in school and I know a fellow in
England; and so it's not so bad."

"No," said the doctor. "I should call it very good. And you have
already found out, Zaidos, that sometimes blood relations fail a man.

"I think I will write out a discharge for you, and as soon as you can
move you had better get away, and move toward the first seaport where
you can get an American ship. I will pull all the wires I can. You
had a pretty bad fever, my boy. You need a change, and you need it
soon. I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, lie still and get your
strength together. Things are frightfully crowded, but a lot of
supplies and more nurses have been promised. Has Nurse Helen told you
any news?"

"No," said Zaidos, "not a thing. About the hospital, do you mean,
doctor?"

"Not exactly," said the doctor, smiling. "Just some little plans of
her own."

"I'll bet Tony Hazelden is in them!" said Zaidos.

The doctor chuckled. "Well, these girls! You never can tell," he
said. "She will tell you herself, I've no doubt."

He got up and straightened his bent back. "This sort of thing is hard
on an old man," he said. "It is just two weeks since I have been to
bed."

"Well, this one feels good to me," said Zaidos. "I was so surprised
when I woke up and found something smooth and clean under me. I don't
see how the nurses manage to keep things so neat."

"You would not wonder if you could see what they do," said the doctor
solemnly. "I tell you every woman who goes into the field deserves a
place in the Legion of Honor. She deserves a crown, and a big pension.
She's an angel. You want to honor all women, all kinds, all your life,
my boy, for the sake of these nurses. Some day, perhaps, I will come
over to your America, if you would like to see an old derelict, and we
will talk and talk, and I will tell you some stories."

He touched Zaidos' bandaged head gently, nodded farewell and walked on
down the line of cots. Zaidos continued to sleep and eat. His blood
was so clean that his wounds healed almost at once. Helen came to his
bedside one day with a queer little smile on her face.

"Do you remember, John, what I said when you brought Tony to me? I
told you that just as soon as he was able to hold my hand, I meant to
marry him."

"Did you do it?" asked Zaidos.

"Not yet," said Helen.

"Goodness!" said Zaidos. "I didn't think Tony was as sick as all that!
I would have to be a good deal worse than he lo