“I think Bab is right, Nona, though I understand just how you feel. It does seem too cruel to desert a friend in a time of such extremity. When we get to Petrograd perhaps we can talk Sonya Valesky’s case over with our Ambassador and he may help us with his advice. Let’s get to sleep now; we can judge more wisely in the morning.”
It was too cold for a leisurely disrobing, so in a very short time the three girls were ready for the night. Soon after they were asleep.
For many hours, lasting all through the darkness, the fortress at Grovno appeared wrapped in a profound silence. This in spite of the presence of many thousands of men without and within its gates. Now and then there may have been the faint noise of a sentry changing his watch, or a scout arriving with a report for headquarters.
It was just at dawn when the German attack began. But the Russian general had been warned and was awaiting it.
Never in all the grim history of war was there ever a more sudden or more terrific cannonading.
The three American girls were at first stunned by the unexpected noises of the explosions. Shell after shell shrieked over the walls of the fortress, cannon after cannon repeated an unceasing bombardment.
Neither were the Russian guns slow in replying. Except for the location of the sounds it was impossible to tell which were the Russian cannon and which those of the enemy.
For some time no one of the three American girls attempted to speak. It would have been impossible to have heard one another. But by and by Barbara crawled out of her cot and put her arm about Mildred Thornton.
“I am frightened, Mildred. I wish your General’s order had come sooner and we were safely away from Grovno. I think perhaps because of Dick I don’t want anything dreadful to happen. I want to be happy.”
There was a sob in Barbara’s voice which Mildred heard, if not with her ears, at least with her heart.