes and large, heavy +features, with almost always the curiously pale and yet sallow skin +peculiar to the Russian peasant. It is only among the better classes +that one finds other types. + +Suddenly Nona gave a cry of alarm, which she quickly hushed. To her +surprise some one had quietly come up back of her and laid a hand on +her shoulder. It was one of these same peasant women, wearing a heavy, +dark shawl. + +She was trying to say something which Nona could not at once +understand. Yet it was plain enough that the woman was imploring +her to make no disturbance that would attract attention. + +The next moment Nona had recognized the woman. It was old Katja, Sonya +Valesky's servant, whom she had left with Nika in her little hut. + +What had brought the old woman to Petrograd? In reality Nona knew +without asking the question. It was Katja's devotion to Sonya. + +The old woman was speaking a queer jumble of languages, Russian and the +few words of English she had learned while the American girl was living +in the same house. + +What Nona finally learned was, that Katja was imploring her to meet her +somewhere the next day, where they could talk without being observed. + +Nona knew of no place except the one that was always open to rich and +poor alike in Russia. And she had to think quickly. Yet the churches had +always been their refuge ever since the arrival of the four Red Cross +girls in Europe. + +At the same moment Nona could only recall the most celebrated Russian +church in Petrograd. She must lose no time, for even Barbara must not +learn of her mission, and Barbara might turn and come back to join her +at any moment. + +"In the Cathedral of St. Isaac, toward the left and in the rear of the +church at three o'clock tomorrow," Nona murmured. And Katja must have +understood, for she went away at once. + +It was just as well, because at almost the same moment Barbara returned +to join Nona, her arms full of queer-shaped packages, and looking +happier than she had since their arrival in the Russian city. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +_The Next Step_ + + +The following afternoon it seemed to Nona Davis that all Petrograd was +a-glitter with onion-shaped domes. The Russian priests explained that +these domes were really shaped like folded rosebuds, symbolizing the +church on earth that was to blossom in heaven. But to see them in this +fashion required a Russian imagination. + +However, the effect was very beautiful, and Nona was glad to have her +attention diverted, as she started out to find the Cathedral of St. +Isaac. Some of the domes were of blue, set with stars to represent the +canopy of the sky. But Nona knew that the central dome of St. Isaac's +was an enormous copper ball covered with gold and that its radiance +could be seen at a great distance. + +She had had great difficulty in fulfilling her engagement with Katja. +At first she had tried to deceive Barbara in regard to her intention, +being fully determined to continue her search for Sonya until she had +discovered her; nevertheless, it did not seem worth while to trouble +Barbara while she had no actual information to go upon. But Barbara +would not be deceived. + +Nona suggested that she wished to walk for several hours and feared the +younger girl might become fatigued. In reply Barbara assured her that +there was nothing she herself so much desired as exercise, and as for +growing tired, Nona would the sooner be worn out, since she was the one +who had been ill. + +Afterwards, while there were other excuses for her departure which Nona +struggled to invent, all were equally useless. From the first Barbara +had guessed her plan. Although she had seen nothing and knew nothing of +Nona's meeting with Katja the day before, she had immediately guessed +that Nona's desire for a solitary excursion was in some way connected +with her effort to find Sonya Valesky. And this effort the younger girl +continued to oppose. + +So Nona had finally departed, leaving Barbara in tears over her +obstinacy and foolhardiness. She was very unhappy, but what else was +possible for her to do? Had Barbara been in the same need that Sonya +now was, surely no one could have persuaded her to turn her back upon +Barbara. + +Katja was waiting and fortunately there were but a few other persons in +the Cathedral at the same hour. + +As quickly and as intelligently as she knew how, the old woman explained +that Sonya was in a civil prison in Petrograd and was to be tried for +treason within another week. Katja had not seen her child, but had +received a few lines in reply to a dozen letters which a friend had +written for her. Katja herself could neither read nor write. + +Although Nona could speak only a few words of Russian, she had learned +to read a little of the language with difficulty. Now she managed to +translate her friend's ideas, if not her exact words. + +Sonya did not wish Katja to try to see her nor to attempt to appear at +the prison at the hour of her trial. Nothing could be done for her +release and Katja would only be made the more miserable. Neither was +Katja to let Nona know anything of her whereabouts until after sentence +was passed. Then if Katja could find the American girl she was to say +farewell for Sonya Valesky. She was also to thank Nona for her kindness +and add that the acquaintance with her friend's daughter had brought +Sonya much happiness. + +Standing with the crumpled sheet of paper in her hand, written by the +woman who so soon expected to say farewell to the things that make life +worth living, Nona Davis felt her own cheeks flush and her eyes fill +with tears. How little had she really deserved the Russian woman's +affection, for how much she had distrusted her! + +Well, Nona again determined to do all that was possible now to prove her +allegiance. + +As soon as she could get away from Katja, Nona secured a sleigh and +drove at once to the house of the American Ambassador. Because her card +represented her as an American Red Cross nurse she felt assured that she +would be treated with every courtesy. + +This was perfectly true, although obliged to wait half an hour; finally +one of the secretaries of the Ambassador invited the American girl into +a small office. She could not, of course, see the Ambassador without a +special engagement, but the secretary would be pleased to do whatever +was possible. + +Nona was both pleased and relieved. The secretary proved to be a +southerner, a young fellow from Georgia, who could not have been more +than twenty-five years old. Certainly it was far easier to tell the +story of Sonya Valesky to him than to an older man or to one whose +time was more valuable. + +Nevertheless, when she had finished, although there was no doubt of +the secretary's attention and interest, Nona found him equally as +discouraging as everybody else had been concerning Sonya Valesky's +fate and any part which she might have hoped to play in it. There +could be little doubt that Sonya would be condemned to Siberia. She +was a political prisoner and would not be tried by a military court. +Her offense was spoken of as sedition, or as an infringement of the +"Defense of the Realm" act. For Sonya had been endeavoring to induce +the Russian soldiers to join her peace societies rather than to fight +for their country. + +The young American secretary did his best to make the situation plain to +Nona Davis. In England or France, under the same circumstances, Sonya +Valesky might have escaped with only a short term of imprisonment or a +fine. But this would not be true in Russia. Besides, it appeared that +Sonya was an old offender and that her socialist ideas were well known. +It would be impossible for the American Ambassador or any member of his +staff to make the smallest effort in Sonya's behalf. Such an effort +would represent an act of discourtesy on the part of the United States +Government, as if she were attempting to interfere with Russia's +treatment of her own subjects. + +There was one thing only which the young secretary could undertake in +Nona's cause. He would make an effort to have her allowed to visit her +friend. If Sonya's trial was not to take place for a week, it was just +possible that the American girl might be permitted to see her. + +So Nona was compelled to go away with only this small consolation. + +However, before leaving she secured the address of an American family +in Petrograd who might be willing to take her as a boarder. For Nona +realized that with her present plan she could not longer remain as a +guest in the Countess' house. + +Then Barbara had again to be reckoned with. It was early dusk when Nona +Davis finally reached their apartment in the splendid Russian house. +Barbara had just finished tea, but the tea things had not been sent +away. + +Because Nona was evidently so tired and discouraged the younger girl +comforted her with tea and cakes before beginning to ask questions. +Afterwards Barbara insisted upon being told the entire account of the +afternoon's experiences. Nona must begin with her meeting with Katja, +her interview in the Cathedral, then her visit to the house of the +United States Ambassador and finally the description of the place where +she had engaged board before returning to her temporary home. + +Although Barbara was ordinarily much given to conversation and frequent +interruptions of other people's anecdotes, she listened without comment +until the other girl had finished. + +"We are both too tired to pack up our few possessions tonight, Nona," +she answered in conclusion; "but we can attend to them in the morning +and then say good-by to the Countess." + +Nona was lying upon a divan with her yellow head sunk among a number of +brown cushions, but she got half way up at Barbara's words. + +"But I don't expect _you_ to leave here, Barbara dear, to go with +me," she protested. "I didn't engage board for anyone else. The house +where I am to stay is shabby and not especially comfortable. I wouldn't +have you leave this lovely home for worlds! I am sorry, you may be a +little lonely without me. But I am hoping we may hear from Mildred at +almost any hour and then I'm sure the Countess would be only too happy +to have her take my place here. I expect Mildred will be a distinguished +character after having been chosen to nurse the great General Alexis." + +"Don't talk nonsense," Barbara protested, in answer to the first part of +her friend's speech. "Of course, I am not going to let you wander off +and live in a strange family by yourself." Then Barbara sighed. + +She was sitting on a small stool beside Nona's couch, resting her chin +on her hand and looking very childish and homesick. + +"Of course, I know you have to do whatever you can for Sonya Valesky, +Nona," she agreed unexpectedly. "In your position I hope I would have +the courage to behave in the same way. I have only made a fuss about +things because I was worried for you, but I have always known you would +not pay any attention to me. Nobody ever does." + +Although Nona laughed and attempted to argue this point, Barbara +remained unconvinced. + +"Oh, well, possibly Dick or Eugenia can sometimes be persuaded into +doing what I ask, but never you or Mildred," she concluded, and then +sighed again. "If we could hear just a single word from Mildred!" + +The next day the two girls moved to their new lodgings. Their hostess +was gracious enough, but made no protest when Nona explained that she +expected to be permitted to visit