"Ah, well, you need not try to explain it, David, because the thing is 'charm,' which I believe no one has successfully explained so far," Sonya answered. "I presume this same charm is what endears her to the German children; it has kept the little French Louisa close beside her since we left France. The little girl is getting all right too, talking and behaving like a normal person. But of course I'll ask Miss Jamison to be careful that her friendship with the German children does not lead to any intimacy in their homes. She told me that she was a kind of Pied Piper of Hamlin. Do you remember how the Pied Piper led the German children away into some undiscovered country when their parents refused to pay him his just dues? But I think the girl is Peter Pan instead and has some childish quality which we cannot understand but which children recognize and love in her. You see the young soldier to whom she was engaged was killed in the fighting near Chateau-Thierry and apparently children are her one consolation. She is friendly with all our Red Cross unit, but not intimate with one of us." When Sonya and her husband finally reached the Red Cross headquarters, already the large building was lighted, as the darkness fell early in the winter afternoons. Going unannounced into the big reception room they found it fairly crowded. The room must have been fifty feet in length and nearly equally wide and extended from the front of the building to the rear. In one end was a giant Christmas tree, left over from the Christmas celebration for the soldiers which in honor of New Year's eve was again lighted with a hundred white candles according to a German custom. There were few other lights in the room. Up against the walls were double rows of chairs in which a number of persons were seated. Others were dancing in the centre of the floor. Immediately Mrs. Arthur Adams, who was in charge of the Red Cross headquarters, came forward to speak to Dr. and Mrs. Clark. She was accompanied by Major James Hersey, who had entirely recovered from his attack of influenza and was now in command of his battalion in Coblenz. A little later, after they had secured chairs, Bianca Zoli and Dr. Raymond joined them. Nona Davis was dancing with Sergeant Donald Hackett, Thea Thompson with Carlo Navara. Sonya noticed no one else at the moment whom she knew particularly well. Yes, there standing up against the wall was Nora Jamison, with the little French girl's hand in hers and a line of children on either side. Nona Davis changing partners, Sergeant Donald Hackett went over evidently to ask Nora Jamison to dance with him, but she must have declined as he continued standing beside her, laughing and talking. "Have you been dancing, Bianca?" Sonya inquired. "You usually enjoy it so much." Leaning over, Bianca whispered.