"No, to the first question, Nona dear, and yes, to the second. Now I am so tired I simply must go to bed. I told the doctor and General Alexis that since he was better, I wanted to come to you. Besides, I was sure that here in Petrograd there would be so many cleverer nurses than I can ever hope to be. And I didn't want to stay at the Winter Palace with you girls here."
"You mean," Nona asked quietly, "that you were invited to be a guest at the Czar's own palace and you declined?"
Mildred clasped her hands behind her head. "Oh, I thought I told you. General Alexis is to be at the Winter Palace while he is in Petrograd. He is very close to the Czar, I believe. As his nurse, of course I was asked to stay there with him; he is to have his physician and his aides as well as his servants in attendance. There was nothing personal in my being permitted inside the Palace. Some other nurse will take my place."
"But the point is, Mildred Thornton, that you refused to stay under the same roof with the Czar of all the Russias. Never so long as you live will your mother forgive you."
The other girl flushed and laughed. "I hadn't thought of that, Bab dear. Please don't tell on me. But we are to be under the same roof with the Czar some day for a few moments, all of us. General Alexis said that he wished to have us presented to the Czar and Czarina, if it were possible to arrange. He seems to feel grateful to me for the little I was able to do. But please, Bab, don't say that I refused to continue to nurse General Alexis. I only asked that they get some one to take my place, who would be wiser."
"Did General Alexis agree to a new nurse for that reason, Mildred?" Barbara demanded in her driest manner.
But Mildred was too tired for further conversation.
"Oh, he was kind enough to say that I needed a rest more than he required my services. Am I to have a bed or the cot in this sitting room?"
"You may have them _all_, Mildred Thornton!" Barbara returned, getting up on her feet and then bowing until her forehead almost touched the floor.
"Any human being who is going to allow me to enter the presence of the Czar and Czarina, has got to be treated like royalty for the rest of her life."
Nevertheless, Barbara kissed Mildred good night. Mildred whispered, "Don't be a goose," and then at last was permitted to retire.