dick thornton for a short time was desperately ill.
he had, of course, been removed to the sacred heart hospital as soon as possible in order that his sister mildred might be near him. but both mildred and barbara helped with the nursing.
it was considered wiser by the hospital authorities that barbara should not return immediately to her work with the red cross ambulance at the front. she was more shaken by her experience than she herself realized, or at least so her appearance suggested. no one, not even mildred thornton, dreamed that a part of her pallor might be due to anxiety for dick. nevertheless, barbara went about her work at the hospital looking spent and exhausted, yet she no longer flinched at anything she was called upon to do. the greater tragedies[259] she had lately seen had taught her more self-control.
just at first barbara was not aware of the change in the attitude of the hospital staff toward her after her rescue of dick thornton. it had seemed such a natural action to her she had not given it any thought.
but nona davis had not seen it in the same light, nor had dr. milton nor the other nurses and physicians near the battlefield.
everywhere there was talk of the valor and common sense of the young american girl. whether or not it was true, she was given the credit for having saved dick’s life. had he remained unprotected a stray shot must have done for him.
mildred made no effort to conceal her gratitude and affection for barbara, and even lady dorothy mathers and daisy redmond, the two english girls who at first had small faith in barbara’s ability, were now generously kind to her. actually lady dorothy apologized for having previously slighted her, while alexina mcintyre gathered barbara into her capable arms.
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“you’re a wee thing, there is no denying it, but i’ve always believed you had grit and now you have proved it.”
so in course of time barbara grew happier and stronger, though not, as it turned out, until dick was out of danger. the wound on his face healed rapidly enough, but the trouble had been with his splintered shoulder. he would hardly be useful at the front for some time to come.
nevertheless, though barbara remained behind for the regular staff nursing, nona davis continued in the ambulance service. the suggestion was made that she be relieved by one of the other nurses, but nona preferred to make no change. for some reason she seemed peculiarly fitted for the work at the front. it required a coolness and obedience to orders that she was able to give. her lack of long training did not count so seriously against her, since she was always under a surgeon’s orders. moreover, her courage and devotion never appeared to falter.
often when she returned to the hospital at night eugenia peabody would look at[261] her in amazement. could nona be made of flesh and blood? she seemed so slender and fragile and yet was like fine steel. the truth was that all her life nona had been accustomed to taking care of some one, so that she thought far less of herself and her own sensations than other girls of her age. moreover, back of her stretched a long line of cavalier ancestors, who have a peculiar quality of endurance under conditions of war, whatever their weakness in times of peace.
but really nona was animated by none of these toploftical ideas; she was merely doing the best she could in the place where she seemed most needed.
however, other persons besides eugenia marveled at her. now and then when they were both free, lady dorian and nona spent an hour or so together. the older woman was assisting with the business affairs of the hospital. an outsider can scarcely realize how much business there is that must be wisely administered. so lady dorian spent her time ordering supplies and watching over their disposal, but she[262] made no friends except with nona. an air of mystery still clung like a tangible atmosphere about her, and though the rest of the hospital staff were aware of it and did not understand her presence among them, they were too busy to give her much attention or thought.
yet nona davis frequently thought of her in her long journeys back and forth. in spite of their increasing intimacy lady dorian had told her nothing more of herself. she mentioned no details of her arrest in london nor of the reasons the authorities had for finally releasing her. so nona could not help feeling a slight curiosity, although she tried to smother it by scolding herself for her lack of good taste. certainly one should never wish to know anything of a friend’s life except what the friend wishes to tell, and yet at times it is hard not to desire the knowledge.
however, nona’s own affairs at this period should have been sufficiently absorbing to have made her forget other people’s. the soldiers she had helped to care for, the surgeons she was in the habit of assisting,[263] showed a peculiar affection and kindness for the young southern girl. and dr. milton made no effort to disguise his devotion.
at first when he discovered his own emotion the young english physician had no intention of betraying himself. he had come to the war to do his duty and not to give way to the ridiculous weakness of falling in love. but nona had proved too much for him. so far, however, he had sufficient self-control not to have spoken of it to her. and if he showed his feeling in other ways nona gave no sign of having understood, so the young surgeon had not been able to decide whether she felt more than a passing friendliness for him.
nevertheless, he was glad one morning to be entrusted with a special message which was to be given in person to miss nona davis.
an orderly had called at the temporary hospital near the british line of trenches to say that colonel dalton would like to speak to miss davis at his headquarters.
naturally nona was surprised by the[264] message. she knew, of course, that after his recovery colonel dalton had returned to his command. there was almost daily talk of him, as he was regarded as one of the most capable officers at the front. but she had not seen him since the hour of their conversation by his bedside. what could he possibly wish of her? however, the interview was to take place a little before noon on the same day and an officer would call to escort her into the presence of his superior.
