E-text prepared by Afra Ullah, Emmy, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net/) AUNT JANE'S NIECES IN THE RED CROSS by EDITH VAN DYNE Author of "Aunt Jane's Nieces Series," "Flying Girl Series," etc. The Reilly & Britton Co. Chicago 1915 [Illustration] FOREWORD This is the story of how three brave American girls sacrificed the comforts and luxuries of home to go abroad and nurse the wounded soldiers of a foreign war. I wish I might have depicted more gently the scenes in hospital and on battlefield, but it is well that my girl readers should realize something of the horrors of war, that they may unite with heart and soul in earnest appeal for universal, lasting Peace and the future abolition of all deadly strife. Except to locate the scenes of my heroines' labors, no attempt has been made to describe technically or historically any phase of the great European war. The character of Doctor Gys is not greatly exaggerated but had its counterpart in real life. As for the little Belgian who had no room for scruples in his active brain, his story was related to me by an American war correspondent who vouched for its truth. The other persona in the story are known to those who have followed their adventures in other books of the "Aunt Jane's Nieces" series. EDITH VAN DYNE CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I THE ARRIVAL OF THE BOY 9 II THE ARRIVAL OF THE GIRL 25 III THE DECISION OF DOCTOR GYS 37 IV THE HOSPITAL SHIP 48 V NEARING THE FRAY 58 VI LITTLE MAURIE 75 VII ON THE FIRING LINE 86 VIII THE COWARD 96 IX COURAGE, OR PHILOSOPHY? 108 X THE WAR'S VICTIMS 121 XI PATSY IS DEFIANT 135 XII THE OTHER SIDE 146 XIII TARDY JUSTICE 160 XIV FOUND AT LAST 182 XV DR. GYS SURPRISES HIMSELF 189 XVI CLARETTE 197 XVII PERPLEXING PROBLEMS 204 XVIII A QUESTION OF LOYALTY 217 XIX THE CAPTURE 225 XX THE DUNES 244 CHAPTER I THE ARRIVAL OF THE BOY "What's the news, Uncle?" asked Miss Patricia Doyle, as she entered the cosy breakfast room of a suite of apartments in Willing Square. Even as she spoke she pecked a little kiss on the forehead of the chubby man addressed as "Uncle"--none other, if you please, than the famous and eccentric multi-millionaire known in Wall Street as John Merrick--and sat down to pour the coffee.