Part 10 (1/2)

”I can't see it,” said Zaidos.

As he spoke, another dull roar marked the falling of a second sh.e.l.l.

”I don't see why they start up to-night,” said Zaidos. ”I wonder if that did any damage.”

”They want to worry us enough so that the men will lose sleep,” said a soldier standing near. ”But no one will bother about a few sh.e.l.ls.

The men will get into the bomb proof shelters until daylight. It is a waste of ammunition as it is.”

An orderly entered with a written call for a nurse for the First Aid Station. Nurse Helen was called to the Head Nurse and in a moment came hurrying back to Zaidos.

”They have sent for me now,” she said. ”I suppose some other cases have come in.”

”I'll go back with you,” offered Zaidos, and together they stumbled along through the rapidly gathering dusk.

Three more men had been hurt, and when they had finally been sent back to the hospital, it was almost midnight.

Zaidos found Helen sitting at the opening of the shelter, looking up at the stars. She made room for him on the plank.

”I'm thinking hard about home, John,” she said. ”One's viewpoint changes so. I wish I knew that I have done right to come here and leave my parents and little sister. I'm just _so_ lonely and troubled to-night that I have half a mind to tell you my story.”

”I wish you would,” said Zaidos, ”if you _feel_ like telling me. I told you all about myself, and it would make me feel sort as if I was really am old friend of yours if _you_ told _me_ things, _too_.”

”Of course,” said Helen. ”I know how you feel. Well, John, you know, don't you, that we are certainly in for an attack as soon as it is daylight? Perhaps before, because the enemy has searchlights that make it easy for them to bother us in the dark. I know they are expecting a big battle because this is a much coveted position. A great number of fresh troops are on the way here. I learned that to-night, and that looks serious, because we have our full quota of men here now. They are going to change s.h.i.+fts all night. So there will doubtless be heavy work for the Red Cross people, and much of that may be field work.

And, John, it may be that never again will you and I sit talking together.”

”Nonsense!” said Zaidos. ”Don't talk like that! You are too sweet and pretty to die, and _I_ can't die because I have got such a lot to do.”

Helen shook her head. ”I don't say that we will,” she said. ”But boys as busy as you, and women nicer than I could ever dream of being, have gone out into the dark--crowds of them, in this war.”

Zaidos saw that she was deep in one of the black moods that sometimes comes over the sunniest natures.

”Well, never mind,” he said. ”You are going to tell me who you are, and all about things, and we are going to have the nicest sort of a visit, if we sit up all night.”

”I shall have to sit up anyway,” said Helen. ”I'm on night duty.”

”Well, then so am I,” said Zaidos, ”so begin!”

”Our home is in Devons.h.i.+re,” said Helen. ”My father is rector of a large parish there. Everything for miles and miles around belongs to the Earl of Hazelden. He has three children, a girl and two boys, and we grew up together. We liked the same sports, and enjoyed the same pleasures. The daughter, Marion, who is only a year younger than I am, went to school with me near London, and afterwards to France where we were perfected in languages. My sister is four years younger than I, so in those days she did not really count. I forgot to say that my mother was well born, and had a large fortune in her own name, so we were able to live better and have more luxuries than a clergyman can usually provide. Of course we lived simply, but we could afford the best and most exclusive schools, and I had horses to ride that were exactly as good as the Hazelden children's.

”At last Marion and I returned from school, our education finished.

Ellston Hazelden, the eldest son, was in the army, of course, and Frank, the second, was in London studying law. At Christmas Ellston came home on leave, and Frank came down from London. Oh, John, I wish you knew Ellston! He is the finest--there is _no_ one like him! Of course _any_ girl would have fallen in love with him. I did. Oh, I did indeed! I shall never see him again, John, and I am not ashamed to tell you how I loved him and how I will always love him.”

”Well, then--” interrupted Zaidos.

She silenced him. ”Let me tell you the rest. I loved him, and when he told me that he loved me and wanted me to marry him, it seemed the sweetest, most natural thing in the world. I suppose here you think will come in the dark plot of the simple rector's daughter, and the haughty Earl who thinks she is not good enough for his son and heir.

It was not a _bit_ like that. Lord and Lady Hazelden were adorable.

They came and welcomed me with open arms, and Lord Hazelden said he had been planning it ever since we were little tots!

”John, it just seemed as though they could not do enough for us. Lady Hazelden was in deep mourning for her mother, so we decided not to announce our engagement for six months. Then in three months more we would marry. Every day the Hazeldens drove over with some beautiful plan for our happiness. They had one entire wing of the castle done over for us. Ellston came down often as he could.”