_A Re-Entrance_
ON this same evening Major Hersey and Sergeant Hackett were sitting
before the same fire, shortly after dinner. They were talking in an idle
fashion, neither of them particularly interested. Both would be pleased
when the evening was over and they were in bed. Major Hersey had given
his orders to his sergeant for the following day and then had suggested
that he sit with him for a time longer.
The days were not difficult in Coblenz where one had many duties and
interests, besides the association with one's fellow soldiers and a few
other friends. But unless one went constantly to the German restaurants
and theatres and movies, one could not find sufficient entertainment in
the various Y. M. C. A. and Red Cross headquarters to occupy every
evening of the week.
It was a brilliant winter night and the young men had left the curtains
of the window open and the blinds unclosed so that the early moonlight
shone into the room.
Therefore both of them noticed a soldier-messenger march down the street
from the corner and enter the front yard of the house where they were
living.
In answer to a command from his superior officer, Sergeant Hackett met
the messenger at the front door. The soldier bore a note which was
addressed to Major Hersey. The note requested that Major Hersey come at
once to the headquarters of his Colonel.
There was no explanation as to why his presence had become suddenly
necessary. However, without any particular emotion either of interest or
curiosity, Major Hersey at once set out.
The streets were fairly deserted. The citizens of Coblenz were living
under military law and, although the laws were not severe, two demands
were made upon them, one that no arms or ammunition of any kind remain
in the possession of any German, the second that they be inside their
own homes at a certain hour each night.
This hour had not arrived and yet there were not many persons about, a
few groups of American soldiers on leave, but scarcely any Germans.
The house of Colonel Winfield was at no great distance away.
"Most extraordinary thing, Hersey!" the Colonel was soon explaining,
"you might guess for a dozen years why I have sent for you and never hit
the correct answer. Don't look so mystified over my words. I have not
sent for you to give you any military command, or to ask your advice on
military matters, as I have now and then in spite of your being too
youthful for the title you have been lucky enough to earn. I have sent
for you because tonight you and I may regard ourselves as characters in
a play. In a short time I hope to introduce the heroine."
Colonel Winfield was an elderly man a good deal past fifty, with closely
cropped grey hair, small twinkling blue eyes under heavy brows and a
mouth which could be extremely stern when the occasion demanded and
equally humorous under opposite conditions.
Tonight he was seated in a large, handsome room, a little too
elaborately furnished after German ideas of luxury, and before a wide
table covered with books and old American newspapers and magazines.
Major Hersey could only stare at him in amazement, and with a total lack
of comprehension.
"I might as well explain to you your part in the drama, Hersey. You
haven't at present a very fortunate role, although I cannot tell how it
may develop. The facts are that two women, or I should say one woman and
a girl, arrived in Coblenz this afternoon without satisfactory
passports. They were detained by one of our officers and because of
something or other in their story, perhaps because of their appearance
and manner, the circumstances were reported to me. I believe the young
woman knew my name and requested that she be allowed to speak to me. I
was busy and only saw her and her companion a few moments ago. Then she
asked that I send for you and for Mrs. David Clark, saying you would
both be able to identify her. Most extraordinary story she related, I
find it difficult either to believe or disbelieve!" And Colonel Winfield
leaned back in his chair studying the younger officer's face.
If he expected to find any clue to his puzzle in Major Jimmie's
expression at this instant he was disappointed. The younger man was
nonplused.
A woman and a girl who had arrived in Coblenz insisting that he could
identify them! Why, he knew no woman or girl in the world who would be
apt to make so unexpected an appearance! And yet for a few seconds the
names of several girls he had known in the United States in the past who
might possibly have come to Coblenz to work among the soldiers flashed
before his mental vision.
"Suppose you see the two strangers at once, Jimmie, I don't feel that I
have been polite in forcing them to wait here for me as long as they
have waited, but I was unavoidably detained. They are in a little
reception room across the way. I'll ask them to come here and speak to
you as this room is larger and more agreeable."
"Don't you think, Colonel, we might postpone the interview until the
arrival of Mrs. David Clark? Surely the women would find it more
agreeable to explain their situation to her," Major Hersey protested.
The older man shook his head.
"I have sent for Mrs. Clark, but remember she is living at some distance
from here and may not be able to come to us tonight. In a moment it will
all be over, James. If you do not know the young woman who says she
knows you, you have only to say so briefly. I have an idea, however,
that almost any young man might wish to know her. Yet if there is any
uncertainty about her story, we must see that she and her companion are
made comfortable for the night somewhere and then that she starts for
home in the morning. I have an idea from what she confided to me that
she must be sent home in any case."
