The Red Cross Girls with the Russian Army | Page 5

had
aged a great deal since their first meeting, and indeed since the months
they had spent as fellow workers for the British soldiers at the Sacred
Heart Hospital. Nevertheless she still felt strangely attracted toward her
companion, although mingled with the attraction was a new and
uncomfortable feeling of distrust.
Lady Dorian had come to the hospital cleared of the charge made
against her on board the "Philadelphia" of being a spy. Yet she had
never given any explanation of her history. Then had followed her
surprising meeting with the British officer, Colonel Dalton, and their
betrayal of a former acquaintanceship. Although the older woman had
promised to explain their connection later, she had only said that they
had once known each other rather intimately in London. But as they
were friends no longer, she preferred not speaking of him again.
All this passed swiftly through Nona's mind while the older woman
was speaking. But the girl devoutly hoped that her face did not betray
her thoughts. For here was the most surprising situation of all! Lady
Dorian had seemed to be a woman of wealth at the beginning of their
acquaintance and certainly had given a large sum of money to the

Sacred Heart Hospital. Now to find her dressed as a peasant and living
in a peasant's hut in Russia!
Her skirt was of some cheap black material and her bodice of velveteen,
laced with black cords over a white cotton waist. She also wore a
Russian peasant's apron of brighter colors.
Yet Nona recognized the older woman's beauty and distinction in spite
of her costume, even while her present circumstances and her
eccentricities antagonized her visitor.
The woman was sitting with her level brows drawn together looking
closely at the younger girl.
"I am sorry you don't seem to feel your former faith in me, Nona," she
began unexpectedly. "Not that I blame you, for I do not know myself
whether it is wise for me to have intruded into your life again. I would
not have done so if there had not been a reason more important than
you can appreciate."
For a moment the girl's attention had been wandering, engaged by the
oddness of her surroundings, but now she tried to conceal her growing
discomfort. Lady Dorian was appearing more mysterious than ever! If
she desired to renew their acquaintance because they had formerly
liked each other, that was a sufficient reason for her summons. It was
scarcely worth while to try to produce other motives.
But Lady Dorian had gotten up and now stood facing her.
"What I am going to tell you is extraordinary, Nona, although life is too
full of strange happenings to make us wonder at anything. In the first
place, will you please cease to call me Lady Dorian, for that is not my
name. Nor is it remarkable for you to discover me living in Russia,
because I am a Russian by birth. I have not always made my home in
my own country, but that makes no difference, since my love and
sympathy have always been with my own people. Here I am only
known as 'Sonya.' But I do not wish to speak of myself, but of you. I
have a strong reason for my interest in you, Nona, for although you

may find it hard to believe, I once knew your mother."
"Knew my mother?" The young American girl scarcely understood
what was being said. She was so many thousands of miles both in fact
and in thought from her own home and her own history. She could not
believe that her companion was telling the truth. In any case she was
merely mistaking her for some one else.
So Nona shook her head gravely. "I am sorry, but I don't think that
possible," she explained. "My mother was a southern woman, who
lived very quietly in an old-fashioned city. I can't see how your lives
could ever have touched."
Until this instant Nona had remained seated with her former friend
standing before her.
She did not realize how much she showed her resentment at this use of
her mother's name. Now she made an effort to rise from her chair.
"I am very happy to have seen you again," she protested in the formal
manner which Barbara Meade sometimes admired and at other times
resented.
But her companion was not influenced and indeed paid no attention to
the younger girl's hauteur. She merely put a restraining hand on her
shoulder, adding,
"It is not worth while for us to argue that point until you hear what I
have to say. The fact is, I know more of your mother, Nona, than you
do yourself. For one thing, your mother was also a Russian. She was
older