treaty which
declared her country neutral, once the Germans had entered her duchy the
Grand Duchess had appeared to sympathize with the invaders.

Now, whether it was the world talk of democracy, the victory of the
allies, or the old love of the little duchy of Luxemburg for France, the
people of the small kingdom were assuredly considering a change of
government.

Yet this problem did not trouble or affect the affairs of the Red Cross
hospital. Nor did the little Countess Charlotta appear deeply
interested, insisting that her family would make the same effort to
compel her marriage without regard to political reforms.

Certainly the young Luxemburg countess, whatever her upbringing, was not
a reserved character. Instead she seemed to love nothing so well as to
discuss her own past, present and future with the group of American
girls and to have them tell her as much as they would of their own
histories.

One way or another apparently the Countess Charlotta was in the habit of
managing to do what she liked.

The thing she wished at present was to remain as long as possible at the
American Red Cross hospital.

It was true at first the two Red Cross physicians who had been her
rescuers advised against her removal from the hospital. Influenced by
them, or perhaps sharing their view, her own physician had given the
same opinion. But now a number of days having passed without fresh
complications, undoubtedly the Countess Charlotta might have returned
home had she so desired.

Yet since she did not so desire and declined to stir from her bed,
naturally Sonya felt obliged to insist upon her remaining until she had
completely recovered.

The old house in which the Red Cross was now established Sonya had since
learned was the property of the girl who was in a sense an accidental
patient.

The Countess Charlotta was not a troublesome invalid, Sonya's chief
difficulty being that the Red Cross girls so enjoyed the newcomer's
society it was difficult to keep them out of her room during any of
their spare moments.

Certainly she was brave and made as little as possible of her physical
suffering, and then her insatiate curiosity about American girls was a
charm in itself.

As a matter of fact it was Charlotta who soon knew more of the history
of the present group of Red Cross girls than any one of their number had
ever formerly known.

Both Mildred Thornton and Nona Davis told her of their own engagements,
perhaps un