r was she anywhere near as angry as she assumed. They pushed her
into the cottage and crowded in themselves before they saw Ruth
standing at the end of the long table. Then, quite suddenly, their
voices fell.

Not so Mother Gervaise. She fetched one of her tormentors a sharp
smack with the palm of her hand.

"_Un vaurien_!" she cried, meaning, in the slang of the day,
"good-for-nothing." "You would take my house by storm! Do you think
it is a Boche dugout you charge when you come to Mother Gervaise?"

The silence of the rough and careless fellows was becoming marked.
Already the Frenchwoman was noticing it. She turned, saw their eyes
fixed upon Ruth, and remarked:

"Ha! It's well they respect the mademoiselle. Come in, wicked ones,
and shut the door."

Ruth, relieved, saw that all were young commissioned officers--a very,
very young captain, two first lieutenants, and several subalterns.
They bowed rather bashfully to Ruth, and could not take their eyes off
her.

One finally said: "You must be the lady at the Clair Hospital--Miss
Fielding? You're the only American girl at that station."

"I am Miss Fielding," Ruth returned. Her eyes shone, her tone grew
softer. She saw that he belonged to Tom Cameron's regiment. "I have a
friend in your regiment--Mr. Cameron. Lieutenant Thomas Cameron. Is
he on duty with you?"

Their respectful silence when they tumbled in and saw her was marked.
But the utter dumbness that followed this question was so impressive
that Ruth could almost hear her own heart beat.

"What---- He is not _hurt_?" she cried, looking from one to the other.

"I believe not, Miss Fielding," the captain said. "He is not on duty
with us. I can tell you nothing about Lieutenant Cameron."

The decision with which he spoke and the expression upon the faces of
the others, appalled the girl. She could not find breath to ask
another question.

Mother Gervaise bustled forward to set upon the napkin she had spread a
plate of the ragout for Ruth. The latter sank into the chair. The
young officers gathered upon the other side of the hearth. They were
hopelessly dumb.

There was a noise outside--the chugging of a car. It was a welcome
relief. The door opened again and Charlie Bragg and the other two boys
entered.

"Well, the Boches didn't get us that time," said Charlie, with
satisfaction. "Nor the old fliver, either. Hello! Here's General
Haig and all his staff. Or is it General