n the veld and the Sisters'
agonised activity displayed in the gathering up of sheets, pillow-slips,
handkerchiefs, babies' shirts and petticoats, with other garments of a
strictly feminine and private character. Her grave, discreet eyes avoided
his as she handed back the binoculars, but a dimple showed near the edge
of the white coif.

"And now," Saxham said, glancing at his watch, "may I know in what I can
be of service?" It had seemed to him that the Mother-Superior hesitated to
broach the subject. Nor had he been mistaken. The dimple vanished. Her
calm eyes became troubled, and she asked, with a slight catching of the
breath:

"Yes, there was something.... Doctor, is it possible for a person to die
of fear?"

He answered promptly:

"In circumstances like the present? Certainly. Undoubtedly possible. I
have seen twenty deaths from pure fright since the bombardment began, and
I expect to see more before the siege ends, or people get callous to the
possibilities of sudden extermination that are afforded them a hundred
times a day. Is the person to whom you refer a woman or a child?"

"A young girl----" she was beginning, when a buxom little figure, black
veiled and habited like herself, rose up as if from the bowels of the
earth.

"I vill look. But I can see nozing," she called to someone invisible
below. "It must be that you vait until my eyes shall become more strong."
She shaded them, newly brought from semi-darkness and blinking in the hot,
white sunlight. The Mother-Superior hurried to her, saying with a note of
anxiety in her usually calm voice:

"Sister--Sister Cleophee; is anything the matter?"

"_Mon Dieu!_ It is ze Reverend Mozer!" ejaculated the other, relief and
joy expressed in the rapid movements of pliant hands and expressive eyes.
"Nozing is ze matter, Reverend Mozer, if only you are safe."

"Quite safe, and so are the Sisters. Only the linen was upset."

"My 'eavens, but a miraculous escapement!" The supple hands and the
expressive eyes and shoulders of Sister Cleophee made great play. "Me and
Sister Tobias, 'ow we _pray_ when we 'ear ze great gun, vith knowledge zat
you and ze Sisters were upon the vay to ze Women's Laager. My faith, it
vas terrible! Me, if I 'ad not make to ascend and learn how it go vid you,
Lynette vould 'ave come running up to make discovery for herself. She
behave like a little crazy, a little mad sing--I forget your vord for she
zat have lost 'er vits! Sister Tobias