but between eight and nine o’clock on that same evening eugenia opened her eyes. she was unable to think clearly at first and stared in amazement at the canopy of blue sky above her head. what had become of the familiar ceiling of her room at the farmhouse?
but then her head was aching dully so that it made her more uncomfortable to try to think at all. she did not even wish to call for the other girls, because barbara would probably come to her in a little while. she remembered that barbara had been especially kind when she had just such another absurd headache a short time before.
closing her eyes again, eugenia rested. but something warm and soft seemed to be moving about near her face, breathing over her in a curious, enveloping fashion[203] impossible from a human being. it was like a damp cloud.
putting out her hand, eugenia touched duke’s moist nose, and then almost instantly returned to a knowledge of the situation.
she recalled in detail the events of the past afternoon, but could find no explanation for her own presence here upon the ground among the wounded. for she was not suffering sufficient pain to suggest that she had been shot by a stray rifle ball from the enemy’s lines. moreover, eugenia found that she could move both her arms and legs without difficulty. they were stiff, but that may have been due either to fatigue or to her position upon the earth. however, the ache in her head continued so that eugenia put up her fingers to her temple. there was a curious something clotted on her hair at the left side, which she at once knew to be blood.
then she understood what had happened. a piece of shell from an exploding bomb must have struck and stunned her into unconsciousness. however, it must have[204] come from such a distance that it had spent its force, for she was not seriously injured. already the slight scalp wound had closed and was no longer bleeding.
eugenia rose up slowly to a sitting position, realizing fully the gravity of her situation. yet she would not allow herself to reflect upon its horrors. she must decide what she should best do. would it be wiser to stay where she was for the rest of the night or try to seek assistance? yet what had taken place in the countryside during the afternoon while she lay in a stupor? were the french or the germans in possession of the neighborhood?
however, eugenia was not to be allowed to reach her decision alone. for no sooner had she gotten up than duke once more began pulling at her dress, very softly at first, as one who has respect for an invalid, but no less insistently.
a dog’s devotion and a dog’s persistence are two qualities worthy of human admiration and wonder.
at this moment eugenia felt both. she laid her hand quietly and affectionately on duke’s head.
[205]
“i can’t go with you again. i am too used up, duke, to help you find your friend. you would simply have another victim on your hands. but you need stay with me no longer. i shall wait here for you until daylight.”
but though eugenia waved her hand in token of dismissal and farewell, the dog did not leave her, although he seemed to appreciate the fact that she was unable to accompany him. for he gave up his hold on her and merely sat down reflectively by her side, as if he too were trying to decide what course it was wise to pursue.
it was plain that duke was wretchedly unhappy. if he could not show his grief in a human fashion, he had his own especial methods. when eugenia put her arm about his body she could feel the anguished beating of his heart.
“i wonder who it can be, duke, that you wish to find so ardently?” the girl questioned. “surely some one whom you love very deeply! i am sorry to be so useless and it is dreadful to think of your friend’s long waiting for your return, so[206] you must go, duke, even if i cannot go with you. then if you are no longer needed, come back to me.”
eugenia made this long speech aloud in a pleading tone, nevertheless she again discovered that it was easier to say what this great dog should do than to force him to obey one’s will.
yet while eugenia was reflecting upon this fact she had her moment of inspiration. she knew that in many parts of the army dogs had been trained for searching out the wounded. only a short time before in the papers distributed by the french red cross society she had read that these dogs were sent forth with long ropes tied about their necks, so that when possible the wounded were thus dragged to places of aid.
eugenia had no rope, but one often wonders why women are accused of being without inventive talents. so far it is true that only a few of their inventions have been of world value; to find them one must seek among the homes. this american girl at once slipped off her long[207] cloth nursing coat. it was of strong, well-woven material, yet she managed within a few moments to tear it into strips and then to knot the strips firmly together.
then she tied the long cord about duke’s neck. one could not tell whether the dog would understand his mission, or whether the rope would be of service when duke reached his goal. yet in every uncertainty in life one must simply attempt the thing that seems most intelligent. and eugenia felt convinced that duke would bring his friend back to her. then she could decide on what should be done next.
duke did seem to understand, for as soon as eugenia had finished her task and commanded him to be gone, he trotted obediently off until his great shadow was lost in the distance.