frankly other persons beside the girl were mystified by colonel dalton’s command. he was not in the habit of paying any attention to the red cross work or its workers. his reputation was that of a stern disciplinarian, whom his men respected but did not always like. so when dr. milton suggested that his intention might be to bestow some mark of favor upon miss davis for her devotion to the soldiers, no one took the idea seriously. fortunately nona did not even hear of it.
before noon, however, she was ready to do as she had been bidden. she was[265] waiting in the rear of the relief hospital when a young officer in the uniform of a lieutenant of the south lancastershire regiment, riding one horse and leading another, drew up before her and dismounted.
almost without regarding him nona allowed him to help her into the saddle. then they set off across country together, the young lieutenant a little in the lead. the secret of an officer’s headquarters is sometimes so carefully guarded that not even his own soldiers know its exact location.
nona was not even particularly interested. she realized that she rode about three-quarters of a mile and then stopped in front of what appeared like an immense pile of brushwood. behind it was a small wooden building, evidently a temporary structure, and inside the building, seated before a small pine table with a telephone receiver in his hand, was colonel dalton.
here at last nona became vitally interested. she had been told that innumerable telephone wires, most of them underground, connected the british officer’s quarters with[266] the trenches at the front as well as with the headquarters of other officers and with the different positions of the field artillery. here was certain proof of it. the officers with the men in the trenches must take their commands from their superiors who were in truth the “gods behind the machines.”
the lieutenant saluted. colonel dalton returned the salute curtly. nona simply waited and watched.
by and by colonel dalton put down the telephone receiver.
“be seated,” he said briefly, and nona sat down on a wooden stool the younger officer thrust toward her. she had no special sensation of awe; she was seldom afraid of people except in social life. this was simply a part of her day’s work. nevertheless she wondered why colonel dalton was frowning at her so severely.
the same instant he took a bundle of papers from inside his pocket.
“sorry to trouble you with this, miss davis, but for the present you seem the best person to get hold of. i remember[267] our talk at the hospital, and moreover, i’ve the impression you can answer questions and keep your own counsel when it’s necessary. there is some ugly work going on at the sacred heart hospital. i’ve reason to believe that there is a spy among the workers over there. is there any one you can think of who might be willing to give news of the british positions, the amount of our ammunition and other facts to the enemy? think this over quietly and coolly. i promise you that no one will be held responsible whose guilt is not plainly proved and also that whatever you are willing to tell me will be kept in strictest confidence.”
“but why do you think such a thing? how can you possibly imagine?” nona faltered, and then appreciated that this was not the manner in which to address an officer. colonel dalton would not make such an accusation without due proof of his suspicion.
nona had a dreadful sensation of horror and confusion. surely colonel dalton must be mistaken. never were there a[268] more devoted, more sincere group of workers than the red cross nurses and physicians at the sacred heart hospital. that treason could dwell among them was out of the question. yet all the while the american girl was voicing this silent protest in her own heart, automatically she was reviewing the name and character of every member of their staff. there was no one, no one, who could not be wholly trusted, whose family and whose history were not open books.
then a face and figure passed before the girl’s vision and in a flash she controlled the leaping of the hot blood to her cheeks.
nona looked directly at colonel dalton.
“you have asked me a question i will not answer,” she returned quietly. “i do not, of course, know whether you have the right to force me, but i feel that i have no right to say a single word that would reflect on any man or woman at our hospital. what i could tell you would amount to nothing; it would only be guessing at best. for i have no actual reason for being suspicious of any one.”
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“no actual reason?” colonel dalton repeated. “have you any reason at all?”
“no,” nona returned.
the colonel glanced again at the papers in his hands. “because you were so kind as to nurse me at the sacred heart hospital and because i am aware of the noble work their nurses and doctors have been doing for the wounded, i want no evil gossip to surround you. do not mention my errand, but say to your superintendent that i will call in person to see her tomorrow evening. perhaps you are right in not betraying whomever it is you seem to suspect. good-by.”
colonel dalton again bowed his head, and as another officer had entered the room to speak to him, nona hurried out.
the same lieutenant escorted her back to her starting point, but once again nona paid no attention to him. she was in a tumult of surprise, apprehension and sorrow. a spy at the sacred heart hospital, what knowledge had colonel dalton to go upon? yet he appeared convinced and was too wise a man to accept a suspicion without proof.
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no intimate personal sorrow had ever disturbed nona davis more seriously. yet these were days when one could not give way. she must continue with her work as if nothing had happened and colonel dalton had commanded that she confide in no one. yet if she could only speak of his suspicion to one single person, perhaps her own fears might be dissipated, or else, or else—here nona scarcely faced her own thought. perhaps the telling might enable the offender to escape while there was still opportunity.
she was dazed and sick when her escort assisted her to alight for the second time. yet she had a vague sensation that his eyes were gazing at her with a strange combination of amusement and sympathy. but of course she must have been dreaming, because after she had walked several yards away she thought she overheard him say, “are you the gardener’s son?” and really she had no right to believe the young officer had suddenly lost his mind.
