The Englishman continued the conversation, no longer concealing the interest that he felt in the beautiful woman who stood before him.
"Pardon me," he said, "you are very young to be alone in war-time in such a place as this." The sudden outbreak of a disturbance in the kitchen relieved Mercy from any immediate necessity for answering him.

She heard the voices of the wounded men raised in feeble remonstrance, and the harsh command of the foreign officers bidding them be silent.

The generous instincts of the woman instantly prevailed over every personal consideration imposed on her by the position which she had assumed.

Reckless whether she betrayed herself or not as nurse in the French ambulance, she instantly drew aside the canvas to enter the kitchen.

A German sentinel barred the way to her, and announced, in his own language, that no strangers were admitted.