The Red Cross Girls with the Russian Army | Page 8

into a refuge for the
wounded.
The long stone chamber boasted only four small windows hardly larger
than portholes and some distance from the ground. These opened with
difficulty and were protected by heavy iron bars. But then in Russia in
many private houses no window is ever voluntarily opened from
autumn until Easter, as the cold is so intense and the arrangements for
heating so crude.

Today Mildred wondered if the heavy, sick-laden air was giving her
extraordinary fancies. She kept seeing dream pictures. For as she stared
about the cold chamber of sorrow she beheld with greater distinctness
the image of her own rooms at home.
This was the hour when the maid came to light her yellow-shaded
electric candles; then she would put a fresh log on the fire and stir it to
brightness, not because the added warmth was needed in their big
steam-heated house, but because of the cheerfulness. Then would
follow her mother's invitation to drink a cup of tea with her and Dick in
the library, or would she prefer having it served in her own room?
With this thought the girl's eyes clouded for a moment. Doubtless Dick
and her mother would be having tea together this afternoon and Dick
would in all probability be trying to explain why his sister was not with
him. During her work in France and Belgium her mother and father had
been more than kind, but with this suggestion of coming into Russia to
continue her nursing both her parents had protested.
It is true that they had not actually demanded her presence at home, for
she would not have disobeyed a command. But undoubtedly they had
urged her homecoming.
Her father longed for her because of the rare affection between them
and the fact that he dreaded the conditions and experiences that might
await her and her friends in Russia. For these same reasons her mother
also desired her return, yet Mildred knew that there was another motive
actuating her mother. She might be unconscious of the fact, but if her
daughter should reappear in New York society at the present time,
because of her war experiences she would become an object of unusual
interest and attention.
At this instant the smile that appeared at the corners of the girl's mouth
banished the tired expression it had previously worn. One big thing her
war experiences had done for Mildred Thornton, it had given her a new
sense of values. Now she knew the things that counted. She had learned
to smile at her own failure as a society girl, even to understand and
forgive her mother's chagrin at the fact.

Yet Mildred was influenced in a measure to continue her work in
Europe by these trivial points of view.
Should she return home and re-enter society as her mother wished,
sooner or later she must prove a second disappointment. For she had no
social gifts; she could never learn to talk as her friends did. If questions
were asked of her she could only reply with facts, not because she was
lacking in sympathy or imagination, but because she had not the grace
of words. So with neither beauty nor charm, how could she ever even
hope to gratify her mother by securing the distinguished husband she so
desired for her?
But since there was a place in the world for bees as well as butterflies,
Mildred never meant to allow herself to grow unhappy again. She had a
real talent for nursing; her work had received only praise. So here in
Europe, where there seemed to be the greatest need of her services, she
meant to remain as long as possible. This, in spite of the alluring
picture of home which would thrust itself before her consciousness.
At this instant the boy on the bed moved and sighed and at the same
instant the American girl forgot herself. He had opened his eyes and
Mildred could see that he had become dimly conscious of his own
condition and his surroundings.
But this boy could never have been more than dimly conscious of most
things in his short life, he was so stupid and could neither read nor
write; indeed, he had a vocabulary of but a few hundred words. Peter
had been a laborer on the estates of a Polish nobleman when the call
came to arms. And so often in the past week while she had been caring
for him Mildred had been reminded of some farm animal by the way
the boy endured pain, he had been so dumb and uncomplaining.
Even now he made no attempt to speak, but as she leaned over and took
his hand Mildred realized that the boy could live but a few moments
longer.
After a little tender