d, not only with the Red Cross girls
and physicians, but with a number of the French people who came in to
assist in the celebration. Beyond gifts of chocolate and bread, they
refused to accept other food, explaining that the portion of the
American army which had passed through their village earlier in the day
had given them supplies.

Yet the little French girl in whose home the celebration was taking
place would neither eat nor speak to her French acquaintances or to the
strange Americans.

Sonya and Miss Blackstone confided to each other their impression that
the little girl was probably unable to speak, fright and exhaustion
having oftentimes this effect upon highly nervous temperaments.

However, in the midst of the luncheon, suddenly the little French girl
slipped over beside the new Red Cross nurse, Nora Jamison, and took
tight hold of her hand. She even allowed her to tempt her into eating
small morsels of food.

By accident the new nurse was sitting next Sonya Clark and Sonya turned
to her, mystified by the little French girl's impetuous action.

"I wonder how you managed that, Miss Jamison?" she inquired. "I have
been trying to make friends with our little French hostess ever since my
meeting with her and she would have nothing to do with me. You seem not
to have noticed her and she has given her confidence to you."

Still holding the little French girl's hand Nora Jamison nodded.

"You will find I am a kind of Pied Piper, Mrs. Clark. I had always
nursed children before I began war work and am especially fond of them."

Sonya shook her head.

"It is Peter Pan I thought of when I first saw you. I wonder if you are
one of the lucky persons who never grow up? I've an idea you will be a
great help to us when we finally reach Germany. We don't want the German
children to think of us as ogres and one wonders what stories their
parents may now be telling them of our American soldiers."

Then so many things distracted Sonya Clark's attention that she thought
no more of the little deserted French girl until she and Bianca looked
for her to say goodby and found that the child had disappeared.

CHAPTER IV

_Luxemburg_

IN the afternoon, traveling in the direction of Belgium, there was an
unexpected movement under the broad seat of the Red Cross car which
startled its occupants.

The first exclamation came from Bianca Zoli who happened to be sitting
just over a space where a large box of provisio