s not at all arduous this evening.
Indeed, the sympathy she felt for these brave men was so strong that it
wearied her more than the actual work of nursing them. A sip of water
here, a cold compress there, the administration of medicines to keep
down or prevent fever, little attentions of this character were all that
were required. Speaking French fluently, she was able to converse with
all those under her charge and all seemed eager to relate to their
beautiful nurse their experiences, hopes and griefs. Soon she realized
she was beginning to learn more of the true nature of war than she had
ever gleaned from the correspondents of the newspapers.

When dinner was served in the forward cabin Beth relieved Maud and after
the evening meal Dr. Gys made another inspection of his patients. All
seemed doing well except the young Belgian. The condition of the French
sergeant was still unchanged. Some of those with minor injuries were
ordered on deck for a breath of fresh air.

Patsy relieved Beth at midnight and Maud came on duty again at six
o'clock, having had several hours of refreshing sleep. She found Patsy
trembling with nervousness, for the sergeant had passed away an hour
previous and the horror of the event had quite upset the girl.

"Oh, it is all so unnecessary!" she wailed as she threw herself into
Maud's arms.

"We must steel ourselves to such things, dear," said Maud, soothing her,
"for they will be of frequent occurrence, I fear. And we must be
grateful and glad that we were able to relieve the poor man's anguish
and secure for him a peaceful end."

"I know," answered Patsy with a little sob, "but it's so dreadful. Oh,
what a cruel, hateful thing war is!"

From papers found on the sergeant Uncle John was able to notify his
relatives of his fate. His home was in a little village not fifty miles
away and during the day a brother arrived to take charge of the remains
and convey them to their last resting place.

The following morning Captain Carg was notified by the authorities to
withdraw the _Arabella_ to an anchorage farther out in the bay, and
thereafter it became necessary to use the two launches for intercourse
between the ship and the city. Continuous cannonading could be heard
from the direction of Nieuport, Dixmude and Ypres, and it was evident
that the battle had doubled in intensity at all points, owing to heavy
reinforcements being added to both sides. But, as Maurie had predicted,
the Allies wer