the Russian prisoner within the next +few days. + +The order to see Sonya came sooner than Nona expected. Indeed, the two +girls had only been in their new quarters for about thirty-six hours +when the young secretary from the embassy called upon them. With him he +brought the permit from the Russian government. + +Nona was to be allowed to visit the prison near the Troitska bridge on +the following day and to spend ten minutes with her friend. She must +understand that a guard would listen to whatever conversation was held. +Also she must take with her nothing of any kind to present to Sonya +Valesky. Their interview would be closely watched. + +Naturally Barbara Meade insisted upon accompanying Nona. She knew, of +course, that she would not be allowed to see the prisoner, nor had she +the least wish to see her. But she could wait in some antechamber until +the ten minutes passed and then bring Nona safely back to their lodging +place. For certainly the experience ahead of her friend would be a +painful one, and although Nona did her best to conceal her nervousness +from the younger girl, Barbara again was not deluded. + +When the two girls set out for the prison the next afternoon it would +have been difficult to decide which one most dreaded the ordeal. But in +truth the ordeal was in a way a mutual one. While she waited, doubtless +Barbara's imagination would paint as tragic a scene as Nona might be +obliged to go through with. + +It seemed to Nona Davis, after leaving Barbara, that she walked down a +mile or more of corridor. The corridor might have been an underground +sewer, so dark and unwholesome were its sights and smells. It led past +dozens of small iron doors with locks and chains fastened on the +outside. + +Finally Nona's guard paused before one of these doors and then opened +it. Inside was an iron grating with bars placed at intervals of about +six inches apart. The room it barricaded was six feet square and +contained a bed and stool. There was one small window overhead, not much +larger than a single pane of glass in an average old-fashioned window. + +But the light from the window fell directly upon the head of the woman +who was seated beneath it. + +Sonya Valesky had not been told that she was to receive a visitor. So +perhaps Nona did appear like a sudden vision of a Fra Angelico angel, +standing unexpectedly in the dark corridor with her hair as golden as a +shaft of sunlight. + +Sonya only stared at the girl without speaking. But Nona saw that her +friend's dark hair, which had been a little streaked with gray at their +first meeting more than two years before, was now almost pure white. +However, Sonya did not look particularly ill or unhappy; her blue eyes +were still serene. Whatever faith in life she may have lost, she had not +lost faith in the cause for which she must suffer. + +"Don't you know me, Sonya?" Nona asked almost timidly, as if she were +talking to a stranger. + +Then the Russian woman came forward with all her former dignity and +grace. She was wearing a black dress of some rough material, but it +seemed to Nona Davis that she had never seen a more beautiful woman. +Sonya was like a white lily found growing in some underground dungeon. + +She put her hands through the bars and took hold of Nona's cold ones. + +"This is wonderfully kind of you, Nona?" she said with the simplicity +of manner that had always distinguished her. "I have wanted to know what +had become of you and your friends. Somehow information sifts even +inside a prison in war times, and I have learned that General Alexis +gave up trying to hold Grovno. You are on your way back home, I trust." + +Nona could scarcely reply. It seemed so strange that Sonya could be +talking in such an everyday fashion, as if her visit were being made +under ordinary circumstances. Not a word did she say of her own sorrow +or the tragedy that lay ahead of her. + +Nona could only fight back the tears. "We are returning to France as +soon as Mildred Thornton joins us in Petrograd," she answered, and then +explained that Mildred had stayed behind at Grovno. + +"But isn't there anything I can do for you, Sonya?" Nona added. "I shall +certainly not leave Petrograd until after your trial, and then if you +are released you must come away with me." + +The older woman only shook her head. + +"I shall not be released, Nona, so don't make yourself unhappy with +false hopes. This is not my first offense against the government of +Russia. I have never believed in the things in which they believe, not +since I was a little girl. I suppose I am a troublesome character. But +after all, in going to Siberia I am only following the footsteps of +greater men and women than I can hope to resemble." + +Sonya let go Nona's hands and stepped back into her little room. From +under her pillow she drew a small folded paper. + +"In going to Siberia I forfeit all my estates, Nona," Sonya Valesky +explained when she came back. "But I have a small amount of money in +the United States, as well as in my own country. Perhaps the government +may be willing to allow me to dispose of my property, although of course +I can't tell. But I have made a will and had it witnessed here in the +prison. If it is possible I want you to have half of the little I have +left and Katja and Nika the rest. There would be no chance to leave it +to the cause of peace in these days." + +Nona received the little paper. + +"You won't be in Siberia all your life, Sonya, that I won't believe," +she protested. "Some day when this war is over the Czar will pardon you. +Please remember that I shall never forget you and never stop trying to +do what I can for your release. If I am allowed to have it, I will take +care of your money until you are able to come to me." + +Hearing a guttural noise behind her, Nona Davis now turned around. Her +guard was signaling that the time allotted for her visit was over. + +She was not able to kiss the older woman good-by, only to hold both her +hands close for another moment and then to go away with her eyes so +blinded with tears that she could not see. Yet she never forgot the +picture that Sonya Valesky made when she had a final glance at her. + +Four days later a few lines appeared in the Russian daily papers, +stating that Sonya Valesky, a woman of noble birth, but at present a +Russian nihilist, had been condemned to penal servitude in Siberia for +life. She had been proved guilty of treason to the Imperial Government. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +_Mildred's Return_ + + +On the same afternoon that Nona and Barbara read the news of Sonya +Valesky's sentence, Mildred Thornton came to Petrograd. + +Her return was characteristic of Mildred. + +It was a little past twilight and Nona and Barbara were in their shabby +sitting room; they now shared the same bedroom in the new lodgings. Nona +had been crying, and in order to try and make her forget, Barbara was +reading aloud. She had received a package of books and magazines from +Dick Thornton earlier in the day, but this was her first chance to look +them over. + +Although endeavoring to listen, in reality Nona's attention was only +pretence. Her thoughts were with the Russian woman whose life had been +so strangely associated with her own. It seemed to Nona that she had +not realized how much she cared for Sonya Valesky until these last few +weeks. She had become like an exquisite older sister whom she might +possibly have had as a companion and friend. Never had Nona been more +conscious of her own loneliness. It is true that she had been more or +less lonely all her life, but this she had taken as a matter of course. +Now in these last few hours she had suddenly been overwhelmed by the +thought. + +Apparently their work as Red Cross nurses in Europe was nearly over. +At least, when Mildred finally joined them, the three girls intended +returning to France to spend a little time with Madame Castaigne and +Eugenia. Then Barbara and Mildred would doubtless go back to their +homes in the United States. Barbara would be married in a short time +and Mildred would not wish to remain longer away from her mother and +father. But Nona had no home and no people to whom she might return. + +The girl was glad at this moment that there were no lights in their +sitting room save the two candles which were directly behind Barbara's +book. She did not wish the younger girl to guess the extent of her +depression. + +Yet it was Nona who first heard the knock at their sitting room door. +Quickly as possible she got up and walked forward to open it, not even +attempting to smooth her hair or to wipe the traces of tears from her +face. Barbara did not glance from the page of her book, both girls were +so convinced that it was only the woman who usually brought them their +dinner at this hour. + +When Nona opened the door, Mildred took her by both shoulders and +quietly kissed her. + +"Mildred!" It was Nona's exclamation that finally aroused Barbara Meade. +But even then, although Barbara rose to her feet, dropping her book on +the floor, she did not move forward. She let Mildred come and put her +arms around her and kiss her on both cheeks. Then Mildred stood still in +the center of the room and smiled at her two friends. + +"Won't either one of you say she is glad to see me?" she asked, with a +mixture of gayety and wistfulness. + +By this time Barbara and Nona were both embracing the newcomer at once, +and at the same time attempting to remove her wraps. Under her nursing +coat Mildred was wearing a long sable coat, suitable for a princess, but +neither of the girls noticed it in the excitement of her arrival. + +"Where did you come from? Oh, Mildred, what have you been doing all this +time? I have nearly died of anxiety." Barbara protested. "Surely you +could have gotten us some word, if only to say you were alive." + +Mildred shook her head. "I couldn't, dear. I have come back to you the +very first moment it was possible. But it is a long story. I can't tell +you all at once. May I sit down?" + +At last Nona and Barbara had the grace to observe that Mildred looked +white and tired. + +"I arrived in Petrograd about half an hour ago with General Alexis and +his staff and the Russian maid who has been with us ever since we were +left behind at Grovno," she explained, when her friends had thrust her +unceremoniously into their only comfortable chair. + +"I told General Alexis that I must find you at once, so we drove to the +United States Embassy and they gave us your address. Then they left me +here. I am dreadfully hungry; can't we have something to eat before I +finish my story?" + +"Certainly not," Barbara insisted, "or not until you have answered two +or three more questions. For I am much more apt to die of curiosity than +you are to perish of starvation. How long did you remain at Grovno, and +did the Germans ever capture you? I suppose your general didn't die, if +he escorted you to our humble door. But if he wasn't desperately ill, +why did he have you stay so long in a position of such danger?" And +Barbara ceased to ask more questions simply because her breath had given +out. + +At the same instant Nona signaled a warning glance. Mildred was almost +fainting with exhaustion. In these last few weeks she must have passed +through difficult experiences and naturally she could not tell them +everything at once. + +"Please go downstairs and ask that dinner be sent up, Barbara," Nona +demanded. "And get soup or milk or something special; if