Sonya's tone was half grave and half gay. Moreover, her blue eyes with their curiously dark brows and lashes watched the younger girl with an almost wistful affection.
The situation was more than puzzling. Yet, although she grew more anxious each minute to be away, Nona could only agree to her companion's request.
For a moment she was left alone in the crude, bare room. It was cheerless and cold and she grew even more uncomfortable. Surely, Russia was the strangest land in the world. How could her history as a young American girl have any connection with it? Why had she so insisted upon continuing her Red Cross nursing in Russia, when without her urging the other Red Cross girls would have been content to remain where they were?
The next moment a very old woman and a man came into the room with Sonya. There was no doubting they were both peasants. With them it was not merely a matter of rough clothes. They were both heavily built, with stupid, sad faces and they mumbled something in broken English when they were introduced to Nona, eyeing her with suspicion. It was only when their gaze rested upon Sonya that their faces changed. Then it was as though a light had shone through darkness.
Sonya introduced them by name, some queer Russian name which Nona could not grasp.
However, she was trying her best to find something civil to say in return, which they might be able to understand, when an unexpected noise interrupted them.
Some one had unceremoniously opened the door in the hall and was walking toward them.
For an instant Nona thought she saw a shade of anxiety cross the faces of her three companions, but the next instant it was gone.
Nona could scarcely swallow a gasp of surprised admiration when, soon after, the door opened.
A young Russian soldier entered the room. He wore the uniform of a Cossack: the high boots, the fur cap and tunic.
To Nona Davis' American eyes the young man seemed a typical Russian of the better classes. He was extremely handsome, more than six feet tall, with dark hair and eyes and a colorless skin.
He appeared surprised at Nona's presence, but explained that he was stationed at the Russian fort where a number of wounded were being cared for. He remembered having seen Nona and her two friends. They were the only American nurses in the vicinity, so it was not strange to have noticed them.