_Introductions_
But when the drill was over the American girls did not come down from
their place of observation. There was still so much of absorbing
interest. The soldiers, having completed this work, had still more
important training to be gone through with during the morning.
The girls were able to watch a number of them learning to throw hand
grenades, small bombs not much larger than oranges. The practice bombs
were not explosive, nevertheless Barbara and Nona and Mollie Drew found
themselves intensely interested. They had almost the sensations of
enthusiastic baseball fans, for the American boys showed such skill
with the grenades, that their boyhood playing of the national game must
have been of value.
Other soldiers were working at trench digging and farther along on the
artillery practice range big guns were being moved, trained on their
target and made ready for firing with amazing swiftness. Beyond was
also an aviation camp, scarcely discernible because of the distance.
Here other American boys were completing their final lessons in air
fighting, preparing themselves to rival the gallant Lafayette corps of
American airmen in the service of France, who had become world famous
for their amazing feats of valor and skill.
But most extraordinary of all the spectacles to the Red Cross nurses
was the encampment of “tanks.” These giant monsters were rolling about
on their parade ground, looking like prehistoric monsters. The soldiers
were like midgets beside them. They lumbered along like huge turtles
carrying houses on their backs and climbing great objects, set in their
paths, as if they did not exist.
However, there are scenes to which one is now and then a witness which
may be too overwhelming. Actually one sees and feels so much that the
eyes and mind and even the emotions become exhausted.
Mollie Drew was the first of the six girls to feel she could endure
no more. She had seen such tremendous things and, moreover, had gone
through with such a conflict of sensations, joy that the American
soldiers were now to play a great part in the world struggle and sorrow
over the inevitable tragedies which must befall them, and a strong urge
that they learn these final lessons in making war soon as possible,
that they might get into the fight and have it all over with, perhaps,
before another year.
So that by and by, Mollie began to feel not only tired but almost
exhausted. Yet she did not wish to interrupt the others nor to ask any
one of them to return to the hospital with her.
She could overhear Eugenia talking to Agatha Burton and had seldom seen
Agatha so animated or in earnest.
“No, I cannot tell you how many American troops have arrived in France.
No one outside the government is informed. But in any case it would be
impossible, as new contingents of soldiers are reaching France almost
every day.”
Mollie caught the sense of this speech, but realized that each word
was becoming more and more indistinct. She had a stupid habit of
occasionally growing faint, but not for a great deal would she have
Madame Castaigne discover her weakness so soon after her journeying to
France for the Red Cross nursing.
If she could only get down the narrow staircase and away from the
others before she was observed! Mollie could not of course realize how
completely her usual bright color had faded. She took a few steps and
at the top of the stairs caught hold of the narrow railing.
But, fortunately for Mollie, although she was not aware of it, Barbara
Thornton had been watching her for the past few moments.
She had noticed Mollie becoming steadily paler until the little
freckles, which were ordinarily inconspicuous, showed plain, had seen
the peculiar strained look in Mollie’s deep gray eyes. Also, she
understood that Mollie would not wish to create a scene and above all
wished to avoid Eugenia’s attention.
So, when Mollie moved away, Barbara moved quietly after her, placing
her arm firmly about the other girl’s waist.
“Miss Drew and I are tired and are going down; we will wait for you,
don’t hurry,” she called back.
As a matter of fact, as soon as she reached the landing, Mollie did
feel almost herself again. She wished to go outdoors at once, but
Barbara insisted that they find a place to sit down and rest.
The stairs from the tower ended in a tiny hall and opposite was a room
with the door open.
Barbara was under the impression that this room was the usual sacred
drawing-room of some French family. But as soon as they crossed the
threshold she appreciated that, whatever the room had been, it was
now being used by American soldiers. There was a variety of boots and
army leggings in one corner, a khaki coat swung over a chair and a
disordered table covered with American books and papers. Dust and mud
were on the floor.
“I don’t think we ought to intrude in there,” Mollie objected,
hesitating and speaking a little nervously.
But Barbara, who was very difficult to awe, walking calmly in, seated
herself in one of the empty chairs.
“Certainly we must stay here until you are rested and feeling a little
stronger. You can scarcely stand up and I don’t wonder, after being
on your feet for hours, the first day after our trip. I am awfully
tired myself. No one is coming back to this room for the present; the
soldiers and officers are too busy. If anyone does appear we must
simply explain. I am curious anyhow to know how Eugenia managed to
bring us here without introducing us to anyone. Perhaps the French
people in this neighborhood are becoming accustomed to Americans taking
possession of their homes.”
