Part 11 (1/2)

”Have you many beds?”

”Have theythe coh to do as it is!” is the false, cloaking answer that each Sister gives to the other

But hed atsince we've had a convoy

The gallants of the ward showed annoyance New ether and played bridge

A little flying boy with bright eyes said in his high, piping voice tointo the ward to-night!”

I paused, struck by his accusing eyes

”What do you mean? Soldiers?”

”I allants raised their eyebrows and grew uproarious

The gallants have been saying unprofessional things to ainst theht o'clock, nine o'clock If only one could eat so to pay it back out of my tea next day, and stole round to the dark corner near the German ward to eat it The Germans were in bed; I could see two of them At last, freed from their uniform, the dark blue with the scarlet soup-plates, they looked--how strange!--like other men

One was asleep The other, I met his eyes so close; but I was in the dark, and he under the light of a la down at the station two miles away; I had been on station duty so often The rickety country station lit by one large la wooden table loaded withon; that frowsy booking clerk

Then the sharp bell, the trah the station, and at last the two engines drawing gravely across the lighted doorway, and carriage s filled with eager faces, other carriage ith beds slung across them, a vast Red Cross, a chemist's shop, a theatre, more s, more faces

The stretcher-men are lined up; the MO meets the MO with the train; the train Sisters drift in to the coffee-table

”Here they come! Walkers first”

The station entrance is full of s of tea and coffee; ed feet; s, bound arms The station, for five minutes, is full of jokes and witticis chars-a-bancs

A long pause

”Stretchers!”