Now he appeared defenceless and entirely at her mercy.
Should she betray him at once? Certainly there was a possibility that he would die of neglect if left alone at the château. But then he must have faced this possibility and deliberately chosen it.
Sally wondered what would become of an escaped prisoner if he were discovered to be desperately ill? It did not seem possible that the military authorities would be so severe as he had anticipated.
Yet she knew very little of the ways of military authorities, and an escaped prisoner would scarcely be an object of devoted attention.
Although not aware of the fact, already Sally had assumed a protective attitude toward the soldier.
One thing she might do and that was to wait another twenty-four hours. It was barely possible that he might not be so ill as she now believed.
At present she must not remain a moment longer at the château. Instead she must run back across the fields, since it was her plan to reach the farm house and be discovered in the act of assisting Mère 'Toinette in the preparation of breakfast.
Under the new conditions of life in the devastated country of France, it has been difficult to set down the effect which the change of environment, the change of interest and of inspiration had upon each individual member of the Sunrise Camp Fire unit.
Certainly their present daily life bore but a faint resemblance to their former outdoor summer encampments in various picturesque places in the United States. Nevertheless the Camp Fire girls always had considered that they were doing useful work merely by following the rules of their camp fire and by gaining the honors necessary to the growth of their organization and their own official rank.
Now they realized that all their efforts had been but a preparation for the service they were at present undertaking. There was no detail of their past experience which was not of service, their Health Craft, Camp Craft, Home Craft, Business and Patriotism. Why, their very watch cry, "Wohelo"--work, health and love--embodied the three gifts they were trying to restore to the poverty-stricken French people in this particular neighborhood upon "the field of honor!"
On this afternoon, in spite of the cold, the girls had arranged to hold their first out-of-doors Camp Fire meeting since their arrival in France.