Barbara talked quietly and without any suggestion of possible
embarrassment, really because she had no idea that anyone would
discover them before Eugenia came down.
She was therefore more surprised and embarrassed than Mollie at an
unexpected noise just outside the open door.
However, both girls jumped to their feet looking conscience stricken.
The young solder at the door uttered a low whistle, took off his
wide-brimmed hat and then made a low bow.
“Do you know,” he began, “I was as mad, well, we will say mad as a
March hare, although that was not my original speech over being sent
here to clean up my superior officers’ quarters. I came over to France,
you know, to fight Germans, not to act as a housemaid. But, of course,
if I had any idea that Lieutenant Martin was giving a reception, why
before his guests arrived----”
The young private was over six feet tall, had fine white teeth and
broad shoulders and at this moment his eyes were so full of surprise
and amusement that no one would have thought of their color.
“But we are not guests and we are going right away,” Barbara stammered.
“For goodness sake don’t let anyone else find us here!”
Barbara was older and married and, of course, should have been the more
self-possessed of the two intruders. But somehow Mollie experienced an
immediate understanding and sympathetic appreciation of the situation
existing between her and the newcomer.
“We have been watching the morning drill and afterwards came in here
to rest, not dreaming anyone would discover us at such a time. Did you
say it was a part of your duty to help keep your officers’ quarters
in order. If it is, do you know I don’t think you have been very
successful,” and Mollie’s color returned and her lips parted in a
rather pretty Irish fashion of suddenly turning up at the corners to
express amusement, as she looked around the disordered apartment.
The young man nodded.
“I don’t suppose I could hold my job for a week in your house, would
I, unless you happened to take a fancy to me and wished to show me how
housecleaning is accomplished? You see, before I undertook to be a
soldier, why I’m afraid I belonged to the ‘idle rich’. I did not even
know this business of keeping one’s own possessions in order was a
part of every regular private’s job. I have had some training in the
last months, but I can still shoot straighter and ride better than I
can do other things.”
And the young fellow looked in such utter disgust and consternation at
the task ahead of him that Mollie laughed a second time.
“There is to be an inspection of quarters this afternoon and, as the
Lieutenant is busy, I’ve been detailed to have this room shipshape.”
Mollie glanced toward Barbara.
“Suppose we help?” she suggested, “at least until Madame Castaigne
and the others come down. No one will ever know. You see, ‘Monsieur
Sammee,’ (that is what French people are calling you, isn’t it?) if you
were a Red Cross nurse as Mrs. Thornton and I both are, you would know
everything worth knowing of domestic tasks.”
Then, without waiting for Barbara’s agreement, Mollie began
straightening the dusty, disordered table in a quiet, skilful fashion.
The next instant Barbara had joined her at another task and soon the
three of them were hard at work, the young soldier obeying orders.
When Eugenia and Mildred, Nona and Agatha finally looked into the room
to see if Barbara and Mollie could possibly be found in there, they
were for an instant overcome with amazement.
Eugenia was far from pleased. However, the scene was too absurd to take
seriously or to speak reprovingly about.
This time Mollie became embarrassed and past being able to explain the
situation. Moreover, she was conscious that the soldier, whose name
she did not even know and therefore was unable to introduce to Madame
Castaigne, was now laughing at her, although he kept every part of his
face grave except his eyes.
However, Barbara spoke at once.
“Hope we have not done anything very wrong, Eugenia. But you see, after
all, our Red Cross rules are that we succor anyone in distress. We
do not know whom we have helped this time, but he was undoubtedly in
distress.”
At this Barbara turned to the young man, who came forward to speak to
Madame Castaigne. He had recognized her as having charge of one of the
nearby American hospitals.
He gave his name, Guy Ellis, to Eugenia, but of course the others heard
him.
“I don’t know exactly what I am to say to any of you,” Eugenia
protested in answer to Barbara and shaking hands with their new
acquaintance, “because I never dreamed of any such situation. However,
I am glad I discovered you instead of an officer. But please come with
me and meet Madame Bonnèt. She has given up this house of hers to
our soldiers, but she and her daughter, Berthe, are living in a tiny
place in the garden. She is a great friend of mine and managed to get
us permission to use her tower upstairs this morning for watching the
drill. She told me no one would be here, so we would not be a nuisance.”
Eugenia turned to Nona.
“Madame Bonnèt is raising carrier pigeons for the use of the French
army. The ones she has now are to be our American messengers when we
need them.”
Eugenia made no suggestion that the young soldier accompany them, but
he walked on quietly beside Mollie and Barbara. After all, Madame
Bonnèt was his friend as well.