not I'll make +some beef tea for Mildred on the alcohol lamp. Mildred, suppose you put +on my wrapper and lie down until after you have eaten, then we can talk +as long as you have strength for." + +And the girls did talk until nearly midnight in spite of Mildred's +fatigue. She was perfectly well, only tired, she insisted, and greatly +excited at seeing Nona and Barbara again. + +She had passed through events in these past few weeks such as few women +have ever known. But of course Mildred related what had taken place in a +simple, almost matter of fact fashion. She was so little given to +heroics, or to thinking of herself as a conspicuous personage. + +"Yes, they had stayed on at Grovno until almost the hour when the +Germans entered the old fortress. General Alexis had been wounded, +but had not considered his wound serious and would not desert his +post until he had finally accomplished his purpose. For the last +hour virtually only six persons had kept the German army from +entering the fortifications: General Alexis, Colonel Feodorovitch, +two lieutenants and two private soldiers, although the Russian +physician, who had remained with his commander, had turned soldier +toward the last." + +"But you don't mean that you continued inside the fort to the very end?" +Barbara demanded almost angrily. "I suppose you were forgotten." + +"I think I was at the last," Mildred returned. "You see, at first when +General Alexis discovered that I was the Red Cross nurse who had been +chosen to stay behind, he was angry and insisted that I leave at once. +But by the time he learned of my presence, it was too late to find me an +escort. Besides, the doctor did not wish me to go. There was a Russian +woman, a kind of servant, who was also with us, and did the cooking, I +believe, if we ever ate. Anyhow, she stayed with me and looked after me +when she could, so that I was never actually alone." + +"But Mildred," Nona asked, guessing at many details that her friend did +not mention, "how did you finally get away at last? And have you come +directly here from Grovno? Surely the fort did not hold out all these +weeks." + +"No, we have been away from Grovno nearly two weeks, I can't remember +the exact passage of time very well," Mildred explained, lifting her +hands to let down the long braids of her heavy flaxen hair, and allowing +the hairpins to drop girl fashion, carelessly into her lap. She was +wearing Nona's kimono, and it is always easier to talk confidentially +with one's hair down, if one happens to have the mass that Mildred had. +The very weight of it was oppressive when she was tired. + +"Yes, it was terribly interesting toward the last," she went on, +"although I don't believe even then we were in great danger. General +Alexis is too wise to have permitted that. Everything was in readiness; +all the plans were made days beforehand for our getting away. The +different regiments of private soldiers with their officers continued +to march away from Grovno, and so much ammunition was moved that I think +almost no stores of any value were left. Then the moment finally came +for our own retreat." + +To Barbara's intense irritation, Mildred actually paused for an instant +at this point in her story. But she continued almost immediately. + +"There was an underground passage outside the fort, leading all the way +to the river. The seven of us at last left the fort together. By this +time General Alexis had almost to be carried, the pain from his wound +had grown so intense. Then every once in a while, as we went on, one of +the soldiers would place a bomb in such a position that it would explode +after we had gone. In this way the underground passage was wrecked, so +there never was any possibility of the Germans being able to follow us. +When we reached the bridge over the river two motor cars were waiting +for us. Colonel Feodorovitch, one of the lieutenants and the two private +soldiers stayed to see that the last bridge over the Styr was blown up. +The other five, General Alexis, his physician, and one officer and we +two women started west in an effort to join the retreating regiments, +who were to come up with a portion of the Grand Duke's army." + +"Goodness, Mildred Thornton, what an experience you have been through!" +Nona ejaculated. "Yet you talk as quietly as if it were almost an +ordinary occurrence!" + +Mildred shook her head. "It is not because I feel it an ordinary +experience, Nona, but because so much has happened I am overpowered by +the bigness of it. Really, when we got safely away from the fort, the +battle, or at least my share in it, was only about to begin. We had gone +a few miles into the country, when General Alexis became desperately +ill. Unless he could have immediate attention his physician said there +was no possible hope for his life." + +Barbara had by this time slipped out of her chair and was sitting on the +floor with her hands clasped over her knees, looking all eyes, and +rocking herself slowly back and forward as a relief for her excitement. + +"But you brought your general back with you, Mildred Thornton, or you +said you did. How on earth did you manage about him?" she interrupted. + +"That is just what I am going to tell you, because that explains where I +have been and why I have not been able to let you hear from me. Our +Russian doctor ordered our motor car stopped and we entered a Russian +house some distance from any main road. We purposely chose a house that +had been deserted, and there we have been for two weeks, struggling to +save the life of General Alexis. Of course, his wound had been more +serious than he would admit. The wonder is that he is still alive!" + +"But he has recovered?" Barbara inquired with her usual unsatisfied +curiosity. "Goodness, Mill, what a heroine you will be, to have nursed +one of the most famous generals in the Allied armies and to have +restored him to health. Won't your mother be charmed!" + +Naturally Mildred smiled. The thought of her mother's pleasure in her +distinction _had_ occurred to her several times in the last two weeks. + +"Oh, of course I am glad to have had the honor, Bab, because I too think +General Alexis a great man. He is perhaps the simplest man I have ever +known, except my father, and I like him very much. Only he has not +recovered and I have not restored him to health. If General Alexis had +recovered he would never have come to Petrograd, he would have rejoined +his troops. But he was well enough to be moved and Petrograd seemed the +safest place for him at present. Besides, I believe he wished to have an +audience with the Czar." + +Barbara again rocked back and forth. "You say 'Czar,' Mill, just as if +you were speaking of an everyday person. Really, I believe you are the +best bred girl I ever saw. Position, wealth, no distinctions seem to +excite you. You just take people for exactly what they are," Barbara +murmured, in reality speaking to herself. + +But Nona overheard her. "You are quite right, Bab," she agreed. "Mildred +does not know it, but she has taught me many a lesson on that subject +since we came to Europe. It would be a nicer world if everybody thought +and acted as Mildred does. But what has become of your general, Mill? +Are you to go on nursing him or to see him again?" + +"No, to the first question, Nona dear, and yes, to the second. Now I am +so tired I simply must go to bed. I told the doctor and General Alexis +that since he was better, I wanted to come to you. Besides, I was sure +that here in Petrograd there would be so many cleverer nurses than I can +ever hope to be. And I didn't want to stay at the Winter Palace with you +girls here." + +"You mean," Nona asked quietly, "that you were invited to be a guest at +the Czar's own palace and you declined?" + +Mildred clasped her hands behind her head. "Oh, I thought I told you. +General Alexis is to be at the Winter Palace while he is in Petrograd. +He is very close to the Czar, I believe. As his nurse, of course I was +asked to stay there with him; he is to have his physician and his aides +as well as his servants in attendance. There was nothing personal in my +being permitted inside the Palace. Some other nurse will take my place." + +"But the point is, Mildred Thornton, that you refused to stay under the +same roof with the Czar of all the Russias. Never so long as you live +will your mother forgive you." + +The other girl flushed and laughed. "I hadn't thought of that, Bab dear. +Please don't tell on me. But we are to be under the same roof with the +Czar some day for a few moments, all of us. General Alexis said that he +wished to have us presented to the Czar and Czarina, if it were possible +to arrange. He seems to feel grateful to me for the little I was able to +do. But please, Bab, don't say that I refused to continue to nurse +General Alexis. I only asked that they get some one to take my place, +who would be wiser." + +"Did General Alexis agree to a new nurse for that reason, Mildred?" +Barbara demanded in her driest manner. + +But Mildred was too tired for further conversation. + +"Oh, he was kind enough to say that I needed a rest more than he +required my services. Am I to have a bed or the cot in this sitting +room?" + +"You may have them _all_, Mildred Thornton!" Barbara returned, getting +up on her feet and then bowing until her forehead almost touched the +floor. + +"Any human being who is going to allow me to enter the presence of the +Czar and Czarina, has got to be treated like royalty for the rest of her +life." + +Nevertheless, Barbara kissed Mildred good night. Mildred whispered, +"Don't be a goose," and then at last was permitted to retire. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +_The Winter Palace_ + + +The next day Nona found opportunity for confiding to Mildred the fate of +Sonya Valesky. She found Mildred more deeply concerned than Barbara had +been. This was true because Mildred had a different nature; it was +easier for her to understand a temperament that would sacrifice +everything to its dream, than for the more practical and sensible +Barbara. Moreover, Barbara was so much in love these days that she +found it difficult to give a great deal of thought to other people. +She struggled against the tendency, but it is ever the vice of lovers. + +Finally, on Thursday, Mildred Thornton received a note from General +Alexis inviting her and her two friends to come that afternoon at four +o'clock to the Winter Palace. And although the three girls were +Americans, they understood that such an invitation was not in reality +an invitation, but a command. For the Czar and Czarina had announced +that they would be pleased to meet the three American Red Cross nurses. + +The meeting was to be informal, as these were war times and there were +no court levees. Indeed, the Czar was only staying for a brief time at +his palace before going to take command of his own troops. Owing to the +frequent Russian defeats in the past few months, the Czar had concluded +that he must command his men in person in order to give them greater +courage and steadfastness. The munitions of war, of which they had been +sadly in need for several months, were now pouring in from Japan and the +United States. + +Of course, in the excitement and nervousness due to such an important +and unexpected occasion, the three Red Cross girls had the same problem +to settle that attacks all women at critical moments: + +"What on earth should they wear to the presentation?" + +Fortunately, under