The Red Cross Girls with the Russian Army

At

ross girls to confide to one another than they could fin

three girls were all on day duty and ther

merican nurses shared. Once before Nona had discovered Barbara Meade rereading one of Dick Thornton's letters

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

remembered so well. He had only been there a little while when this letter had been wri

ared that his father was delighted to hear of his happiness and that he had not forg

ife before he married. Therefore he meant to do all that he could to get Dic

this delectable result, but to Barbara, away off in Russia, a land

imate 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 en

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

ra was lying on her cot-bed with an army blanket drawn close up under her chin. Now sh

Countess Castaigne, only neither she nor her husband would ever be induced to us

is 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 m

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

view Barbara was reflec

om Russia whenever they could best be spared. But she could not decide whether she ought to thrust her p

frequent. Then there was the Countess Castaigne, to whom she could pour out all her heart

e and determined of the four American nurses ever since their arriv

ggled under the blanket

d. Besides, there were no chairs in the Red Cross girls' bedroom, only the

advice, only I think we had best wait for Mildred, so

t been able to go into the details of the story, nor had she mentioned her own intentions. Very possibly both the girl

ppeared at the door w

s could see that she also had something of importanc

rself upon the edge of her cot, facing her friends.

onight. I have been trying to speak of this for several days, and if I don't tell you now the order may come wh

h!" Barbara whispered under the cover. "Petrograd m

n up, endeavoring to

today one of the Russian surgeons declared that it was difficult to decide which one of us did the best work. Of cou

it was evident that she was secretly rejoicing. But Mildred understood Barbara's position; it was natural that s

on was Nona Davis' expression of rel

Cross nursing in Russia! She it was who had originally planned their co

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 he

t reproach. She was not so impatient no

General Dmitri Alexis came in. On leaving he chanced to discover me and asked me to walk with him for a few moments.

ons only nodded, not

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 di

" Barbara added

ona Davis continued gazin

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

Barbara protested, sitting up with her chee

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 e

began to

in a time of such extremity. When we get to Petrograd perhaps we can talk Sonya Valesky's case over with our A

in a very short time the three girls were re

e. This in spite of the presence of many thousands of men without and within its gates. Now and then there may

attack began. But the Russian genera

f war was there ever a more sud

ses of the explosions. Shell after shell shrieked over the walls of

r the location of the sounds it was impossible to tell wh

t would have been impossible to have heard one another. But by and by

ner and we were safely away from Grovno. I think perhaps because of

which Mildred heard, if not with

" she returned. "I can't explain exactly why

to co