The New Magdalen

s a civilian. Next to him stood an officer in Prussian uniform, and next to the officer was the third and the oldest of the party. He also was dressed in uniform, but his appearance wa

at Mercy, then at the bed, then all round the room, he turned with a cynical co

ndance on her, and no one else in the room. An

little, led by his professional instinct, in the direction of the bedside. The young Englishman, whose eyes had remained r

speaking to a Fre

lishwoman,”

he bed, he pointed to the recumbent figure on it, and said t

of any u

nic monotony of tone. Mercy took an instantaneous dislike to this hobbling, u

d, shortly. “The lady was killed whe

ly toward the bed. The German refreshed himself

examined by a med

ted her reply to the on

be daunted by a lady’s disapproval

ed the body?” h

doctor attached to

hmen, and all French institutions. The Englishman seized hi

ntrywoman of ours?

ect she had in view, there might be serious reasons fo

“We met here by accident

me?” inquired th

o giving her own name openly as the name

ame,” she repea

le. He hobbled back to the bed and examined the figure laid on it in silence. The Englishman continued the

very young to be alone in war

ilent. The generous instincts of the woman instantly prevailed over every personal consideration imposed on her by the position which she had assumed. Reckless whether she betrayed herself or not as nurse in the French ambulance, she instantly drew

, her heart upbraiding her for having for

bedside, and took the matter up befor

s. They are our prisoners, and they are being moved to our ambulance. I am Ingatius Wetzel, chief of the medical staff — and I tell you this. Hold your t

glishman respectfully took her arm, an

n. The ambulance under Surgeon Wetzel is admirably administered. I answer for it, the men will be well treated.” He saw the tears in he

sternly through his spectacles. “Are you

f she could only have been absorbed again, mind and body, in her good work as a nurse, the temptation might even yet have found her strong enough to resist it. The fatal severit

reverted to the question of her

on your own account. The action will be renewed round this village by daylight; you ought really to be in a place of safety. I am an officer in the Engli

closely round her, and committed herself silently to her first

your way t

es

ough the German lines, and forwa

in her was restrained within the strictest limits of good-breeding: he

she repeated. “You must possess extraordin

e Holmcro

I am serving here as war correspondent of one of our great English newspapers. If I ask him,

not without difficulty, even n

y accept you

p toward the kitc

possible,” he said. “I shall be questioned if I pass thr

r leading into the yard.

ly absorbed in examining the wound which had been inflicted by the shell. Mercy’s instinctive aversion to the old man inc

place. There was still time to reconsider her resolution — still time to write the account of the accident, as she had proposed, and to send it with the letter-case to Lady Janet Roy. Suppose she finally decided on takin

d and comforted her, in the chapel of the Refuge. One of the finest passages in his sermon had been especially devoted by Julian Gray to warning the congregation whom he addressed against the degrading influences of falsehood and deceit. The terms in which he had appealed to the miserable women round him — terms

ack. As she faced the bed again she also confronted Ignatius Wetzel. He was just stepping forward to spe

n it. She must be a countrywoman of yours.” He read the letters marked

t — not hers! He ha

pursued Ignatius Wetzel, with his eyes

w possessed itself of the foremost place in her thoughts. Should she correct the error into which the German had f

moment when Surgeon Wetzel’s staring eyes wer

to a little slip of paper in his hand. “Here is the pa

als on the table. Horace seated him

nto your affairs,” he said. “I am obliged to ask

inst the foot of the bed. Her whole future existence dep

p of silence exactly at the right time. He doggedly held the handkerchief under h

m the table. “Mercy Merrick?”

ointed to the co

e of suspicion, and a look which was almost a look of contempt. Her quick temper instantly resented the discourtesy of which she had been made the object. The irritation of the moment — so often do the most trifling motiv

Pardon me for pressing the question,” he said. “You know

ntly, without fairly realizing wha

seberry,”

efore she would have given everything sh

ked Horace

answer him by b

’s heart swelled: she silently replied by another sign. He wrote the words after the name, and shook the sandbox over the wet ink. “That will be enough,” he sai

side the cottage,” she answered. “It is not much; I can do everythi

“You can go where you like now,” he sai

ess examination of the body on the bed. If she left him alone with Mr. Holmcroft,

outside, if

which they had been left to dry, and made for the shed — a rough structure of wood, built out from the cottage wall. At the front door she encountered a second sentinel, and showed her pass for the second time. She spoke to this man, asking him if he understood French. He an

he strange old man still bending intently over t

asked, “in the manner of t

etorted the cynic, pursuing his in

o a doctor — e

to a doctor,” wa

itted the room by the door leading into the yard, and waited for the

e gayety the senseless creature under his hands. “The Frenchman says you are dead, my dear — does he? The Frenchman is a Quack! The Frenchman is an Ass!” He lifted his head, and called into the kitchen. “Max!” A sleepy young German, covered with a dresser’s apron from his chin to his feet, drew the curtain, and waited for his instructions. “Bring me my black bag,” said Ignatius Wetzel. Having given th

ed with th

he said, tenderly, as if they were his children; “my blessed little boys, come to work!” He turned to the assistan

de; he was evidently interested. “I r

led the way

ht have been something wrong in the operation, or it might have been something wrong in the man. Whichever it was, he will live and die mad. Now look here, my little Max, at this dear young lady on the bed. She gives me

ouched Grace’s head, the voice of the sentinel at the nearest outpost was heard, giving

e Englis

entinel at the next post was heard more fai

held up his hand for silence and put

s wrinkled cheek. “Aha!” he cried. “Good girl! you breathe — you live!” As he spoke, the voice of the senti

lish lady!”