The Girl from Alsace: A Romance of the Great War, Originally Published under the Title of Little ComradeStevenson, Burton Egbert
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The Girl from Alsace: A Romance of the Great War, Originally Published under the Title of Little Comrade
Stevenson, Burton Egbert
Alsace (France) -- Fiction; War stories; World War, 1914-1918 -- Fiction
"Such impudence!" she cried. "I was astonished at your patience, Tommy!
You, an American, letting a Prussian policeman intimidate you like that!
I am ashamed of you!"
Glancing around, Stewart saw the hang-dog Hans hovering in the doorway.
"He was a big policeman, my dear," he explained, laughing. "I shouldn't
have had much of a chance with him, to say nothing of his two men. If we
want to get to Brussels, the safest plan is to answer calmly all the
questions the German police can think of. But it is time for us to be
going. There will be no reserved seats on this train!"
"You are right," agreed his companion; "I am quite ready."
So he asked for the bill, paid it, sent Hans up for the luggage, and
presently they were walking toward the station, with Hans staggering
along behind.
Stewart, looking down at his companion, felt more and more elated over
the adventure. He had never passed a pleasanter evening--it had just the
touch of excitement needed to give it relish. Unfortunately, its end was
near; an hour or two in a crowded railway carriage, and--that was all!
She glanced up at him and caught his eyes.
"What is it, my friend?" she asked. "You appear sad."
"I was just thinking," answered Stewart, "that I do not even know your
name!"
"Speak lower!" she said, quickly. "Or, better still, do not say such
things at all. Do not drop the mask for an instant until we are out of
Germany."
"Very well," Stewart promised. "But once we are across the border, I
warn you that I intend to throw the mask away, and that I shall have
certain very serious things to say to you."
"And I promise to listen patiently," she answered, smiling.
At the entrance to the station, they were stopped by a guard, who
demanded their tickets. Stewart was about to produce his, when his
companion touched him on the arm.
"Hasten and get them, Tommy," she said. "I will wait here."
And Stewart, as he hurried away, trembled to think how nearly he had
blundered. For how could he have explained to the authorities the fact
that he was traveling with a book of Cook's circular tickets, while his
wife was buying her tickets from station to station?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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