the circumstances there was but one answer to this +question. They were invited to the Palace as Red Cross nurses, they must +therefore wear their Red Cross uniforms. Since the three girls had +almost nothing else left in their wardrobes, this was just as well. +Constant moving from place to place, with little opportunity for +transportation, had reduced their luggage to the most limited amounts. + +Yet assuredly they were as handsome and far more dignified on the +afternoon of their appearance at the Winter Palace in the costumes of +American Red Cross nurses, than if they had been appareled in the court +trains and feathers of more gala occasions. + +Mildred always looked especially well in her uniform. She was less +pretty than the other two girls. But for this very reason her dignity +and the sense of serenity that her personality suggested showed to best +advantage in the simple toilette of white with the Red Cross insignia on +the arm. However, over her uniform Mildred wore the magnificent sable +coat in which she had appeared at her friends' lodgings in Petrograd. + +This afternoon, in spite of her excitement over what lay ahead of them, +Barbara did not allow the coat to pass unnoticed a second time. + +"For goodness' sake, Mildred, where did you get that magnificent +garment?" she demanded, just as they were about to go downstairs to get +into their sleigh. "You owned a very nice coat when we left you behind +in Grovno, but some fairy wand must have changed it. This is the most +wonderful sable I ever saw." + +Mildred flushed and then laid her cheek against the beautiful, soft +brown warmth of her furs. "It is time you and Nona were speaking of +my grandeur," she declared. "You see, in getting away from the fort +at the last I stupidly left my own furs behind; indeed, I don't know +what became of them. General Alexis noticed that I was cold almost +immediately. Somehow, after he began to get stronger, he managed to +have this coat brought to the country house where we were staying. +Then just before we started to Petrograd he presented it to me. Of +course, I did not feel that I ought to accept it and insisted I +could not. But General Alexis said that he had received so much +kindness from me, he thought it very ungenerous of me to make him +altogether my debtor. I didn't know what to do. Do you think it +wrong to accept it, Bab? Somehow I did not know how to continue +to refuse." + +As Barbara was just going into her bedroom at this moment, she made +no reply. Nona was more reassuring. + +"Of course it was all right, Mildred, or at least I suppose it was if +General Alexis insisted, and you had done a great deal for him." + +Then Nona followed Barbara. Barbara was standing perfectly still in the +center of the room and apparently thinking with all the concentration +possible. + +"I wonder if this General Alexis is more fond of Mildred than he would +be of any nurse who might have cared for him?" Barbara murmured. Then +she shook her head. "That was an absurd suggestion on my part and +Mildred would not like it. I am sorry," she said. + +At the door of the Winter Palace, after the girls had passed beyond the +servants and the detectives who watch every human being permitted to +approach their Imperial Majesties, the three American girls were ushered +into a reception room. Except for the fact that there were more +paintings on the walls, the room resembled other similar chambers now +left on exhibition at Versailles or the Louvre in Paris. + +However, the girls had little time for investigation, for almost at once +General Alexis entered the room to greet them. He was accompanied by a +lieutenant who was his aide. To Nona Davis' surprise, the young man +proved to be Lieutenant Michael Orlaff, whom she had not seen since the +afternoon when she had walked to the fortress with him and confided the +news of Sonya Valesky's arrest. + +After a few moments of general conversation a man servant, wearing an +elaborate uniform, announced that General Alexis and his guests might +walk into the Czar's private sitting room. + +Naturally this was a very unusual proceeding, but war times had changed +the manners of courts as well as other places. Moreover, General Alexis +was a personal friend of the Czar's, so far as a Czar may ever have a +friend. In any case, he was one of his most trusted generals. This +reception to the American Red Cross girls was entirely due to the fact +that General Alexis had declared Mildred Thornton's courage and devotion +had saved his life. But of this she was not yet aware. + +The Czar and Czarina were not decorating gilded thrones as one sees them +in portraits or paints them in one's own imagination. Indeed, they were +seated in chairs, but rose as any other host and hostess might when +their guests came into the room. They were not alone, however, for +beside the guards stationed outside their door, two of them kept always +within a short distance of the Czar himself. + +The Czarina was a beautiful woman, tall and dark, but looking infinitely +sad. The girls could not but remember having heard how frequently she +suffered from a melancholia so severe that it was almost akin to an +unbalanced mind. + +She now murmured a few words to the three girls and then reseated +herself. Barbara hoped profoundly that the distinguished audience +would soon be over. Of course, this meeting of the Czar and Czarina was +perhaps the most extraordinary honor that had yet been paid to any +American Red Cross nurses in Europe. But like other honors, it carried +its discomfort. For Barbara had not the faintest idea what she should do +or say, when she should stand up and when sit down. She had never +imagined herself a large person before, but now she felt so awkward that +she might have been a giant. Yet really there was but one thing for her +to do: she must merely keep still and watch what was taking place. + +Actually the Czar, Nicholas II, was talking pleasantly with Mildred +Thornton, and Mildred was answering with her usual quiet dignity. + +The Czar looked older than Barbara would have supposed from his +pictures. But then the war may have aged him. His close-cropped brown +beard with the tiny point was turning gray. And he had large, full and, +Barbara thought, not particularly intelligent eyes. + +At this moment he moved toward a small table and picked up what appeared +like a medal. + +Barbara eyed it curiously. She could not hear what the Czar was saying. +But she saw Mildred turn suddenly white and appear to protest. Then the +two men, General Alexis and the Czar, actually smiled at her. The next +moment the Czar pinned a cross on Mildred's white dress. + +Without realizing what she was doing, Barbara pressed closer until she +stood in front of Nona and Lieutenant Orlaff. This time she distinctly +heard the Czar say: + +"I take pleasure in presenting you, Miss Thornton, with the Cross of St. +George, which is only awarded for special bravery. Only one other woman +has been presented with the Cross of St. George since the outbreak of +this war. She is Madame Kokavtseva, a colonel of the Sixth Ural Cossack +Regiment, who has twice been wounded while leading her men. She is +called our 'Russian Joan of Arc.' But there is a courage as great as +leading troops to battle. This valor, it seems to me, you showed in +remaining to the last at the ancient fortress of Grovno to care for a +great soldier who was not even your countryman. In my own name and in +the name of my country, I wish to thank you for your service to General +Alexis." + +Then Barbara observed Mildred flush a beautiful, warm crimson, and +stammer something in response. Almost immediately after they were again +standing outside in the big antechamber. + +Afterwards General Alexis and Lieutenant Orlaff and several of the +palace servants showed the three girls over certain portions of the +palace that could be exhibited to visitors. On the desk in the hall was +an ikon, carefully preserved under glass, which was said to have been +painted by St. Luke. + +However, in spite of their honors, as soon as possible the three girls +were glad to return to their lodgings. Yet Mildred promised that they +would allow General Alexis to send his sleigh to them the following day. +The great general looked haggard and worn, but appeared to be quickly +recovering his strength. Indeed, Barbara afterwards assured Mildred that +she considered him extremely good looking and not half so old as she had +supposed. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +_The Unexpected Happens_ + + +One afternoon a short time after the visit to the Winter Palace, General +Alexis and Lieutenant Orlaff came to the girls' lodgings to have a drive +in the sleigh with them. + +It was a cold, brilliant afternoon, and they were to undertake a more +interesting excursion than usual. Nevertheless, Barbara Meade refused to +go. + +There were letters which she must write, she pleaded. However, this was +not Barbara's real reason: that fact she kept in her own head. Both +Mildred and Nona she assisted to get ready, insisting that they both +dress as warmly as possible, no matter how stuffy they might feel before +starting. + +"You are both blondes and a blonde is never so homely as when she is +cold," she added sententiously, "for her face is much more apt to get +blue than red, except the end of her nose." + +Mildred had purchased a lovely fur hat to match her sable coat. And in +spite of her poverty Nona had been unable to resist a set of black fox. +Furs were so much cheaper in Russia than in the United States that it +really almost seemed one's duty to buy them. + +When General Alexis' sleigh arrived, Barbara would not even go +downstairs to see the others start. But she managed by pressing +her nose against the window to observe that the arrangements for +the drive were satisfactory. + +The sleigh was a beautiful one, built of mahogany, and the pair of +horses wore real silver mountings on their harness. + +A driver, in the Imperial livery, sat upon the front seat with a man +beside him, who acted as a private guard for General Alexis, although he +wore citizen's clothes. There was far less danger of anarchy in Russia +during war times; nevertheless, men in public positions in Russia were +always watchful of trouble from fanatics. + +Therefore, General Alexis and Mildred were together in the middle seat, +while Nona and Lieutenant Orlaff occupied the one back of them. + +Then the sleigh started off so quickly that it had disappeared before +Barbara realized it. Afterwards, with feminine inconsistency, she turned +back into their small sitting room, frowning and sighing. + +"I do wish I had gone along, after all. There wasn't any place for me, +except to sit either between Mildred and General Alexis, or Nona and her +Russian lieutenant. Then nobody would have had a good time. Still, +perhaps I should have stuck close to Mildred; she is almost my sister. +And though Mrs. Thornton might be pleased, Judge Thornton and Dick would +be wretched. Russia is so far away and so cold." + +Then Barbara made no further explanation, even to herself, of her +enigmatic state of mind, but fell to writing letters as she had planned. +Some thought she devoted to what she should write Dick about his +sister's friend, the distinguished Russian general. But whatever she +planned sounded either too pointed or else had no point at all. So she +merely closed her letter by explaining that the others had gone for a +ride and that