"Then you think Siberia a light punishment?" Nona questioned, no longer trying to keep the bitterness out of her tones. "Well, surely you accept a friend"s misfortune easily! I have not your philosophy. I do not think I can do much, as I have no friends in Russia and no money, but as soon as I receive permission I shall go to Petrograd to be of whatever service I can."
Lieutenant Orlaff stared at the girl beside him. It was impossible to see anything but the outline of her face, yet he could observe its pallor and the sheen of her hair under the nurse"s cap. Besides, he felt the contempt she had not allowed herself to express, for the Russian is singularly proud and sensitive.
"I repeat that I am very sorry," the young officer added. "You are wrong in thinking I take Sonya Valesky"s fate lightly. Her family and mine, as I once told you, have been friends for many years. After the death of her parents my father was for a little time her guardian until she came of age. I will do what I can; I will write letters to her relatives and to people who were once her friends. But I warn you to expect nothing.
Long ago they became weary of her wild theories and have had nothing to do with her for years."
"Then all the more reason why I should do what I can. Even if I accomplish nothing, at least Sonya will have the comfort of knowing that a friend is near her during her trial," the girl said aloud, although really not addressing her companion.
During the latter part of his speech she had been thinking very rapidly.
First of all, she must ask for a leave of absence from her Red Cross nursing and explain that it was necessary for her to return to Petrograd for a time. But where was she to obtain the money for her expenses? She had nothing of her own except the few roubles which she was paid for her work and which she had forfeited when she undertook to care for Sonya Valesky. In all probability when Mildred Thornton knew her mission she could borrow the money from her. But then this would mean a delay so long that she might be of no service to Sonya. For Mildred kept only a small amount of extra money with her and would be compelled to write her father for any large sum. Weeks would pa.s.s before Judge Thornton could receive his daughter"s request and then there would be more time required for the transmission of the check.
However, besides Mildred there was Eugenia who could be appealed to for aid. There was no doubt of Eugenia"s a.s.sistance, once she learned Sonya Valesky"s story and realized why she had seemed a suspicious character to all of them in the days of their meeting on board the "Philadelphia."
But Eugenia was away off somewhere in France nursing in a Red Cross hospital near her husband"s line of trenches. It would also take time to reach Eugenia. Nevertheless she was the best person to whom to make a request.
"But what connection have you with Sonya Valesky? Why should you not be willing to leave her to her fate?" Lieutenant Orlaff had to ask the second time before Nona heard him. "You have done what you could in nursing her through a dangerous illness; friendship could expect nothing more. Besides, you are an American girl and can have only a slight acquaintance with Sonya."
Again Nona Davis did not reply immediately. How much or how little should she take the Russian officer into her confidence? However, it did not seem to her of much importance then.
"You are mistaken. I am not simply an American girl," Nona explained quietly. "My father was an American, but my mother was a Russian. She and Sonya Valesky knew each other as girls, although my mother was the older. There is a stronger tie between us than you imagine. And I have reason to believe that my mother once thought as Sonya does about many things."
"Your mother, impossible!" Michael Orlaff exclaimed, with more consternation and regret in his voice than was reasonable. "But you, surely you cherish no such ideas?"
The American girl shook her head, although she seemed to be pondering over her companion"s question before replying.
"No," she returned at last. "I have no such ideas and I believe never will have them. Even though my mother was a Russian, I am an American in all my feelings and instincts and training. Russia fascinates me, but it frightens me at the same time. Besides, it is not necessary in our country that we should teach peace and equality, because it is in those two principles that the American people most believe. If Sonya is released I mean to try and take her back to the United States with me to remain until the war is over."
"But Sonya will not be released, I have tried to make you understand,"
Lieutenant Orlaff added doggedly. "What is one woman more or less in times like these? Go to Petrograd if you will, Miss Davis. I have told you it is not wise for you and your friends to remain at Grovno. But when you reach Petrograd have nothing to do with Sonya Valesky. I have known you only a short time, yet I am your friend and I warn you.
Cannot you see that I care very much what becomes of you? You are a guest in my country; you have come to do us a service. It would be a poor return if trouble overtook you."
Nona and Lieutenant Orlaff with old Nika hobbling behind them had by this time about reached the entrance to the fortress. Nona was truly grateful. She was very tired and depressed from the day"s experiences.
Moreover, she did not understand the manner or the words of the young officer beside her. At one moment he seemed extraordinarily hard and at the next unnecessarily concerned. Nothing could happen to her in Petrograd of a serious character, but in any case her experiences could not interest Lieutenant Orlaff.
As soon as possible Nona said good-by to him. Later, in recalling their conversation, she often thought of a phrase he used: "What is one woman more or less in times like these?"
CHAPTER IX
_The Attack_
There was a great deal more for the three American Red Cross girls to confide to one another than they could find time for, soon after Nona Davis" return to the fortress.
But two evenings later it chanced that the three girls were all on day duty and therefore had the same evening and night free.
In the left wing of the fortress, near the hospital quarters, was the single, small bedroom which the three American nurses shared. Once before Nona had discovered Barbara Meade rereading one of d.i.c.k Thornton"s letters and giving way to the blues in their small, cold chamber. This evening she made the discovery a second time.
It chanced that Barbara had gotten away from her nursing first and hurried off to the only privacy that was possible under the circ.u.mstances. Because she was looking forward to a long and serious conversation with her two friends she made ready to meet the situation as comfortably as possible. This means that Barbara slipped out of her nursing uniform and into the pretty kimono that Mildred had presented her with long ago in Paris. Then, while she waited for the others, she read d.i.c.k"s and Eugenia"s latest letters once again.
