Grace Harlowe with the American Army on the RhineChase, Josephine
General
Grace Harlowe with the American Army on the Rhine
Chase, Josephine
Rhine River -- Juvenile fiction; War stories; World War, 1914-1918 -- Juvenile fiction
“Of course I am. I am suspicious of any one who takes up with Chad.
I don’t know where Molly is to-day. I haven’t seen her since last
evening. She is billeted with Chad.”
“Where does Mrs. Smythe live?”
Elfreda regarded her frowningly.
“I forgot that you had been in the air so long. Chad occupies the front
room on this floor. We are all in the house together, but if trouble
doesn’t make us wish we weren’t, I shall be much mistaken. Won Lue
comes over to ask about you. He appears to have something on his mind.
Have you any idea what it is?”
“Plidgins,” answered Grace laughingly. “What is it you suspect about
this woman Marshall?”
“I do not suspect her any more than I do some other persons. I am
beginning to believe that our supervisor isn’t as loyal to the cause as
she might be. That feeling has been strengthened since Miss Marshall
appeared so mysteriously.”
“Elfreda, you know how I feel toward Mrs. Smythe, but for all that
I must stand up for her. With all her faults she is an American. Her
presence at the front is sufficient evidence of that to satisfy me as
to her loyalty. As I have said before, she is a vain and jealous woman,
a fair type of the newly rich. As for the other woman, I hope to see
her and form my own opinion of her. I think the Intelligence Department
is considerably disturbed over spy activities. There is something else
going on here too, though I haven’t yet learned what it is. I have some
queer fancies in the back of my head, Elfreda, and--”
“You always did have.”
“They are not yet sufficiently clarified to make it prudent for me to
speak of them, but remember what I have said. Some day I shall tell you
the story that I now warn you of. Whose house is this?”
“It is occupied by a Doctor Klein, a scientific, studious-appearing
fellow, and apparently very friendly to Americans. He says the Germans
have been in the wrong in this war and--”
“I should be suspicious of that man, Elfreda. Either he is not a German
or else he isn’t telling the truth. What is the attitude of the people
of Coblenz?”
“Some appear to be afraid of the Americans, while others--these are
in the majority--are sullen. The situation appears to me to be very
tense, likely to result in an explosion at any moment. There are very
few German men of military age here. I think our people are treating
the inhabitants very leniently.”
“That is a mistake,” declared Grace with emphasis. “Mark me, the Huns
can’t understand and appreciate humane treatment. They will take
advantage of that attitude, believing that the Americans are afraid of
them. Then we shall have to put pressure on them, and that will cause
more trouble than were we to be severe with them now at the outset. I
must get about and see what the lay of the land is.”
“You keep out of it, Loyalheart; that is my advice to you. Haven’t you
had enough yet?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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