General Alexis appeared extremely grateful to Mildred for +her care of him in his illness. She also mentioned that she personally +liked the distinguished soldier very much and that he was not nearly so +foreign as one might expect. + +This was not a sensible statement, for General Alexis could scarcely +have been more of a Russian than he was. A foreigner, of course, simply +is an individual who belongs to another country than one's own. +Presumably an American is equally a foreigner to a European. What +Barbara actually meant was that General Alexis was not unlike the men to +whom she had been accustomed in the United States. He had the courtesy +and quiet dignity of the most distinguished of her own countrymen. There +was nothing particularly oriental about him or his attitude to women. +The truth is that Barbara did not appreciate the fact that General +Alexis was too cosmopolitan to show many of the peculiarities of his +race. He had seen too much of the world and studied and thought too +deeply. Besides, he was a man of real gentleness and simplicity. + +As Mildred rode beside him, she too was wondering why she felt so at +ease with so great a person. Why, at home, in New York society, she had +always been awkward and tongue-tied with the most ordinary young man +worthy of no thought. Now she was telling General Alexis the entire +story of Sonya Valesky as she might have told it to her own father. And +she felt equally sure of his sympathy and understanding. General Alexis +would, of course, have no political sympathy with Sonya's ideas. He was +a soldier devoted to his Czar and his country, while in his opinion +Sonya could only be regarded as mistaken and dangerous. But Mildred +knew that he would be sorry for Sonya, the woman, and sorry for them +as her friends. + +So she described their original meeting on board the "Philadelphia," and +the suspicion, then wrongfully directed against Sonya, who was at that +time using the name of Lady Dorian. Afterwards she told of Sonya's +appearance at the Sacred Heart Hospital and her work there. Last of all, +of their unexpected coming together in Russia and of the peculiar bond +between Nona Davis and the Russian woman. + +At the beginning of her conversation with General Alexis, Mildred had no +idea in mind, except to tell the story that had been weighing heavily +upon her since Nona's confidence. Ever since she had seen the picture of +Sonya, as Nona had last seen her, the beautiful woman with her too-soon +white hair and the haunting beauty of her tragic blue eyes. She, a woman +of rare refinement and not yet forty, to spend the rest of her life +working among the convicts in Siberia. It was as if she were buried +alive! + +Suddenly it occurred to Mildred that she might ask the advice of General +Alexis. She did not believe it possible that anything could be done for +Sonya Valesky now, after her sentence had been passed. But still it +would be well to feel they had tried all that was possible. + +"You don't think, General, that there is anything that could be done +to have Sonya Valesky pardoned, do you?" she inquired, with unconscious +wistfulness. "You see, my friend, Nona Davis, wants so much to take +Madame Valesky back to the United States with her. Then neither she +nor her ideas would be of any more danger to Russia. Nona says Madame +Valesky is much broken by her illness and confinement. She had a +terrible attack of fever only a short time before. Probably she +won't live very long, if she is taken to Siberia." + +Then, to hide her tears from her companion, Mildred turned her head +aside. General Alexis seemed to be staring at her very steadfastly. But +fortunately the beauty of the landscape surrounding them gave her an +excuse for the movement. + +They had crossed the Nicholas bridge and were driving out among the +parks and estates that cover the small islands, set like jewels among +the white fastness of the river Neva. Here and there the river was +solid ice, in other places the thin ice was decorated with a light +coating of snow. + +The handsome private homes of Petrograd are situated in these island +suburbs. Beautiful trees and lawns come down to the water's edge. But +today they too were snow sprinkled and most of the homes were closed. + +Mildred attempted to pretend that her attention had been attracted by +one of these houses, built like a glorified Swiss chalet. + +But General Alexis continued to gaze at the side of her cheek and +Mildred was painfully conscious that the tears might at any moment +slide out of her eyes. + +"You care very much about this woman, this Sonya Valesky, Miss +Thornton?" General Alexis inquired. "You say that she is a friend +of yours and that it will bring you great distress if she must suffer +the penalty of her mistakes? I do not wish you to leave Russia in +unhappiness." + +Mildred slowly shook her head. Had she been almost any other girl, she +would have seen nothing to deny in her companion's last speech. But +Mildred had the spirit of entire truthfulness that belongs to only a +few natures. + +"No, I cannot say that Madame Valesky is exactly _my_ friend," she +answered slowly. "I do not know her very well, but I think I should care +for her a great deal if we could know each other better. Perhaps she was +altogether wrong; anyhow, I do not think she should have attempted to +persuade the Russians not to fight for their country at a time like +this. Yet when one has seen the horrible, the almost useless suffering +that I have seen in these few years I have been acting as a Red Cross +nurse, well, one can hardly condemn a human being who believes in peace. +Still, Madame Valesky is in reality more Nona's friend than mine." + +Pausing abruptly, Mildred again turned her face to look at the soldier +beside her. She had been tactless as usual in thus expressing her +feelings about peace to a man who was a great warrior. But General +Alexis did not appear angry. Indeed, there was no disagreement in the +expression of his eyes, it was almost as if he too felt as Mildred did. +Besides, his next words were: + +"I too appreciate what you feel, Miss Thornton, and I too am sorry for +this Sonya Valesky. War is a great, a terrible evil, and there was never +a time when the world so realized it as it does now. It is my hourly +prayer that, after this vast bloodshed, war shall vanish from the face +of the earth. But this will not happen if we give up the fight while we +are in the thick of it. So Madame Valesky was wrong, so wrong that I +might think she deserved her fate, if I did not feel her more mistaken +than wicked." + +General Alexis paused and his face grew suddenly lined and thoughtful, +as Mildred had seen it in those days at Grovno. Of what he was thinking +the girl did not dream, but neither would she wish to have intruded upon +his train of thought. + +So she sat quite still with her hands folded under the heavy fur rug and +her gray-blue eyes fastened on the snow-covered landscape. Mildred had +grown handsomer since her coming to Europe. She would never be +beautiful in the ordinary acceptance of the term. But she was the type +of girl who becomes handsomer as she grows older, when character which +makes the real beauty of a woman's face had a chance to reveal itself. +Already a great deal of her awkwardness and angularity had disappeared +with the self-confidence, or rather more the self-forgetfulness which +her work had given her. Her eyes had a deeper, less unsatisfied +expression and her always handsome mouth more humor. For her own +experiences and the friendship with the three other American Red Cross +nurses had taught her to see many things in truer proportion. + +"Miss Thornton," Mildred's attention was again aroused by her companion, +"I want to tell you something, but I want you to promise me you will not +have too much hope in consequence. I have been thinking of this Sonya +Valesky. I believe I can remember her father, or if not her father +himself, at least I knew him by reputation. He did not share his +daughter's views, but was the faithful servant of the present Czar's +father. Moreover, the Czar is my friend, so I mean to tell him the story +of Sonya Valesky and see if he will pardon her. She must, of course, +leave Russia, perhaps never to return." + +General Alexis had been in a measure thinking aloud. But now Mildred's +sudden exclamation of happiness made his eyes soften into a look of +kindliness that again reminded the girl of her father. + +"But, my child, you must not hope too much," he remonstrated. "The Czar +may not feel as I do about your friend. After your service to me there +is little you could desire which I would not wish to give you." + +One would never have thought of General Alexis as a great soldier at +this moment. The heavy lines of his face had gone. There was no +sternness about his mouth. His eyes, which were so surprisingly blue +because of his other dark coloring, gazed at Mildred's until for an +instant she dropped the lids over her own, feeling embarrassed without +exactly knowing why. + +The next moment she looked directly at the man, whom she felt sure was +her friend, in spite of the differences in their ages, their rank and +their countries. + +"General Alexis, I am going to ask you to do me a favor--no, I don't +mean about Sonya this time. I shall be more grateful than I can even try +to say for that kindness. But this is something which does not concern +anyone except just you and me. Will you never in the future speak or +think of the service which you are good enough to say I have rendered +you." Actually, Mildred was now twisting her hands together in the old +nervous fashion which she thought she had overcome. "It is difficult for +me to say things," she went on, "but I want you to know that the +greatest honor I shall ever have in my life was the privilege of nursing +you. If I did help make you well, why I am so happy and proud the favor +is on my side and not yours." And Mildred ended with a slight gasp, +feeling her cheeks burning in spite of the cold, so unaccustomed was +she to making long speeches or to revealing her emotions. + +"Miss Thornton," General Alexis returned. Then instead of finishing his +sentence he leaned over and touched his coachman. + +"Stop the sleigh for a moment. We are growing cold. It will be better +for us to walk for ten or fifteen minutes and then come back to the +sleigh." Again he spoke to Mildred. + +"You will come with me for a little?" he asked. "It will be wiser for +you not to grow stiff with sitting still." Afterwards he said something +to Lieutenant Orlaff, to which he and Nona agreed. + +Five minutes later Mildred was walking across the snow toward the river, +with her hand resting on General Alexis' arm. She was colder than she +had imagined and it was difficult to walk over the icy and unfamiliar +ground. + +But suddenly she stopped and gave an exclamation of surprise and delight +which was almost one of awe. + +She and General Alexis were alone. Nona and Lieutenant Orlaff had walked +off in an opposite direction. But Mildred now beheld the sun setting +upon the Russian capital. Beneath, the world was pure white, and above, +the sky a glory of orange and purple and rose. Between the two, +suspended like giant fairy balls, were the great domes of Petrograd's +many churches. + +"I shall never, never forget that picture so long as I live. It will +stay with me as my vision of Petrograd long after I have gone home to my +own country," Mildred said