Now he appeared defenceless and entirely at her mercy.
Should she betray him at once? Certainly there was a possibility that he would die of neglect if left alone at the château. But then he must have faced this possibility and deliberately chosen it.
Sally wondered what would become of an escaped prisoner if he were discovered to be desperately ill? It did not seem possible that the military authorities would be so severe as he had anticipated.
Yet she knew very little of the ways of military authorities, and an escaped prisoner would scarcely be an object of devoted attention.
Although not aware of the fact, already Sally had assumed a protective attitude toward the soldier.
One thing she might do and that was to wait another twenty-four hours. It was barely possible that he might not be so ill as she now believed.
At present she must not remain a moment longer at the château. Instead she must run back across the fields, since it was her plan to reach the farm house and be discovered in the act of assisting Mère ’Toinette in the preparation of breakfast.
CHAPTER XII
OTHER DAYS AND OTHER WAYS
Under the new conditions of life in the devastated country of France, it has been difficult to set down the effect which the change of environment, the change of interest and of inspiration had upon each individual member of the Sunrise Camp Fire unit.