_Plans for the Future_
The moon shone down upon Belgium as serenely as upon any unconquered
land.
Two girls were walking slowly arm in arm along a stretch of country
road. There was no one else in sight at the time, yet they seemed
entirely unafraid. A quarter of a mile beyond them, however, a dim light
burned in the window of a small frame house. Near it was a tumbled mass
of brick and stone.
"We received our orders for work this afternoon, Eugenia dear," Barbara
remarked. "They were sorry you were not with us. But you are to come in
to headquarters as soon as possible, when arrangements will be made for
you."
Unconsciously Barbara sighed and although it was too dark in the
moonlight to distinguish the expression on her face, her companion
paused for a moment.
"Are you disappointed in what they wish you to do, Barbara, child?"
Eugenia inquired more gently than she usually spoke. "You sound rather
forlorn and 'wee' as the Scotch sometimes say. Of course, I know you are
tired from the long trip into Brussels and coming here to spend the
night with me. It is lovely to have you for this quiet walk, but I'm
afraid you'll find a bed on the floor a pretty hard resting place even
for war times."
"Oh, I shan't mind. Besides, I brought over some more bed-clothes," the
younger girl answered, although her attention was not really fixed upon
her reply.
Eugenia had guessed correctly in thinking Barbara was tired. Her face
was very small and white, so that her eyes appeared almost unnaturally
large and blue. Her only color was in her lips, which drooped like a
weary child's.
"Oh, yes, the work is all right. One can't expect an easy time of it
these days. Besides, I hope some day to prove to you, Eugenia, that I
did not come to Europe to nurse in the Red Cross just for the sake of
an adventure. Of course, I shall never dare hope to do anything to
compare with what you have done, or to be anything like you, but----"
Barbara's speech was interrupted by her friend's hand being laid firmly
across her lips.
"I prefer your not saying things like that," she answered in a tone that
the other girl felt obliged to respect. It was not that Eugenia was
unduly modest. Only that she had never appeared to desire to talk about
her final experience in France. Indeed, the other three girls had been
provoked before this by her reticence. It was all very well for Eugenia
not to discuss before strangers her rescue and care of Captain Castaigne
under such extraordinary difficulties. But it was tiresome of her never
to be willing to relate the details of her experience to her most
intimate companions. Personally, Barbara Meade intended to hear the
whole thing some day from beginning to end. Then she would be able to
tell the story to the Countess Amelie, who had become her own and
Nona's devoted friend. For Captain Castaigne had given only a brief
account of the circumstances to his mother. Actually he had been as
reticent in the matter as Eugenia. However, Barbara was not in the mood
tonight to demand other people's confessions.
"If you are tired, suppose we sit down for a while," Eugenia suggested.
The two girls found a tree near by that had been uprooted by an
underground explosion and lay face down upon the earth with its arms
outspread, like a defeated giant.
Unconsciously they both sighed with relief and then smiled half
humorously at each other.
"We are all to work at the same hospital in Brussels," Barbara went on.
"At least, Mildred and Nona and I have been chosen for the same place. I
don't know about you. Thank goodness, it is an American hospital and
supported by our money!"
"Don't be prejudiced," Eugenia remonstrated.
But Barbara shook her head impatiently. "How can one help being? You are
only pretending to yourself that you are neutral. If the Germans had
been conquered, perhaps I should feel equally sorry for them. But to me
Belgium is like a gallant boy who went out with his head up and his lips
smiling to do battle with a giant. The courage of it is like a song!"
In silence Eugenia agreed.
Then Barbara leaned her curly brown head on her companion's arm.
"I have a piece of news for you, Gene," she added. "Really, I came to
you tonight to be the first to tell you. Who do you think arrived in
Brussels today to help with the American Relief work?" Barbara did not
wait for an answer to her question. "Dick Thornton!" she finished with a
sudden indrawing of her breath.
The older girl did not glance toward her companion. Her attention seemed
to be fixed upon a particularly effective June moon which was just
emerging from a cloud-like veil.
"That is tremendously good news, isn't it? And it is great of Dick to
insist on being useful in spite of his misfortune! But perhaps I am not
so surprised as you think I ought to be, Barbara. Nona half confessed
the possibility of his turning up to me several days ago. She told me I
was not to speak of this, however, to you, because Dick might not be
able to come and he did not wish--" Eugenia hesitated a second--"he did
not wish _Mildred_ to be disappointed. Now I am particularly glad you
are all to be in Brussels. Perhaps you may have a chance to see Dick
_nearly_ as often as you like."
