“You are just homesick, aren’t you, and longing for some one who shall be nameless? You frightened me at first; I feared you had heard dreadful news. Come, get your coat and have a walk with me. We have both nearly two hours of freedom and I’ve permission to go outside the fortifications.”
The other girl shook her head and shivered.
“It is too cold, Nona dear, and besides, I’m afraid. I know the Russians are said to be holding the line of fortifications beyond us, but then the Germans may break through at any time. Goodness knows, I don’t see what you and Mildred find so fascinating in Russia! I am afraid I am not brave enough to have come with you.”
While Barbara was arguing Nona had taken her coat from its hook on the wall and was putting it about her friend.
“Yes, I know all that, but just the same you are coming for a walk. As long as you are here you must keep strong enough to do your work. But there, I can’t scold half so well as Eugenia. I suppose if Dick belonged to me I should be as wretched as you are without him. You are a dear to have stuck by Mildred and me during this Russian work. But do come, I’ve something really interesting to tell you. Perhaps you may feel a tiny bit less lonely afterwards.”
In the meantime Nona had put on her own coat and cap and the two girls started. They had to walk down a narrow stone corridor and then a long flight of winding stone steps to reach the courtyard below.
To the right the soldiers were drilling. One could hear the harsh clatter of their heavy boots and the crash of their rifles when they touched the frozen earth.
It had turned unexpectedly cold, and yet without a spoken word both girls stopped and stared about them as soon as they reached the outdoors.
Certainly the scene formed an extraordinary setting for two young American girls!
The sky was gray, and although it was only early autumn, there were occasional flurries of snow.