[Illustration: MARY ROBERTS RINEHART RETURNING FROM THE WAR-ZONE AND CAPTAIN FINCH ON S.S. "ARABIC."] KINGS, QUEENS AND PAWNS _An American Woman at the Front_ BY MARY ROBERTS RINEHART AUTHOR OF "K" NEW YORK GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY 1915 CONTENTS FOR KING AND COUNTRY I. TAKING A CHANCE II. "SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE" III. LA PANNE IV. "'TWAS A FAMOUS VICTORY" V. A TALK WITH THE KING OF THE BELGIANS VI. THE CAUSE VII. THE STORY WITH AN END VIII. THE NIGHT RAID ON DUNKIRK IX. NO MAN'S LAND X. THE IRON DIVISION XI. AT THE HOUSE OF THE BARRIER XII. NIGHT IN THE TRENCHES XIII. "WIPERS" XIV. LADY DECIES' STORY XV. RUNNING THE BLOCKADE XVI. THE MAN OF YPRES XVII. IN THE LINE OF THE "MITRAILLEUSE" XVIII. FRENCH GUNS IN ACTION XIX. "I NIBBLE THEM" XX. DUNKIRK: FROM MY JOURNAL XXI. TEA WITH THE AIR-FIGHTERS XXII. THE WOMEN AT THE FRONT XXIII. THE LITTLE "SICK AND SORRY" HOUSE XXIV. FLIGHT XXV. VOLUNTEERS AND PATRIOTS XXVI. A LUNCHEON AT BRITISH HEADQUARTERS XXVII. A STRANGE PARTY XXVIII. SIR JOHN FRENCH XXIX. ALONG THE GREAT BETHUNE ROAD XXX. THE MILITARY SECRET XXXI. QUEEN MARY OF ENGLAND XXXII. THE QUEEN OF THE BELGIANS XXXIII. THE RED BADGE OF MERCY XXXIV. IN TERMS OF LIFE AND DEATH XXXV. THE LOSING GAME XXXVI. HOW AMERICANS CAN HELP XXXVII. AN ARMY OF CHILDREN KINGS, QUEENS AND PAWNS KINGS, QUEENS AND PAWNS FOR KING AND COUNTRY March in England is spring. Early in the month masses of snowdrops lined the paths in Hyde Park. The grass was green, the roads hard and dry under the eager feet of Kitchener's great army. For months they had been drilling, struggling with the intricacies of a new career, working and waiting. And now it was spring, and soon they would be off. Some had already gone. "Lucky beggars!" said the ones who remained, and counted the days. And waiting, they drilled. Everywhere there were squads: Scots in plaid kilts with khaki tunics; less picturesque but equally imposing regiments in the field uniform, with officers hardly distinguishable from their men. Everywhere the same grim but cheerful determination to get over and help the boys across the Channel to assist in holding that more than four hundred miles of battle line against the invading hosts of Germany.