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Red Cross Girls in Belgium

<h2>CHAPTER IV Plans for the Future</h2> The moon shone down upon Belgium as serenely as upon any unconquered land. Two girls were walking slowly arm in arm along a stretch of country road. There was no one else in sight at the time, yet they seemed entirely unafraid. A quarter of a mile beyond them, however, a dim light burned in the window of a small frame house. Near it was a tumbled mass of brick and stone. "We received our orders for work this afternoon, Eugenia dear," Barbara remarked. "They were sorry you were not with us. But you are to come in to headquarters as soon as possible, when arrangements will be made for you." Unconsciously Barbara sighed and although it was too dark in the moonlight to distinguish the expression on her face, her companion paused for a moment. [Pg 48] "Are you disappointed in what they wish you to do, Barbara, child?" Eugenia inquired more gently than she usually spoke. "You sound rather forlorn and 'wee' as the Scotch sometimes say. Of course, I know you are tired from the long trip into Brussels and coming here to spend the night with me. It is lovely to have you for this quiet walk, but I'm afraid you'll find a bed on the floor a pretty hard resting place even for war times." "Oh, I shan't mind. Besides, I brought over some more bed-clothes," the younger girl answered, although her attention was not really fixed upon her reply. Eugenia had guessed correctly in thinking Barbara was tired. Her face was very small and white, so that her eyes appeared almost unnaturally large and blue. Her only color was in her lips, which drooped like a weary child's. "Oh, yes, the work is all right. One can't expect an easy time of it these days. Besides, I hope some day to prove to you, Eugenia, that I did not come to Europe to nurse in the Red Cross just for the sake[Pg 49] of an adventure. Of course, I shall never dare hope to do anything to compare with what you have done, or to be anything like you, but——" Barbara's speech was interrupted by her friend's hand being laid firmly across her lips. "I prefer your not saying things like that," she answered in a tone that the other girl felt obliged to respect. It was not that Eugenia was unduly modest. Only that she had never appeared to desire to talk about her final experience in France. Indeed, the other three girls had been provoked before this by her reticence. It was all very well for Eugenia not to discuss before strangers her rescue and care of Captain Castaigne under such extraordinary difficulties. But it was tiresome of her never to be willing to relate the details of her experience to her most intimate companions. Personally, Barbara Meade intended to hear the whole thing some day from beginning to end. Then she would be able to tell the story to the Countess Amelie, who had become her own[Pg 50] and Nona's devoted friend. For Captain Castaigne had given only a brief account of the circumstances to his mother. Actually he had been as reticent in the matter as Eugenia. However, Barbara was not in the mood tonight to demand other people's confessions. "If you are tired, suppose we sit down for a while," Eugenia suggested. The two girls found a tree near by that had been uprooted by an underground explosion and lay face down upon the earth with its arms outspread, like a defeated giant. Unconsciously they both sighed with relief and then smiled half humorously at each other. "We are all to work at the same hospital in Brussels," Barbara went on. "At least, Mildred and Nona and I have been chosen for the same place. I don't know about you. Thank goodness, it is an American hospital and supported by our money!" "Don't be prejudiced," Eugenia remonstrated. But Barbara shook her head impatiently. "How can one help being? You are only[Pg 51] pretending to yourself that you are neutral. If the Germans had been conquered, perhaps I should feel equally sorry for them. But to me Belgium is like a gallant boy who went out with his head up and his lips smiling to do battle with a giant. The courage of it is like a song!" In silence Eugenia agreed. Then Barbara leaned her curly brown head on her companion's arm. "I have a piece of news for you, Gene," she added. "Really, I came to you tonight to be the first to tell you. Who do you think arrived in Brussels today to help with the American Relief work?" Barbara did not wait for an answer to her question. "Dick Thornton!" she finished with a sudden indrawing of her breath. The older girl did not glance toward her companion. Her attention seemed to be fixed upon a particularly effective June moon which was just emerging from a cloud-like veil. "That is tremendously good news, isn't it? And it is great of Dick to insist on being useful in spite of his misfortune![Pg 52] But perhaps I am not so surprised as you think I ought to be, Barbara. Nona half confessed the possibility of his turning up to me several days ago. She told me I was not to speak of this, however, to you, because Dick might not be able to come and he did not wish—" Eugenia hesitated a second—"he did not wish Mildred