A few moments later, Colonel Winfield re-entered the library with two
companions. One of them was a thin, angular woman with a large nose and
a highly colored skin. She was wearing a black dress and coat and a
black feather boa. The other was a girl of about twenty in an odd
costume. A portion of it was an American Red Cross uniform, worn and
shabby, a dark blue coat and cap with the Red Cross insignia. The girl's
skirt was of some other dark cloth, yet on her arm she carried a
splendid sable coat.
Underneath her cap her cheeks were brilliantly red and her eyes glowing.
"Countess Charlotta!" Major Hersey stammered. "What brings you to
Coblenz? You have relatives here whom you are intending to visit?"
The girl turned toward the older American officer.
"There! Major Hersey does remember me and I was so afraid he might have
forgotten! We met but once in the Red Cross hospital in Luxemburg where
we were both patients at the same time. At least until Mrs. Clark
arrives he may persuade you, Colonel Winfield, that I am not a spy or in
any way a dangerous character."
Then the girl turned again to Major Jimmie.
"I don't know what Mrs. Clark will say or do when she sees me. She told
me positively I was not to embarrass the American Red Cross by taking
refuge with them. And I tried my best to be brave and endure my
existence. I even gave up to my father's wishes, but I found I could not
keep my word. So I confided in Miss Pringle. She is English and was my
governess when I was a little girl. She had continued living in
Luxemburg after the war began, and yet perhaps because she was English
she understood me better than other people. Anyhow we came away
together. It was not so difficult to accomplish as you may imagine. Most
of the people in Luxemburg at present dislike the Germans as thoroughly
as I do. I told a few acquaintances that I was going away because I
could not endure being forced into a German marriage. Miss Pringle was
with me and I said I was going to join some American friends. Besides,
Luxemburg is not very large you know and it does not take long to reach
the frontier. If Mrs. Clark is not willing to receive us at the Red
Cross Hospital, surely we can find a place to shelter us for awhile.
Miss Pringle says she will be glad to go with me to the United States,
as she has long wished to travel. I suppose, Colonel Winfield, that you
could arrange for us to go to the United States?"
Plainly the young countess's words and manner both amused and annoyed
the Colonel.
"Nonsense, young woman, girls who run away from their homes no matter
from what motive, must be sent back to their parents. Mrs. Clark will
doubtless see that you and Miss Pringle are made comfortable for a few
days. But I think I understand how you managed to reach Coblenz and why
you were permitted to have an interview with me. The colonel of an
American regiment of the army of occupation is not in the habit of
having young women whose credentials and passports are not what they
should be, take up his spare time. Where, child, had you ever heard my
name?"
"Oh, I often heard Mrs. Clark and the American Red Cross nurses speak of
you when they referred to their winter at the Red Cross hospital near
Chateau-Thierry. They said too they were delighted that you were to be
in Coblenz because they liked you so very much," the Countess Charlotta
concluded in the frank fashion which was entirely natural to her.
Nevertheless the colonel looked slightly mollified.
"You will sit down, won't you, and wait until we hear whether Mrs. Clark
will be able to join us tonight?"
The Colonel pushed a large leather chair toward the fire, which the
little countess dropped into gratefully. Miss Pringle was already seated
in a chair which Major Hersey had provided for her during the Countess
Charlotta's recital.
"I am sorry, extremely sorry, you were forced to wait so long to see
me," Colonel Winfield protested. "It would have been pleasanter if
arrangements could have been made for you earlier in the day."
"Oh, you need not worry," the Countess Charlotta returned graciously, "I
am not in the least unhappy myself. Getting away from Luxemburg was so
much simpler than I ever dreamed it could be, that nothing ahead seems
so important. I wrote my father saying that I intended to sail for the
United States as soon as it could be arranged. As for sending me back
home," the little countess stretched her two hands before the fire so
that they grew rose pink from the warmth, then she sighed, but with no
deep show of emotion, "it would be very useless and very unkind to send
me back to my father after what I have done? Neither my father nor aunt
will wish to see me again. Even though they know Miss Pringle has been
with me every minute and that I have done nothing in the least wrong,
they would never forgive my disobedience. And they would not wish me to
live with them because they should always consider that I had disobeyed
them and that I would be an unfortunate influence upon other girls in
Luxemburg."
At this instant there was a knock at the door and a few moments later
Sonya, Dr. Clark and Bianca entered the large room.
If there was no especial enthusiasm in Sonya's greeting of the Countess
Charlotta, still there was no question of their acquaintance and
Bianca's welcome revealed all the pleasure which Sonya's lacked.
Nevertheless, Sonya offered to take charge of Miss Pringle and the young
countess at the Red Cross hospital for the night until better
arrangements could be made. They had several spare rooms in the old
castle. It was too late at present for any definite point of view in
regard to the unexpected intruders.