At last d.i.c.k had arrived in New York City and was writing from the lovely home Barbara remembered so well. He had only been there a little while when this letter had been written, but already d.i.c.k had confided the news of his engagement to his mother and father.
Barbara could read between the lines in a characteristic feminine fashion. d.i.c.k declared that his father was delighted to hear of his happiness and that he had not forgotten that they probably owed their son"s life to the girl to whom he was now engaged.
But Judge Thornton agreed with his son--a man should be able to support his wife before he married. Therefore he meant to do all that he could to get d.i.c.k started in the right way, so that he might go ahead as quickly as possible.
d.i.c.k did not seem to feel that it would take very long to accomplish this delectable result, but to Barbara, away off in Russia, a land she both disliked and feared, the situation looked pretty indefinite.
Moreover, d.i.c.k had said nothing about the way in which his mother had received the news of a prospective daughter-in-law. This was not an oversight on d.i.c.k"s part; Barbara understood him too well to be deceived into any such impression. He and his mother were too intimate and devoted for him not to care intensely about her att.i.tude toward the girl he wished to marry. Never could he have forgotten to mention his mother"s position! No, it was merely what she had always expected. Mrs.
Thornton thoroughly disapproved of her son"s engagement and d.i.c.k would not wound the girl he loved by writing her this fact. Later there was a chance that his mother might be persuaded to change her mind. But in any case it would be easier to explain by word of mouth than coldly to set down the present situation.
Moreover, if Barbara had required further proof, she would have had it in the fact that Mrs. Thornton had not written her a single line to say either that she was glad or sorry that the daughter of her husband"s old friend had become engaged to her only son. If she had spoken of the matter to Mildred, Mildred had never referred to it, proving again that any comment from Mrs. Thornton must have been unfavorable.
While she made these reflections following the rereading of her fiance"s letter, Barbara was lying on her cot-bed with an army blanket drawn close up under her chin. Now she buried her curly head deeper in her pillow and turned from d.i.c.k"s to Eugenia"s letter.
It was difficult to think of Eugenia Peabody as Madame Castaigne, indeed as the Countess Castaigne, only neither she nor her husband would ever be induced to use their t.i.tles. The old Countess might always remain in safe possession of hers.
Barbara wondered if Eugenia was happier than she was. Then she felt ashamed of herself. Eugenia"s husband was every instant in danger of losing his life, while d.i.c.k had only returned to the United States, where he was now safe in his own home. Yet Eugenia"s letter made no complaints. She mentioned having seen Captain Castaigne once in the past month, when he had received a leave of absence of twenty-four hours and had hurried to her.
No, Eugenia"s letter was chiefly devoted, as all her previous letters had been, to her interest and concern in the three American Red Cross girls. She wished them to return immediately to France and to the old chateau, where the Countess Castaigne would be only too happy to shelter them. Later, if they wished, they could find other Red Cross work to do in France. But Russia was not a country where the girls should have gone at this time, and certainly not without her to look after them.
Moreover, the news from the Russian lines grew more and more alarming.
Everywhere the Germans seemed to be conquering. It was disheartening after the Russian triumphs at the beginning of the war. The letter closed with a final plea: would Barbara do her best to persuade Nona and Mildred that they should as soon as possible come back to France. There would be no cowardice or desertion of duty in leaving Russia at present, only discretion and good sense.
And upon this point of view Barbara was reflecting when Nona found her.
Personally Barbara agreed with Eugenia and wished that Nona and Mildred would join her in withdrawing from Russia whenever they could best be spared. But she could not decide whether she ought to thrust her point of view upon her friends since she was uncertain whether her judgment or her desire most swayed her.
France would be so much nearer New York and therefore d.i.c.k"s letters could be so much more frequent. Then there was the Countess Castaigne, to whom she could pour out all her heartburnings. Moreover, there was the chance of every now and then seeing her beloved Eugenia.
But Barbara also remembered that she had always been the least brave and determined of the four American nurses ever since their arrival in Europe. Should she reveal herself in the selfsame light again?
At this instant Nona snuggled under the blanket beside the younger girl.
The Russian winter was fast approaching and frequently it was bitterly cold. Besides, there were no chairs in the Red Cross girls" bedroom, only the three beds and some stools, so it was simpler to lie down than be seated.
"I have a long story to tell you, Bab, and I want your advice, only I think we had best wait for Mildred, so you may not have to hear everything twice," Nona began.
"You mean about Sonya Valesky?" Barbara queried. Of course Nona had told her two friends of Sonya"s arrest, but had not been able to go into the details of the story, nor had she mentioned her own intentions. Very possibly both the girls would disapprove, as Lieutenant Orlaff had done, of her becoming more closely involved with Sonya Valesky"s history.
Fortunately Mildred appeared at the door without further delay.
But when she entered the room, both of her companions could see that she also had something of importance upon her mind which she wished to discuss at once.
Instead of lying down, Mildred immediately seated herself upon the edge of her cot, facing her friends. Then she drew her own blanket up around her shoulders.
"Girls," she began, "I don"t usually do the talking, but I want both of you to listen to me for a few moments tonight. I have been trying to speak of this for several days, and if I don"t tell you now the order may come when you are wholly unprepared. We are to be sent back to Petrograd as soon as a safe escort can be found for us."
"Sent back to Petrograd! Thank fate for even so much!" Barbara whispered under the cover. "Petrograd might be the beginning of a return journey to France."