to be disappointed. Now I am particularly glad you are all to be in Brussels. Perhaps you may have a chance to see Dick nearly as often as you like." "Yes, it will be awfully nice for Mildred and Nona and I am delighted for them," Barbara interrupted, moving several feet away from her friend. "But I do hope you will be with us, Eugenia, to associate with me! I hate to be in the way. And I am afraid I will be, under the circumstances." The younger girl had lowered her voice to the purest confidential tone. Then, although they were quite alone, she looked carefully around before going on. "Perhaps I haven't any right to say so, but I am almost sure there is a bond[Pg 53] between Nona Davis and Dick. I didn't dream of this when we were in Paris together. But I know they have been writing each other constantly ever since. Besides, if you had seen their meeting today!" She ceased talking, for Eugenia was shaking her head in doubt. "But isn't Nona one of the prettiest girls you ever saw and the most charming?" Barbara demanded argumentatively the next instant. She seemed almost angry at the older girl's silent disagreement. This time Eugenia inclined her head. "I have no idea of disputing Nona's beauty or charm, or Dick Thornton's either. He is a splendid American fellow. And if one of you Red Cross girls must fall in love, certainly I should prefer you to fall in love with Dick. However, at present I simply don't believe there is an affair between Dick and Nona." "But you'll see in time," Barbara persisted. "Yes, I'll see in time," Eugenia concluded. [Pg 54] Then Barbara crept closer again. "The moonlight, or something, makes me feel dismal," she confided. "I don't know why, but the moon gives me the blues far more than it ever makes me romantic. Sometimes I wonder if we will ever get back home safely, all of us, without any illness or sorrow or anything," Barbara ended vaguely. Eugenia could be a remarkably comforting person when she liked. She made no reply at the moment, only drew the younger girl toward her. "Now I have something to tell you, Barbara. It is good of you to wish me to be in Brussels with you, but I'm really not much good as a companion. You girls are ever so much happier without me, I feel sure, or I wouldn't desert you." "Desert us?" Barbara stiffened at once, forgetting the other subject of their conversation. "You don't mean, Eugenia Peabody, that you have decided to give up the Red Cross work and go back home? You, of all of us! I simply won't believe it.[Pg 55] Why, I thought you were the most devoted, the most——" Eugenia laughed half-heartedly. "I didn't say I was going home, Barbara," she protested. "But you are right in thinking I mean to give up my Red Cross work, at least if I am allowed to resign. I don't know why, but recently I don't seem to feel the same fondness for nursing. I kind of dread a great many things about it." Barbara laid her hand caressingly upon Eugenia's knee. Really Eugenia was growing so surprisingly human these days that one could scarcely recall the old Eugenia. "Oh, that is just because you are tired. I know you have always denied this, but you have never been exactly the same since your siege with Captain Castaigne. The responsibility and the work were too much for you. I don't think he was ever half grateful enough! The idea of his joining his regiment without coming to say good-by to you—just writing a letter! Promise me you will go quietly away somewhere[Pg 56] and rest for a few weeks, Eugenia. Then I know you'll feel like getting back into harness again. Really, I need you to be with us. I haven't any backbone unless you are around to make me afraid of you." Eugenia shook her head. "Perhaps I shall not be very far away and we may be able to see each other now and then. I have been thinking of a scheme for several days, almost ever since we came into Belgium. You remember I told you I had a good deal of money, but did not always know just how to spend it. Well, I have found a way here. I am going to get a big house and I am going to fill it full to overflowing with the Belgian babies and all the children who need an old maid mother to look after them. And I think I found the very house I need today. It is an old place that is supposed to be haunted and is far away from everything else. But it is big and has an old veranda. Perhaps I'll still be doing Red Cross work if I take care of well babies as well as sick ones. Do you think I'll make a great failure as a mother, Bab?" she ended. [Pg 57] Without replying Barbara's answer was yet sufficiently reassuring. At the same time she was wondering if these past few months had changed Eugenia as much as she appeared to be changed. But perchance she had always been mistaken in her view of her. Then both girls started suddenly to their feet. For the little French girl, Nicolete, had come upon them unawares. She gave Barbara a glance revealing but little affection. Then beckoning Eugenia mysteriously aside she soon ran off again like a sprite in the moonlight. <hr /> [Pg 58] <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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