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Page 95
She was alone the first time and she stopped by John's cot, where he
slept so peacefully. He was undeniably handsome, this young American who
had come to their house in Paris with Philip. And her brother, that
wonderful man of the air, who was almost a demi-god to her, had spoken
so well of him, had praised so much his skill, his courage, and his
honesty. And he had received his wound fighting so gallantly for France,
her country. Her beautiful color deepened a little as she walked away.
John awoke again in the afternoon, and the first sound he heard was that
same far rumble of the guns, now apparently a part of nature, but he did
not linger in any twilight land between dark and light. All the mists of
sleep cleared away at once and he sat up, healthy, strong and hungry.
Demanding food from an orderly he received it, and when he had eaten it
he asked for Surgeon Delorme.
The surgeon did not come for a half hour and then he demanded brusquely
what John wanted.
"None of your drugs," replied happy young Scott, "but my uniform and my
arms. I don't know your procedure here, but I want you to certify to the
whole world that I'm entirely well and ready to return to the ranks."
Surgeon Delorme critically examined the bandage which he had changed
that morning, and then felt of John's head at various points.
"A fine strong skull," he said, smiling, "and quite undamaged. When this
war is over I shall go to America and make an exhaustive study of the
Yankee skull. Has bone, through the influence of climate or of more
plentiful food, acquired a more tenacious quality there than it has
here? It is a most interesting and complicated question."
"But it's solution will have to be deferred, my good Monsieur Delorme,
and so you'd better quit thumping my head so hard. Give me that
certificate, because if you don't I'll get up and go without it. Don't
you hear those guns out there, doctor? Why, they're calling to me all
the time. They tell me, strong and well, again, to come at once and join
my comrades of the Strangers, who are fighting the enemy."
"You shall go in the morning," said Surgeon Delorme, putting his broad
hand upon young Scott's head. "The effects of the concussion will have
vanished then."
"But I want to get up now and put on my uniform; can't I?"
"I know no reason why you shouldn't. There's a huge fellow named Picard
around here who has been watching over you, and who has your uniform.
I'll call him."
When John was dressed he walked with Picard into the edge of the forest.
His first steps were wavering, and his head swam a little, but in a few
minutes the dizziness disappeared and his walk became steady and
elastic. He was his old self again, strong in every fiber. He would
certainly be with the Strangers the next morning.
Many more of the wounded, thousands of them, were lying or sitting on
the short grass in the forest. They were the less seriously hurt, and
they were cheerful. Some of them sang.
"They'll be going back to the army fast," said Picard. "Unless they're
torn by shrapnel nearly all the wounded get well again and quickly. The
bullet with the great power is merciful. It goes through so fast that it
does not tear either flesh or bone. If you're healthy, if your blood is
good, psst! you're well again in a week."
"Do you know if Lieutenant Lannes is expected here?" asked John.
"I heard from Mademoiselle Julie that he would come at set of sun. He
has been on another perilous errand. Ah, his is a strange and terrible
life, sir. Up there in the sky, a half mile, maybe a mile, above the
earth. All the dangers of the earth and those, too, of the air to fight!
Nothing above you and nothing below you. It's a new world in which
Monsieur Philip Lannes moves, but I would not go in it with him, not for
all the treasures of the Louvre!"
He looked up at the calm and benevolent blue sky and shuddered.
John laughed.
"Some of us feel that way," he said. "Many men as brave as any that ever
lived can't bear to look down from a height. But sunset is approaching,
my gallant Picard, and Lannes should soon be here."
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