“Was that your car that I saw hanging over the edge of a bridge near Etain, Mrs. Gray?” “Yes, sir, that was the car.” Mrs. Smythe who had been controlling her emotions with some success, now interjected herself into the conversation. “General, I think I have met you. I am Mrs. Chadsey Smythe, in command of the welfare workers of--” The general and the captain saluted, smiled and turned back to Grace. “That was not the worst of it,” resumed Grace. “I had with me my supervisor, a somewhat irritable person. She went into the river with the rest of us, and of course I went to her rescue and, with the assistance of some doughboys, got her out. My supervisor was not a grateful person--she accused me of trying to drown her.” The officers laughed heartily. “That surely was a good joke, Mrs. Gray,” observed the general, regarding her quizzically. J. Elfreda Briggs had forgotten her own troubles in her delight at the trend of the conversation. “Let us have the rest of the story. You will pardon us for reminiscing, Mrs. Smythe,” begged the general, observing the angry look on the face of the supervisor. “Listen, Captain. The worst is yet to come. I know Mrs. Gray.” “There is not much more to relate,” continued Grace smilingly. “I had been driving in a way that did not please my supervisor and she was thoroughly angry with me on that account, and not wholly without reason, for I was going too fast for the crowded condition of the road. Well, the result of all this was that she made complaint against me and I was called before an officer for a hearing.” “Eh? What’s that?” demanded the general. “Yes, sir. I was accused of reckless driving and with intent to drown my superior officer.” “The woman accused you of that?” “Yes, sir.” The two officers laughed heartily. “Ridiculous!” exclaimed the general. “Was the woman suffering from shell shock or was it a chronic condition with her?” “I’m sure I don’t know, sir,” answered Grace meekly. “As I have already said, I was called before a captain, who among other things questioned me sharply about the decorations I wore, the intimation being that I had no right to them. Of course I do not know who suggested the thought to him. I declined to discuss the matter, taking the liberty of saying to him that General Gordon was familiar with the circumstances of at least one of my decorations.” “I should say so. Who was the officer?” “Captain Rowland of the Forty-Ninth, sir.” “Ah! Please proceed.” “The captain was of the opinion that I should be punished and was for dismissing me from the army and sending me back to Paris, until I took the liberty of pointing out to him that he had no authority to do so, that he could make recommendations, but had not the power to enforce in this instance.” “You were right. What were his recommendations?” “That I be dismissed and sent back to my organization.”