"Yes, it will be awfully nice for Mildred and Nona and I am delighted
for them," Barbara interrupted, moving several feet away from her
friend. "But I do hope you will be with us, Eugenia, to associate with
me! I hate to be in the way. And I am afraid I will be, under the
circumstances."
The younger girl had lowered her voice to the purest confidential tone.
Then, although they were quite alone, she looked carefully around before
going on.
"Perhaps I haven't any right to say so, but I am almost sure there is a
bond between Nona Davis and Dick. I didn't dream of this when we were
in Paris together. But I know they have been writing each other
constantly ever since. Besides, if you had seen their meeting today!"
She ceased talking, for Eugenia was shaking her head in doubt.
"But isn't Nona one of the prettiest girls you ever saw and the most
charming?" Barbara demanded argumentatively the next instant. She seemed
almost angry at the older girl's silent disagreement.
This time Eugenia inclined her head.
"I have no idea of disputing Nona's beauty or charm, or Dick Thornton's
either. He is a splendid American fellow. And if one of you Red Cross
girls must fall in love, certainly I should prefer you to fall in love
with Dick. However, at present I simply don't believe there is an affair
between Dick and Nona."
"But you'll see in time," Barbara persisted.
"Yes, I'll see in time," Eugenia concluded.
Then Barbara crept closer again.
"The moonlight, or something, makes me feel dismal," she confided. "I
don't know why, but the moon gives me the blues far more than it ever
makes me romantic. Sometimes I wonder if we will ever get back home
safely, all of us, without any illness or sorrow or anything," Barbara
ended vaguely.
Eugenia could be a remarkably comforting person when she liked.
She made no reply at the moment, only drew the younger girl toward her.
"Now I have something to tell _you_, Barbara. It is good of you to wish
me to be in Brussels with you, but I'm really not much good as a
companion. You girls are ever so much happier without me, I feel sure,
or I wouldn't desert you."
"Desert us?" Barbara stiffened at once, forgetting the other subject of
their conversation.
"You don't mean, Eugenia Peabody, that you have decided to give up the
Red Cross work and go back home? You, of all of us! I simply won't
believe it. Why, I thought you were the most devoted, the most----"
Eugenia laughed half-heartedly. "I didn't say I was going home,
Barbara," she protested. "But you are right in thinking I mean to give
up my Red Cross work, at least if I am allowed to resign. I don't know
why, but recently I don't seem to feel the same fondness for nursing. I
kind of dread a great many things about it."
Barbara laid her hand caressingly upon Eugenia's knee.
Really Eugenia was growing so surprisingly human these days that one
could scarcely recall the old Eugenia.
"Oh, that is just because you are tired. I know you have always denied
this, but you have never been exactly the same since your siege with
Captain Castaigne. The responsibility and the work were too much for
you. I don't think he was ever half grateful enough! The idea of his
joining his regiment without coming to say good-by to you--just writing
a letter! Promise me you will go quietly away somewhere and rest for a
few weeks, Eugenia. Then I know you'll feel like getting back into
harness again. Really, I need you to be with us. I haven't any backbone
unless you are around to make me afraid of you."
Eugenia shook her head. "Perhaps I shall not be very far away and we may
be able to see each other now and then. I have been thinking of a scheme
for several days, almost ever since we came into Belgium. You remember I
told you I had a good deal of money, but did not always know just how to
spend it. Well, I have found a way here. I am going to get a big house
and I am going to fill it full to overflowing with the Belgian babies
and all the children who need an old maid mother to look after them. And
I think I found the very house I need today. It is an old place that is
supposed to be haunted and is far away from everything else. But it is
big and has an old veranda. Perhaps I'll still be doing Red Cross work
if I take care of well babies as well as sick ones. Do you think I'll
make a great failure as a mother, Bab?" she ended.
Without replying Barbara's answer was yet sufficiently reassuring.
At the same time she was wondering if these past few months had changed
Eugenia as much as she appeared to be changed. But perchance she had
always been mistaken in her view of her.
Then both girls started suddenly to their feet. For the little French
girl, Nicolete, had come upon them unawares. She gave Barbara a glance
revealing but little affection. Then beckoning Eugenia mysteriously
aside she soon ran off again like a sprite in the moonlight.