I hope I can make you understand. I suppose I should have confided in some one before, but until a few hours ago I did not feel that I had the privilege."
Sally"s golden brown eyes with the heavy upcurling lashes, which gave to her face the expression of unusual softness, were now gazing upward into Miss Patricia"s. The latter"s eyes were gallant also and steadfast, nor did Sally find them so distrustful as she had antic.i.p.ated.
"Very well, my dear, go on with your story. I thought Alice was too much excited," Miss Patricia returned, seating herself in her upright chair, as Sally seemed to prefer her to be seated.
Then with her little dressing gown wrapped about her as if it had been a Roman toga, Sally told the history of the past weeks, her unexpected discovery of the wounded soldier amid the ruins of the old French chateau, her belief that he was a runaway prisoner and notwithstanding this, her effort, with Jean"s a.s.sistance, to restore him to health.
Sally"s explanation was less confused than her conversation with the French soldier a short time before. However, since that hour many things had become clearer in her own mind. She did not break down until her story was completed and only then when she turned toward her sister.
"I don"t know, Alice, what you and the other Camp Fire girls have been thinking of me, and I don"t believe I care to guess. I know you have not been generous. But since I don"t wish to discuss the subject with any one save Aunt Patricia, and with Tante of course when she returns, I wish you would offer the other girls any interpretation of my behavior you care to give."
At this Sally"s voice broke in spite of her efforts at self-control.
When Alice made a step toward her with her arms outstretched to ask forgiveness, Sally stepped back only to find herself enfolded by Miss Patricia and to hear Miss Patricia declare:
"I think it would be wiser, Alice, for you to leave Sally and me alone for a little time; she is tired and unstrung. If you and the other girls have been unfair, you will have an opportunity to apologize later. Then Sally herself will feel more inclined to be reasonable."
Afterwards, when Alice had reluctantly disappeared, unexpectedly Sally found herself seated as if she were a child in Aunt Patricia"s lap and listening to a very wise and tender conversation, one she was never to forget, from a woman of deep and broad experience.
When she grew less disturbed Aunt Patricia made no effort not to scold Sally for her unwisdom and her lack of reliance upon older judgment than her own. But the great fact was that Aunt Patricia was never unfair, that she had no sentimental suspicions and made no accusations with which Sally could not fairly agree.
In their half hour together Sally Ashton learned to appreciate for the rest of her life Aunt Patricia"s value, learned to understand why Mrs.
Burton cared for her so devotedly and considered her a tower of strength in adversity. In this uncertain world in which we live there are fair weather and foul weather friends. Miss Patricia belonged to the number who not only fail to strike other people when they are down, but who spend all their energy and strength in the effort to lift them up again.
Later on the other Camp Fire girls were also to form a new estimate of Miss Patricia"s character, but simply by force of circ.u.mstance Sally was the first one of them to be admitted inside the stern citadel with which the elderly spinster surrounded her great heart.
"In the morning, Sally, when you have rested, and if I were you, child, I would spend this afternoon in bed, why I intend to walk over with you to your chateau and make the acquaintance of your soldier. If he is a gentleman my dear, or even if he is a real man, I mean to bring him here to the farm house to remain as our guest until he has completely recovered. Now, don"t argue with me, Sally. Mrs. Burton will tell you that I am a hopeless old woman with whom to have an argument. I simply never do any one"s way except my own. I do not wish to discuss this side of the situation with you to any extent, but don"t you see, my dear, that it is better for you that we have your soldier here? No one shall think your friends have not understood and approved of your care of this young Frenchman."
Sally murmured her acquiescence and her grat.i.tude. Yet suddenly she felt that she wished never again to see the young officer who for the past few weeks had been her constant thought and care.
He had recovered sufficiently no longer to need her services and although he was not wilfully responsible, nevertheless he had given her a great deal of care and trouble.
"Of course you must do what you think best, Aunt Patricia," Sally added a moment later, as she was preparing to start to her own room. "But don"t you think we had best wait until Tante"s return?"
Aunt Patricia shook her head.
"What Polly Burton may think or desire in the matter will not have the slightest influence with me. She cheerfully surrendered you girls into my charge in order to make this trip, of which she knew I thoroughly disapproved. However, in spite of the fact that I am very angry with her, I do not wish any one else to feel uneasy, although I shall not have a happy moment until she returns."
CHAPTER XVII
TWO OFFICERS
A week later two young officers were guests at the farm house on the Aisne, one of them an American aerial lieutenant, the other a lieutenant in the French cavalry.
Following his telegram within a few days, Lieutenant Ralph Marshall had arrived to spend a short furlough, ostensibly with the entire group of American Camp Fire girls, although in reality his visit was to Peggy Webster. Notwithstanding the fact that he and Peggy were not supposed to be engaged, chiefly because of Peggy"s youth, they shared a different conviction from their families.
The other young officer was none other than "Sally"s soldier." Absurd as the t.i.tle appeared, particularly to Sally herself, nevertheless under this name he was discussed secretly and at length in the Camp Fire household.
Toward late afternoon on the day after Sally"s enforced confession, accompanied only by Old Jean, Miss Patricia Lord had tramped across the fields to the French chateau and had there interviewed its inmate with a directness and a searchlight quality worthy of a public prosecutor.
As a result she had received more valuable information than Sally Ashton had acquired in the hour of their mutual and confused avowal. Among other things Miss Patricia had learned that the wounded officer"s extraordinary outfit was due to the fact that he believed it would make his escape more feasible.