simply. Then she stopped in her walk and held +out her hand. "Thank you for this afternoon." + +General Alexis did not release the girl's hand. Instead he lifted it to +his lips and kissed it, although the hand was covered with a heavy +glove. + +Then he smiled at Mildred almost boyishly. "I want to say something to +you, Miss Thornton, which I suppose a woman does not really mind +hearing, no matter to what country she belongs or what her answer may +be. In these weeks I have known you I have come to care for you very +deeply. I am old enough perhaps to be your father. I have said this to +myself a hundred times and that it ought to make my feeling impossible. +It has not. Naturally I understand that my age may make it impossible +for you to return my affection, but it has not made the difference with +me. I love you, Mildred. I have known many women, but have never met one +so fine and sweet as you. It is the custom of your country when a man +cares for a woman to tell her so, is it not, or perhaps I should have +written first to your father?" + +General Alexis' manner was so naive, almost as if he had been a boy +instead of one of the most distinguished men in Europe. Mildred could +almost have smiled if she had not been so overwhelmed by his speech. + +Was General Alexis actually saying that he was in love with her? No one +had ever proposed to her in her life and she had never expected that any +one would care sufficiently. But that the words should come from the man +whom she felt to be a genius and a hero! No wonder Mildred was +speechless for a moment. + +"General Alexis, I have never dreamed of anything like this. I only +hoped at the most that you were my friend," she answered a little later. +"Really, I don't know--I can't say how I feel. I appreciate the honor, +but Russia is so far away, and my father----" + +"Yes, I know," General Alexis interrupted. "Do you not suppose I have +thought over all those things? Until this war is past I shall not even +ask you to become my wife. My life belongs to my country and I would not +have you alone here in a foreign land. All I ask is that I may write you +and some day in happier times may I come to see my American friend?" + +Mildred could only nod and let General Alexis keep tight hold of her +hand, while a sense of the warmth and sweetness of the affection of a +big nature slowly enveloped her. + +Then, as they walked back to the sleigh in silence and continued in +silence almost all the way back to the lodgings, Mildred could only keep +thinking how much her father would like General Alexis. Once she smiled, +because her next thought was how immensely pleased and impressed her +mother would be. It seemed impossible that the plain and unattractive +Mildred could have captured so distinguished an admirer. + +Late that night, as she lay awake, Nona Davis' voice suddenly broke the +stillness. The two girls were in the single bedroom, Barbara occupying a +lounge in the sitting room. + +"There is something I want to tell you, Mildred. The strangest thing +happened to me this afternoon. Lieutenant Orlaff proposed to me. Why, I +scarcely know him at all, but he says that is not necessary when a +foreigner meets an American girl," Nona confided. + +"You--why, Nona!" Mildred faltered, too surprised for the moment to +answer intelligently, because her friend's speech so oddly fitted into +her own thoughts. "Did you accept him?" + +It was dark in the room, and yet Mildred could see that Nona had risen +half way up in bed. + +"My gracious, no!" she ejaculated. "In the first place, I don't care +for him at all, and in the second, I just want to get hold of my dear +Sonya and return home to the United States. If your general does have +her pardoned I shall say prayers for him every night of my life. Funny, +but I believe I am afraid of Russia, even though I am half Russian. +Still, my mother did prefer to come to America to live. I simply +couldn't bear living in Russia always, could you, Mildred?" Nona ended, +as she again dropped back on her pillow. + +But Mildred only answered, "I don't know," which was not in the least +conclusive. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +_The Departure_ + + +Four days later the three American girls left Petrograd. This was sooner +than they had expected to leave, but a desirable opportunity arose for +them to get safely across the continent and into France. + +The journey was a long and tiresome one, as they had to cross the +northern countries of Finland, Sweden and Norway until finally they were +able to reach Holland, and thence journey to England and France. But it +was not possible to make the trip in any other way, since all of +southern Europe was engaged in active fighting. + +However, the Red Cross girls did not travel alone. Sonya Valesky went +with them. At General Alexis' request the Czar had pardoned her, but she +was an exile from Russia forever, never to return at any future time. + +Fortunately for the imprisoned woman, her reprieve had come before her +sentence had time to be carried out. She was brought directly from the +prison, where Nona had once visited her, to the lodgings where the +American girls were making ready to depart. + +If Sonya regretted the terms of her pardon, she showed no signs of +sorrow. But she was strangely quiet then and during the long, cold trip +across the continent. In a measure she seemed to have been crushed by +the weeks of solitary confinement in the Russian jail with the prospect +of Siberia ever before her. Often she would sit for hours with her hands +crossed in her lap and her eyes staring out the window, without seeming +to see anything in the landscape. One could scarcely imagine her as a +woman who had devoted her life to traveling from one land to another, +trying to persuade men and women to believe in universal peace. + +Yet she was sincerely grateful and appreciative of any attention of +affection from the three American girls who were her companions. And +after a short time Barbara and Mildred were almost as completely under +the spell of this grave woman's charm, as Nona had grown to be. +Moreover, the girls felt that she had not yet recovered from her +illness, because of the hardships following it. After a few weeks or +months in the beloved "Farmhouse with the Blue Front Door" perhaps she +would become more cheerful. + +For it was toward the chateau country of France that the three American +girls were again traveling. The little house where they had once lived +for a winter had been Captain Castaigne's wedding gift to Eugenia. Since +Eugenia was away nursing in a hospital she had offered her home to her +friends. Madame Castaigne had also insisted that they come to her at the +chateau; nevertheless, the girls had chosen the farmhouse. + +The Countess was no longer young, and still had no servants save old +Francois. The work of entertaining four guests, and one of them a +stranger, would have put too great a tax upon her. Moreover, Eugenia +would undoubtedly come back for a while to be with her friends and +would naturally stay with her mother-in-law. The girls also hoped that +Captain Castaigne might be spared for a short leave of absence. However, +in order that the Countess Amelie should not be wounded, or feel that +the girls no longer cared to be with her, Barbara had written to say +that she would stay at the chateau whenever the Countess wished her +society. + +Certainly the trip from Russia into France during war times was a +difficult one. The girls believed that they could not have made it, +except that now and then they stopped for a day or more to rest. On +these days Barbara and Nona used to spend at least a few hours in +sightseeing, no matter what their fatigue. Now and then Mildred would go +with them, but never Sonya. Occasionally Nona would urge her, saying +that the exercise and change of atmosphere would be good for her. But +Sonya used always to plead fatigue or a lack of interest. Finally she +confessed frankly that she had seen most of these cities and countries +before, and in some of them was fairly well known. Therefore it might +be safer and happier for all of them if she remained quietly in whatever +hotel they happened to be staying. + +Yet Sonya appeared almost as anxious as her three companions to reach +France and the "Farmhouse with the Blue Front Door." This, of course, +was because the three girls had talked of it so continuously and the +longed for meeting with Eugenia again. For somehow, although the +farmhouse was in a war-stained country, its name suggested quiet and a +brooding peace. + +Nevertheless, several times, after mentioning Eugenia's name, Nona had +observed Sonya's face flush and the expression of her eyes become almost +apologetic. At first she was unable to understand this and then she +remembered. + +In the early days Eugenia had not liked their friendship with the woman +who was then calling herself Lady Dorian. Indeed, in Eugenia fashion she +had frankly stated this fact to the older woman. Now how much less might +she care for their intimacy with the exiled Russian. Yet Sonya was +going as an uninvited guest to Eugenia's home. + +There had been no time to ask permission. It was true Barbara had +written the entire story to Eugenia as soon as Sonya Valesky was +released from prison. But one could not tell whether the letter would +reach France as soon as the four travelers. + +Nona felt that she would have given a great deal to have assured Sonya +of Eugenia's welcome, but she was nervous over the situation herself. + +Of course, Eugenia would be kind to the exiled woman and offer her +hospitality and care. But Eugenia had rigid views of life and was not +given to concealing them. It was more than possible that she might let +Sonya know of her disapproval. Moreover, she might object to Nona's own +championship of Sonya and to her purpose to return with her to the +United States and there make their future home together. + +Of course, no views of Eugenia's would interfere with this intention of +Nona's. But the younger girl would be sorry of Eugenia's disapproval, +since she too had learned to have the greatest affection and admiration +for the oldest of the four American Red Cross girls. However, there was +nothing to do except to wait and meet the situation when the time came. + +Actually it was a month between the day of leaving Petrograd and the day +when the four travelers arrived in southern France in the neighborhood +of the Chateau d'Amelie. But this was because the girls and Sonya had +spent some little time in London before attempting to cross the channel. + +London was a delightful experience for the three American Red Cross +girls. In some fashion the story of their varied service to the Allied +cause had reached the London newspapers. For several days there were +columns devoted to their praise. Later, invitations poured in upon them +from every direction. Mildred was most conspicuous, since the story of +her presentation by the Czar with the Cross of St. George was copied +from the Russian newspapers into the English, and must have ultimately +reached the United States press. + +But the girls were not thinking of themselves or their work. They +simply gave themselves up to the pleasure of meeting delightful English +people and being entertained by them. Sonya would not go about with +them, but appeared stronger and more content, so there was no point in +worrying over her. + +One of the English women, who was again gracious to the three