then the girl lay down again. she had natural self-control and her nursing had taught her even more. she must sleep if possible and in any case not let herself dwell on her own presence here within the field of the dead.
when eugenia closed her eyes the moon[208] had not risen and the night was fairly dark. half an hour later, when she reopened them, a full moon had flooded the field with light. she could see duke approaching at some yards away. he was moving slowly and it was difficult at first to find out the reason. eugenia rose quickly to her feet. yes, it was evident now: he was drawing someone along behind him.
the girl walked forward to meet the dog and his burden. then, although she had been growing daily more accustomed to war and its inevitable sorrows, she stopped and drew in her breath sharply. the next instant eugenia had forgotten everything but that she was a red cross nurse whose purpose was to do whatever she could to relieve suffering.
the figure that the dog dragged along on the ground had the face turned downward. but when she lifted the body up eugenia was not surprised to recognize in the white, still features, the face of young captain henri castaigne. all along she had thought it probable that duke could feel no such intense devotion for any one save his master.
[209]
after the dog’s return the young officer had somehow managed to tie the long strip of cloth about his own body. he must have realized that he would lose consciousness on his journey to find succor, for he had been cruelly wounded in both legs.
never before had eugenia felt more painfully helpless. there were so many things which should be done for the young soldier at once and she was so unable to do any one of them.
of course, she knelt and felt the action of his pulse and heart, finding neither so feeble as she had feared. then eugenia, who was given to definite actions, made another decision.
it would be impossible to be of service to captain castaigne here in an open field with no water near, so far as she knew. she had a little in the canteen in her pocket, but this would only be enough for him to drink and would certainly be insufficient for the cleansing of his wounds. besides, even with the use of the small flashlight every red cross nurse carries, she was unable to discover whether the rifle balls[210] were still imbedded in her patient’s flesh. certainly he must be carried to some place where he could receive proper attention, but in the meantime eugenia thanked providence that she had with her her bag of first aid appliances. it had been strapped about her waist while she sat under the tree earlier in the day, waiting to start out with the field hospital staff. until now she had no thought or use for it.
eugenia used the necessary antiseptics and then bound the wounds as carefully as possible. but she made no effort to bring her patient back to consciousness. for the purpose she had in mind it would be best that he feel and know as little as possible.
once her task accomplished eugenia again wound her improvised rope about captain castaigne’s waist. again she signaled duke to start upon a journey, but this time she formed a member of the little party.
her idea was to get the wounded officer back in the neighborhood of the field hospital, and then if she could find no aid there, somehow to reach their own farmhouse.[211] from there word could be sent to the chateau.
but the trip was a terrible one and took longer hours than one could have imagined. now and then eugenia would try to assist by supporting the young officer’s body with her own strength. but as she could not lift him entirely this only seemed to make the task more difficult for the devoted duke. often they were obliged to stop and then eugenia would kneel down beside the body to find out if the young man was still alive.
it was about dawn when they arrived at last in the neighborhood of the former french field hospital, where the four american girls had been nursing. but eugenia found few traces of the hospital left. everywhere in the vicinity the ground had been trampled under foot. the white tents had been folded, and like the proverbial arabian tents, had silently stolen away. neither was there a single human being about.
however, eugenia had anticipated this. but she had also steadfastly hoped that here upon more familiar ground she might make some useful discovery.
[212]
ordering duke to remain quiet beside his burden, eugenia started upon a pilgrimage. she must find something to make the trip to the farmhouse more endurable, more possible for the young french soldier. yet she could not make up her mind to desert him in order to seek for help.
at first, the girl could, of course, find nothing. but by wandering around on the outskirts of the grounds, where the deserted hospital had formerly stood, eugenia finally came across an old wheelbarrow. it had been used for bringing vegetables to the hospital staff, and being of no value had been left behind.
scarcely an ideal motor ambulance for a wounded officer. nevertheless eugenia seized upon the wheelbarrow with almost as much enthusiasm as if it had been. for at least it had wheels and she would be able to push it.
naturally this was a hard task, but one should not think upon the difficulty when a task is to be accomplished.
the blue front door of the little farmhouse was standing open when eugenia[213] reached home. half lifting and half dragging her patient, she finally succeeded in placing him upon a small couch in their living room.
then, being the methodical person she was, eugenia went directly to the kitchen, made herself a cup of coffee and drank it. for her strength had almost given out and she knew not what work might lie ahead of her.
