est. I will not come again."

General Alexis shook his head. "I should be very sorry. Rather than that
this should happen I would stay away during those hours. But is there
not room enough here and peace enough for us both?"

Without replying Mildred inclined her head and began walking toward the
door, General Alexis keeping beside her.

"If you are returning to the fortress and will permit me, I should like
to go back with you?" he asked.

And again Mildred could only stammer a confused acquiescence.

In the little court before the Russian church General Alexis' guard of
soldiers was awaiting him. However, at an inclination of his head they
fell in at once, marching at a respectful distance behind their general
and his companion.

"I remember our having a short conversation a few weeks ago," the
Russian officer continued gravely, after they had gone on a few yards.
Mildred had been vainly endeavoring to make up her mind whether she
should be the one to speak. If so, what on earth should she say?

She was glad to be spared having to make up her mind.

"You were very kind," the girl returned. "I did not imagine you would
know me again, but perhaps it is because I am an American."

Just as if he had been a young man and an everyday one, General Alexis
smiled, and Mildred was no longer afraid of him.

"Oh, I may remember you, Miss Thornton, for other reasons. But to be
truthful it is because you are an American that I am taking this
opportunity to talk to you again."

This time the Russian officer hesitated.

"You will not mention what I am going to say to any persons except your
two American friends," he added, not as a request, but as a command.

"Miss Thornton, as soon as it is possible for convenient arrangements to
be made for you I want you to know that I intend having you sent back to
Petrograd. You must of course have a safe escort or I should have seen
to the matter sooner."

Ordinarily Mildred Thornton possessed unusual self-control, but the
surprise, indeed, the shock of the speech, took her unawares.

She had not dreamed that she and Barbara and Nona had been such complete
failures in their Red Cross work. Why, after their several years of war
experience they had felt themselves of perhaps unusual value in the
Russian nursing. So far as she knew there had been no complaints of
their work, only praise. But in any case how could their failures have
reached General Dmitri Alexis' ears? It seemed i