American +girls, was the Countess of Sussex, at whose home they had spent a +week-end on their first arrival in England several years before. Once +more she invited them to her country home, but this time it was +impossible for the girls to accept her invitation. However, Nona +recalled her meeting in the old rose garden near the gardener's cottage +with Lieutenant Robert Hume. She also thought of Lieutenant Hume's last +letter telling her that he had been sent back to England as an exchanged +prisoner because of his health. But when Nona inquired for the young +English lieutenant, the Countess' expression checked further curiosity. + +Suddenly she appeared very unhappy and distressed. + +"Robert is not in England," she said hastily. "He has been sent away to +try to recover, but we do not dare hope too much." + +At the moment Nona did not feel that she had the courage to ask where +the young man had gone nor from what he was trying to recover. + +Actually it was one afternoon in late February, when the three Red Cross +girls and Sonya came at last to the village of Le Pretre, near the +forest of the same name. + +There they found old Francois awaiting them in a carriage that must have +belonged to the Second Empire. It was toward twilight and on a February +afternoon, yet after the cold of the northern countries where the girls +had been for the past winter, the atmosphere had the appeal of spring. +It was not warm, yet there was a gentleness in the air and a suggestion +of green on the bare branches of the trees. + +Francois drove them in state to the little "Farmhouse with the Blue +Front Door." But this afternoon the door was standing open and on the +threshold was Madame, the Countess, with both white hands extended in +welcome. + +She wore the same black dress and the same point of lace over her white +hair. And by her side stood Monsieur Le Duc, more solemn and splendid +than ever and as gravely welcoming of his guests as the Countess +herself. + +Madame explained that Eugenia had been unable to leave the hospital to +be at home to greet her friends, but hoped to see them in a few days. In +the meantime they were to feel more than welcome in the farmhouse and in +the old chateau, when they cared to come to her there. + +Then the Countess said good-by and allowed Francois to take her home. +She knew that her guests were weary and her courtesy was too perfect to +permit herself the privilege of a longer conversation, no matter how +much she might be yearning for companionship. + +The little house itself was warm and light with welcome. There was a +fire in the living room and the four beds upstairs smelled of lavender +and roses. + +The girls took their old rooms, except that Sonya was allotted the +bedroom that had once been Eugenia's. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +_A Poem and a Conversation_ + + +Not the next day, but the one following, Barbara and Mildred walked over +to the old chateau together. + +Nona did not go with them, as Sonya did not appear to be well and she +did not wish to leave her. So she sent a message of explanation to the +Countess Amelie, saying that she hoped to be able to call upon her very +soon. + +It chanced that Sonya did not know of Nona's decision. She was lying +down when the girls went away and believed she had the little house to +herself. Really she was not ill, only tired and perhaps happier than she +had been in a long time. It is true that she had confessed herself +defeated and that there was no longer any illusion in her own mind. +Perhaps so long as she lived, war and not peace would flourish upon the +earth. But the world learns its lessons in strange and dreadful ways +and perchance peace might be born in the end from the horror and waste +of bloodshed. + +By and by, when she felt more rested, Sonya got up and went down into +the old dining room of the farmhouse, which the girls had made into +their living room. There was a possibility that the fire might be dying +out and it would be wise to replenish it. + +To her surprise Sonya discovered Nona curled up in a chair by the +window, reading. + +The older woman no longer wore black; it had become too depressing in a +continent where more than half of the women were in mourning. She had on +a simple frock of a curious Russian blue, made almost like a monk's +cowl, with a heavy blue cord knotted about her waist. + +Nona stared at her friend for a moment in silence. It was curious that +whatever costume Sonya Valesky wore seemed to have been created for her. +Nona recalled the beauty of her clothes in their first meeting on +shipboard, yet they held no greater distinction than this simple dress. +Well, perhaps personality is the strongest force in the world and Sonya +Valesky's distinction, whatever her mistakes, lay in this. + +She now walked across the room and put a few of Francois' precious pine +logs on the fire. + +At this Nona stirred. "Don't trouble to do that, Sonya; I meant to in +another minute. I thought you were ill upstairs." + +Sonya shook her head. "I am not in the least ill and you are please to +stop worrying about me, Nona. I thought you had gone with your friends +to the chateau. What has kept you at home?" + +The younger girl answered vaguely, not caring to confess her real +motive, since her companion would have been distressed by it. + +"If you are all right, Sonya, suppose you stay down here in the living +room with me. I have just found a wonderful poem in an American magazine +which I meant to save to read to you. Somehow I think it may comfort +you. For it shows that there is a big design in this old universe, which +works itself out somehow, in spite of all the tragedies and failures of +human beings." + +In a big chair in the half shadow Sonya sat down, folding her hands +together loosely in her lap. It was a fashion which had come to be +almost a habit with her recently. Curious that it should express a kind +of resignation! + +Nona began reading at once. "The poem is called 'At the Last' and is by +George Sterling, a Californian, I believe. + + "Now steel-hoofed War is loosened on the world, + With rapine and destruction, as the smoke + From ashen farm and city soils the sky. + Earth reeks. The camp is where the vineyard was. + The flocks are gone. The rains are on the hearth, + And trampled Europe knows the winter near. + Orchards go down. Home and cathedral fall + In ruin, and the blackened provinces + Reach on to drear horizons. Soon the snow + Shall cover all, and soon be stained with red, + A quagmire and a shambles, and ere long + Shall cold and hunger dice for helpless lives. + So man gone mad, despoils the gentle earth + And wages war on beauty and on good. + + "And yet I know how brief the reign shall be + Of Desolation. But a little while, + And time shall heal the desecrated lands, + The quenchless fire of life shall take its own, + The waters of renewal spring again. + Quiet shall come, a flood of verdure clothe + The fields misused. The vine and tree once more + Shall bloom beside the trench, and humble roofs + Cover again the cradle and the bed. + Yea! Life shall have her way with us, until + The past is dim with legend, and the days + That now in nightmare brood upon the world + Shall fold themselves in purples of romance, + The peace shall come, so sure as ripples end + And crystalline tranquillity returns + Above a pebble cast into a pool." + +When Nona had finished neither she nor her companion made any comment +for a moment. + +Yet when the girl looked across at the older woman for her opinion, she +discovered that Sonya's cheeks had flushed and that her eyes were +shining. + +"Thank you, Nona; I shall not forget that," she then said, repeating to +herself, "'The peace shall come, so sure as ripples end.' I suppose the +trouble is we have not faith and patience enough to believe that love +and peace must triumph before God's plan can be worked out." + +Then Sonya got up. "Come, Nona," she suggested. "Don't you think it +would be more agreeable to take a walk. It is really a lovely afternoon +and I've some things I wish to talk to you about. Besides, I want to see +the woods you girls have told me of." + +It was delicious outdoors and Nona and Sonya both forgot their serious +mood of a little while before. One could not be always serious even in +war times in so lovely a land as southern France. No wonder the French +nation is gay; it is their method of showing their gratitude for the +country that gave them birth. + +Finally the woman and girl reached the pool in the woods which Nona had +once named "the pool of Melisande," and Eugenia had afterwards called +"the pool of truth." However, since in Maeterlinck's play Melisande was +seeking the light in the depth of the water, perhaps after all the two +titles had almost a similar meaning. + +Anyhow, by the pool Sonya chose to make a confession. + +"Do you remember, Nona, once long ago, or perhaps it just seems a long +time to me, you and I met a Colonel Dalton, an officer in the British +army whom I had known before. I think I promised then to tell you of my +previous acquaintance with him. I had almost forgotten." + +Nona slipped her arm through her companion's. + +"Don't tell me if you had rather not. We will both have a great deal to +learn of each other when we go back to the United States to live +together." + +Sonya smiled. "There is no use waiting. I have never even told you, +Nona, whether or not I am married. You see, I am often called Madame +Valesky in Russia, but that is only a courtesy title. I have never +married. The fact is, I once lived in England for some time and was +engaged to Colonel Dalton. I think we cared a good deal for each other, +but he was a soldier and we did not approve of each other's views of +life. So by and by our engagement was broken off, which was probably the +best thing for us both." + +"Has Colonel Dalton ever married?" Nona inquired inconsequentially. + +Her companion shook her head. "Really, I don't know. Suppose we walk on +now to the hut where your little French girl Nicolete once lived." + +When the two friends reached the hut, Nona Davis exclaimed in amazement: + +"What on earth has happened? Why, our hut isn't a hut any longer; it is +a charming little house with some one living in it. I am going to knock +and see who it can be. French people are so courteous, I am sure they +won't mind telling me." + +Nona knocked and the next moment the door was opened by a young French +woman. For an instant they stared at each other, then kissed in a +bewilderingly friendly fashion. + +"Why, Nicolete, I can't believe my own eyes!" Nona protested. "What are +you doing back here in your own little house, only it is so changed that +I would scarcely have recognized it." + +Nicolete's dark eyes shone and the vivid color flooded her face. + +"I am married," she explained. "You remember Monsieur Renay, whom +Mademoiselle Barbara named 'Monsieur Bebe?' Well," Nicolete laughed +bewitchingly, "he is my husband." + +"And is he----" Nona asked and hesitated. + +Nicolete shook her head. "He can tell the light from the darkness, and +now and then can see me moving in the shadow. Some day, the doctors say, +his sight may be fully restored. He has seen the best specialists. +Madame Eugenie sent us both to Paris. She it was who made us a home here +in the woods out of the old hut, so that my husband might have the fresh +air and grow strong to aid his recovery." + +"Madame Eugenie," it was a pretty title and one that Eugenia would +probably always have in this French country, which had so long known the +old Countess as Madame Castaigne. + +When Barbara and Mildred returned from the chateau Nona sincerely hoped +they would bring news of Eugenia's arrival, since she was growing more +than anxious to see her again. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +_The Reunion_ + + +In truth, Barbara and Mildred were having a delightful afternoon at the +Chateau d'Amelie. + +When they arrived, solemnly Francois invited them into the old French +drawing room they so well remembered. + +But here, instead of the slender, tiny figure of the old Countess +appearing to greet them, a tall, dark young woman came forward, whose +hair was wound about her head like a coronet. + +"Eugenia!" Barbara exclaimed, and straightway shed several tears, while +Eugenia and Mildred laughed at her. + +Then the three girls went over and sat down on the same Louis XIV sofa +that two of them had once occupied with young Captain Castaigne, on +their first visit to the chateau. + +This time Eugenia took the place of honor in the center, while each +hand clasped one of her companions. + +"Henri and I arrived just an hour ago," she explained. "He found he +could get a three days leave to come with me. Of course, I wished to +rush off to the farmhouse before I even got my traveling things off. But +since I am a much managed woman these days, I was made to wait until you +came here. I have been expecting you every minute. Now tell me about +Nona and Madame Valesky." + +This time it was Barbara who laughed. The idea of Eugenia's being +managed instead of managing other people was amusing. Besides, it was +unlike her to talk so fast and ask so many questions without giving one +time to reply. + +So Barbara only held closer to her friend's hand and looked at her, +leaving Mildred the opportunity for answering. + +It was still early in the afternoon and the sunshine flooded the +beautiful drawing room. It was strange to see how at home Eugenia seemed +to look and feel in it, when a little more than a year before she and +the old room had been so antagonistic. + +Eugenia had changed. In the first place, she wore this afternoon a +lovely costume of violet crepe, trimmed in old gold brocade. It was a +costume that must have been specially designed for Eugenia, so perfectly +did it suit her rather stately beauty and dark, clear coloring. This +turned out to be true, since Eugenia a short time before had discovered +a little French dressmaker, whom the war had rendered penniless, and +given her work to do. + +Now, even while Mildred was talking of Nona and Sonya, the drawing room +door opened and Captain Castaigne and his mother came in. + +Monsieur Le Duc accompanied them, but promptly deserted his former +master and mistress and padded over to Eugenia, placing his great silver +head on her lap and gazing at her with adoration. + +Captain Castaigne and his mother followed to greet their guests. In his +hand the young officer carried a number of letters which he gave at once +to Barbara and Mildred. + +"These just arrived at the chateau for you; they are American letters +and so I am sure you will be pleased." + +Mildred's were from her mother and father and Barbara had received three +from Dick in this same mail, and another which looked as if it might be +the long-expected letter from Mrs. Thornton. + +After ten minutes of conversation, it was Captain Castaigne who proposed +that their guests might be allowed to read their letters without waiting +to return home. It was not difficult to guess at their impatience, since +it must have been a long time since they had heard from home. + +Then he and Eugenia crossed over to the other side of the room and stood +by the fireplace. Le Duc went with them and Eugenia kept one hand on the +dog's head. + +Now and then she smiled over something Captain Castaigne said to her, +then again she looked at him with the anxious gravity that was a part of +Eugenia's character. The war had made the young French officer older, +love and marriage had apparently taken ten years from Eugenia's age. +Plainly a beautiful understanding existed between the husband and wife, +in spite of the differences in their natures, which would survive to the +end. + +For when Captain Castaigne suddenly lifted his wife's hand and kissed +it, it was like Eugenia to blush and whisper a protest, at which the +young officer only laughed. + +Over by the window Barbara and Mildred were really too busy with their +letters to notice what was taking place. Madame Castaigne had gone out +of the room for the instant to speak to Francois. + +Of course, Barbara had read Dick's letters first. She could only read +them hastily, for Dick had written to say that he had a fine position +with a big real estate office in New York City, and enough salary for +two persons to live upon, in a tiny apartment on the west side. Barbara +was to come home at once, else Dick would probably lose his job by +deserting to fetch her. Also the letter from Mrs. Thornton was cheering. +Whatever it may have been, something had occurred to change that lady's +state of mind. Perhaps it was her anxiety about Mildred in the days +when she knew nothing of her daughter's fate except that Mildred had +stayed behind at Grovno until the hour of the final surrender of the +Russian fort. + +For Mrs. Thornton had written to Barbara to say that she would be most +happy to welcome her as Dick's wife, and the dearest wish of her heart +was to have her two daughters safe at home in New York City as soon as +they were able to return. + +Mildred's letters were much of the same character, and the two girls had +only barely finished them when Francois appeared bearing coffee and +cakes. + +Then the little party talked on until nearly dusk. + +At last, when Barbara and Mildred felt compelled to leave, Eugenia +proposed that she and Captain Castaigne walk over to the farmhouse with +them. She did not feel that she could wait for another day before seeing +Nona. + +Nona and Sonya had just been in a few moments and taken off their wraps +when the others arrived. And Nona need have felt no nervousness over +Eugenia's attitude toward Sonya. Many things had happened to broaden +Eugenia's point of view since her arrival in Europe to act as a Red +Cross nurse. Besides, few persons could fail to feel anything but +sympathy and admiration for the beautiful Russian woman, whose life had +come so near closing in tragedy. + +There was not a great deal of food at the farmhouse, nevertheless +Eugenia and Captain Castaigne remained to dinner. + +Barbara and Mildred retired to act as cooks, while Eugenia and Sonya +fell to talking together, and Nona and Captain Castaigne. + +In the course of their talk Nona remembered to inquire for Lieutenant +Hume, who was Captain Castaigne's friend. At last she might be able to +hear real news of the young British officer. + +By good fortune Captain Castaigne had received a letter written by him +in the same post that had brought Barbara's and Mildred's letters. + +"Lieutenant Hume had gone to the United States and was living at the +present time in Florida. He had appeared to have contracted a fatal +illness during his imprisonment, but his letter had said he was feeling +ever so much better. + +"I can't say how glad I am," Captain Castaigne continued. "There was +never a braver fellow in the world than Robert Hume. And besides, if he +should happen to die just now, it would be particularly hard on his +family. You see, Hume's older brother, the one with the title, has just +been killed in the Dardanelles. Robert Hume is Lord Hume now, I believe, +and the English think more of titles than we do in Republican France," +the French officer concluded. + +"But I thought," Nona commented stupidly, "that Lieutenant Hume was a +gardener's son and had been educated by friends who were interested in +him." + +Then Nona stopped, because Captain Castaigne was half smiling and half +frowning over her information. Moreover, Nona suddenly remembered that +what she was saying was founded partly on information and the rest on +her own fancy. + +"Lieutenant Hume told me he was the gardener's son," she protested, "or +at least he called the gardener's wife 'Mother Susan.'" + +Eugenia had suddenly spoken her husband's name and Captain Castaigne had +gotten up to go over to her. + +However, he stopped long enough to expostulate. "That was an +extraordinary idea of yours, Miss Davis. Hume was only talking of his +old nurse. His mother died when he was a baby and she brought him up. I +have heard him speak of 'Mother Susan' myself. The Countess you visited +in Surrey is a cousin of Hume's, I think, and the old nurse and her +husband live there. Hume was having Mother Susan nurse him when you met, +I expect. Hope you two may see each other some day in the United States +and laugh over that impression of yours, Miss Davis," Captain Castaigne +concluded, as he walked over to his wife's side. + +At midnight Captain Castaigne and Eugenia went back to the chateau, +walking hand-in-hand like children through the woods. There was no +fighting these days in this particular portion of southern France and in +the peace of the night one could almost forget that the world was at +war. + +"You will miss your friends when they return to their own country, +Eugenia," Captain Castaigne suggested. + +Eugenia nodded. "Yes, they will be gone, I believe, in another month. +But we will go over ourselves some day, Henri, and perhaps you may learn +to care for my country as I do for yours." + +"Yes, and think of the service I shall owe her for the work the American +Red Cross has done for France!" the young officer concluded, and in the +darkness lifted his cap for a moment. + +"Whatever Lafayette did for you in the cause of freedom, your land has +now fully repaid." + + +THE END + + + + + BOOKS BY MARGARET VANDERCOOK + + THE RANCH GIRLS SERIES + + THE RANCH GIRLS AT RAINBOW LODGE + THE RANCH GIRLS' POT OF GOLD + THE RANCH GIRLS AT BOARDING SCHOOL + THE RANCH GIRLS IN EUROPE + THE RANCH GIRLS AT HOME AGAIN + THE RANCH GIRLS AND THEIR GREAT ADVENTURE + + THE RED CROSS GIRLS SERIES + + THE RED CROSS GIRLS IN THE BRITISH TRENCHES + THE RED CROSS GIRLS ON THE FRENCH FIRING LINE + THE RED CROSS GIRLS IN BELGIUM + THE RED CROSS GIRLS WITH THE RUSSIAN ARMY + THE RED CROSS GIRLS WITH THE ITALIAN ARMY + THE RED CROSS GIRLS UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES + + STORIES ABOUT CAMP FIRE GIRLS + + THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS AT SUNRISE HILL + THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS AMID THE SNOWS + THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD + THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS ACROSS THE SEA + THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS' CAREERS + THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS IN AFTER YEARS + THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS IN THE DESERT + THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS AT THE END OF THE TRAIL + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Red Cross Girls with the Russian +Army, by Margaret Vandercook + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RED CROSS GIRLS *** + +***** This file should be named 22095.txt or 22095.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/0/9/22095/ + +Produced by Mark C. Orton, Linda McKeown, Jacqueline Jeremy +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |