Roman towers which commanded a
wonderful view; through the windows one could see many miles up and down
the historic stream and on either side other castles famous in ancient
legends long before the foundation of the modern German empire.

Within view of the American Red Cross hospital was the famous German
fortress of Ehrenbreitstein across the river from Coblenz. The fortress
was set on a rocky promontory four hundred feet above the river and
surrounded by a hundred acres of land. From its flagstaff, where for a
hundred years the German standard had waved, now floated the stars and
stripes.

On New Year's day at about four o'clock in the afternoon Sonya Clark
stood waiting just outside the hospital for the appearance of her
husband. It had become their custom for the past two weeks, whenever
there was no real reason to prevent, to take a walk every afternoon at
about the same hour.

However, on this afternoon, Sonya and Dr. Clark had a definite
destination.

A New Year's eve entertainment for the amusement of the soldiers was to
take place at the Red Cross headquarters about a mile from the hospital
and both Sonya and her husband had promised to be present. As a matter
of fact as many of their Red Cross nurses as Miss Blackstone had been
able to release from their duties had been spending the afternoon at the
headquarters and an equal number of the hospital staff of physicians and
orderlies.

A light snow was falling when Sonya and Dr. Clark set out. The court
yard in front of their hospital sloped gradually to the road, so that
the steep incline was only in the rear.

To her husband at least Sonya looked very young and handsome in her long
fur coat and hat, which had been one of his gifts since reaching Europe.

Their walk was to lead through a number of quiet streets and then along
one of the main thoroughfares of the German city.

At first Sonya and Dr. Clark spoke of nothing of any importance and then
finally walked on for several moments in silence.

At the end of this time, Sonya glanced toward her husband and smiled.

"What is it you wish to talk to me about?" she inquired. "I don't know
why, but I always seem able to feel a something in the atmosphere when
you have a problem on your mind which you can't quite decide to discuss
with me."

Dr. Clark laughed.

"Well, you see, Sonya, when I married you I was under the impression
that you were unsuited to Red Cross work and that so far as possible,