"Has Val never told you?"
"Hardly any more than was in the official account—that he was left between the lines after one of our raids, and went back in spite of his wound to bring in Mr. Dale. He had to wait till after dark?" Lawrence nodded.. "And 'under particularly trying conditions.' Why was that?"
"Because Dale was so close to the German lines. He was entangled in their wire."
Isabel shuddered. "It seems so long ago. One can't understand why such cruelties were ever allowed. Of course they will never be again." This naive voice of the younger generation made Lawrence smile. "And Val had to cut their wire?"
"To peel it off Dale, or peel Dale off it—what was left of him.
He didn't live more than twenty minutes after he was brought in."
"Did you know Dale?"
"Not well: he was in my cousin's company, not in mine."
"And was Val under fire at the time?"
"Under heavy fire. The Boches were sending up starshells that made the place as light as day."
"I can't understand how Val could do it with his broken arm."