But whatever the details of his story, he was able to inspire Miss Patricia with sufficient interest and faith to admit him as a temporary guest at the farm house in spite of the absence of Mrs. Burton.
However, although undoubtedly a guest, he was a guest according to rules and restrictions laid down and adhered to by Miss Patricia and her household.
In the first place, until he had completely recovered he was to remain in his room at the farm house, cared for only by old Jean with occasional visits from Miss Patricia. Under no circ.u.mstances was he to see or meet for the present a single one of the Camp Fire girls. This rule was particularly to be observed with regard to Sally Ashton.
Miss Patricia made no effort to conceal her intention of making a thorough investigation of the account of his life the French officer had imparted to her. She knew it would not be so difficult to verify his statements. It was possible to communicate with the commander of his regiment and also his friends, as he claimed to have lived in the French country not many miles away from their neighborhood in the valley of the Aisne. After his recovery doubtless he would be able to find a number of his former acquaintances by returning to his old home.
It was in his favor that the French officer entirely agreed with Miss Patricia"s att.i.tude in every particular save one. But he was wise enough not to argue with her concerning this. In truth, thirty-six hours after his installation at the farm house, the young Frenchman and Miss Patricia had become surprisingly intimate friends. One could explain this by stating that the officer had a delightful sense of humor and a valuable appreciation of character. Miss Patricia announced that no friendship could have been possible between them if Lieutenant Fleury"s mother had not had the good sense to have him taught English by an English governess when he was a small boy. His accent Miss Patricia considered as peculiar as her own French one, nevertheless they were able to understand each other amazingly well.
One brilliant morning Miss Patricia entered the French officer"s room bearing a cup of bouillon to find him staring out a window which he had just opened in order to let in the air and for another purpose which Miss Patricia instantly suspected.
"Breaking parole," she commented tersely.
The young officer had not heard her entrance. In return he swung round and laughed.
"Is that fair, Miss Lord? A cat may look at a king, _comme ca_ why not at a number of queens? Besides, don"t you realize it is a miracle for a French soldier to be able to dream that these devastated fields of France are soon to become green and fruitful again? Having lost everything in the early days of the German invasion, my family, home, my small fortune, nevertheless I rejoice that for other French soldiers there may be a happier future when they return to their former homes, thanks to the great hearts of the American people!"
The young officer"s deep feeling and his quiet self-contained manner caused a lump to rise in Miss Patricia"s throat and a mist before her eyes. Therefore her manner became more belligerent than ever.
"Here, sit down and drink this," she commanded. "I suppose you consider that you have entirely recovered your strength and that I am the veriest old termagant not to permit you to enjoy your convalescence with a group of more or less charming American girls. But as a matter of fact I am really protecting you as well as the girls. We have lived without masculine society, unless you wish to count old Jean, ever since our arrival at the farm house. So whatever your impression, I am afraid you would soon be overpowered with attention once I allowed you to leave this room."
Lieutenant Fleury finished his bouillon with a proper degree of grat.i.tude and enthusiasm before replying.
Afterwards he gazed at Miss Patricia for several moments in silence as if carefully considering a number of important matters.
The young French officer was of more than medium height, had dark eyes and hair, and except when he was talking, his expression was grave and sad. His arm remained bandaged.
"Miss Patricia, I do not wish to meet _all_ your Camp Fire girls. I agree with you I am not strong enough to make myself agreeable to them.
But I do wish to see _one_ of them again. You are aware that I mean Miss Ashton. If ever a man had cause to be grateful to a girl-----"
"Nonsense!" Miss Patricia interrupted, picking up the empty cup as if she were intending to leave the room immediately. "Sally was a goose and ran the risk of being the death of you instead of saving your life as you like to think. Besides, she has not the slightest desire to see you; she told me this herself. She feels now that she was ridiculous. She should never have paid any attention to the disjointed tale of an ill man, or to the promise which you seem to have exacted of the poor child in your original interview. As for being grateful to Sally, that is also a waste of energy when you have none too much to spare. The one dream of every girl in the world these days is to be allowed the privilege of caring for a good-looking soldier. Sally had her opportunity under particularly romantic and nonsensical circ.u.mstances. Besides, men will always be grateful to Sally Ashton for something or other as long as she lives, grateful because she is pretty and soft and selfish and, dear me, I suppose she is what one calls essentially feminine! I confess I have rather a tender feeling toward the child myself."
And without further answer to his request Miss Patricia hurriedly departed.
Outdoors at the same time Sally was occupied in the garden digging in a desultory fashion. As soon as there was no further danger of the ground freezing the Camp Fire girls were planning to plant a garden.
Sally was alone at her task and alone because she preferred solitude.
After her fantastic escapade had been disclosed to the other Camp Fire girls, those of them who had been particularly annoyed by her mysterious behavior were frankly regretful of their condemnation. They did not whole-heartedly approve of what she had done, but no one doubted Sally"s good intention or the unselfishness of her motive. Aside from Yvonne, whose att.i.tude continued puzzled and distrustful, each girl individually had approached Sally with a carefully veiled apology. However, Sally, who was not in a friendly state of mind toward the world at present, received their advances coldly.
The only two persons whose opinion she really valued were Aunt Patricia"s and Mrs. Burton"s. Aunt Patricia had been kinder and more understanding than any human being could have dreamed possible. Mrs.
Burton had not yet returned from her journey into southern France.
Indeed, no word had been heard from her in a number of days, so that not alone did Aunt Patricia suffer from uneasiness. The great German drive so long expected was fanning the long line of the French battlefront into fiercer and more terrorizing flames. At any hour the greatest struggle in human history would once more burst upon the world.