The Red Cross girls with the Stars and Stripes

by Margaret Vandercook

Barbara wanted her home and her baby and would wait there as serenely as she could until the war was over and Dick again at home.

And Nona agreed that in this Barbara would be doing the wiser and finer thing. It is not intended that all of us desert our obvious duties for more romantic and stirring ones, although there is, of course, a war duty for each one of us. The personal sacrifice it may be of one’s love, of one’s money, sometimes only of one’s desire, is what counts in the end.

Unexpectedly, Nona Davis was also to face a difficult problem. She was not aware of what was before her nor would she have said the fact, or rather her acceptance of the fact, involved a problem. But she was to find out very soon.

She and Philip Dawson had continued seeing each other in their former friendly fashion whenever it was possible to meet.

Philip had apologized to Nona for having mentioned the suspicion in camp against Lieutenant Kelley, saying that he himself had met and deserved the fate of all officious persons. However, he added that he was so glad Lieutenant Kelley had been entirely cleared that he was willing to accept his punishment, provided Nona would finally forgive him.

There was no mention between them of Barbara Thornton’s name. Philip believed Nona had told her friend of the gossip involving her name, but realized that she would certainty not wish to discuss Mrs. Thornton with him. Nor was there anything further from his wish.

There were so many other interesting things in this wide world for them to talk about, subjects which had nothing to do with gossip, or scandal or with other people.

Always there was the war and what might take place tomorrow. Always there was an argument of whether peace was six months away, a year, or four years. Then there were the books which Nona and Philip had read, and Nona was obliged to confess that Philip had read a great many more than she had. But then he was five years older and writing was his profession. Besides, there was always the inexhaustible subject of themselves. Nona was really not aware of how much they did talk to each other of their past histories, of their future desires and dreams. But Philip Dawson knew and understood far better than Nona what his own attitude confessed. He had also other reasons for knowing deeper and more compelling reasons. Yet, because he was older and in many ways wiser than Nona, he appreciated the little streak of coldness in her nature, which was really more shyness than coldness, and feared to awaken her too soon.

Fanciful as we may consider the idea, the old Greeks knew the eternal types of women. In many girls, and particularly in many American girls, we find a faint echo of Diana, who, although she suffered fewer fears than other women, was the more frightened before love.

Before speaking of his feeling to Nona, Philip Dawson would like to have waited longer, to have been able to be more sure of her affection. At the present time, however, he was as much under the command of his superior officer as a soldier.