Frankly other persons beside the girl were mystified by Colonel Dalton’s command. He was not in the habit of paying any attention to the Red Cross work or its workers. His reputation was that of a stern disciplinarian, whom his men respected but did not always like. So when Dr. Milton suggested that his intention might be to bestow some mark of favor upon Miss Davis for her devotion to the soldiers, no one took the idea seriously. Fortunately Nona did not even hear of it.
Before noon, however, she was ready to do as she had been bidden. She was waiting in the rear of the relief hospital when a young officer in the uniform of a lieutenant of the South Lancastershire regiment, riding one horse and leading another, drew up before her and dismounted.
Almost without regarding him Nona allowed him to help her into the saddle. Then they set off across country together, the young lieutenant a little in the lead. The secret of an officer’s headquarters is sometimes so carefully guarded that not even his own soldiers know its exact location.
Nona was not even particularly interested. She realized that she rode about three-quarters of a mile and then stopped in front of what appeared like an immense pile of brushwood. Behind it was a small wooden building, evidently a temporary structure, and inside the building, seated before a small pine table with a telephone receiver in his hand, was Colonel Dalton.
Here at last Nona became vitally interested. She had been told that innumerable telephone wires, most of them underground, connected the British officer’s quarters with the trenches at the front as well as with the headquarters of other officers and with the different positions of the field artillery. Here was certain proof of it. The officers with the men in the trenches must take their commands from their superiors who were in truth the “gods behind the machines.”
The lieutenant saluted. Colonel Dalton returned the salute curtly. Nona simply waited and watched.
By and by Colonel Dalton put down the telephone receiver.
“Be seated,” he said briefly, and Nona sat down on a wooden stool the younger officer thrust toward her. She had no special sensation of awe; she was seldom afraid of people except in social life. This was simply a part of her day’s work. Nevertheless she wondered why Colonel Dalton was frowning at her so severely.