深夜，帕齐安慰着不住颤抖哭泣的贝丝。原来，贝丝照顾的一位战士在一小时前去世了。对死亡的恐惧弥漫在空气中，令贝丝感到害怕和窒息。莫德对贝丝说，我们只有让自己变得冷酷一些才得以面对一位又一位伤员的离去。我们所能做的，就是尽力减少他们的痛苦，并让他们在平静中离开……
While the others were conversing on deck Maud Stanton was ministering to the maimed victims of the war's cruelty，who tossed and moaned below.The main cabin and its accompanying staterooms had been fitted with all the conveniences of a modern hospital.Twenty—two could easily be accommodated in the rooms and a dozen more in the cabin，so that the eleven now in their charge were easily cared for.Of these，only three had been seriously injured.One was the German，who，however，was now sleeping soundly under the influence of the soothing potion that followed his operation.The man's calmness and iron nerve indicated that he wouldmake a rapid recovery.Another was the young Belgian soldier picked up in the roadway near the firing line，who had been shot in the back and had not yet recovered consciousness.Dr.Gys had removed several bits of exploded shell and dressed the wound，shaking his head discouragingly.But since the young man was still breathing，with a fairly regular respirationa，no attempt was made to restore him to his senses.
The third seriously injured was a French sergeant whose body was literally riddled with shrapnel.A brief examination had convinced Gys that the case was hopeless.
"He may live until morning，"was the doctor's report ashe calmly looked down upon the moaning sergeant，"but no longer.Meanwhile，we must prevent his suffering."This he accomplished by means of powerful drugs.Thesoldier soon lay in a stupora，awaiting the end，and nothing more could be done for him.
Of the others，two Belgians with bandaged heads wereplaying a quiet game of écartéin a corner of the cabin，while another with a slight wound in his leg was stretched upon a couch，reading a book.A young French officer who had lost three fingers of his hand was cheerfully conversing with a comradeb whose scalp had been torn by a bullet and who declared that in two days he would return to the front.The others Maud found asleep in their berths or lying quietly to ease their pain.It was remarkable，however，how little suffering was caused these men by flesh wounds，once they were properly dressed and the patients made comfortable with food and warmth and the assurance of proper care.
So it was that Maud found her duties not at all arduous this evening.Indeed，the sympathy she felt for these brave men was so strong that it wearied her more than the actual work of nursing them.A sip of water here，a cold compress there，the administration of medicines to keep down or prevent fever，little attentions of this character were all that were required.Speaking French fluently，she was able to converse with all those under her charge and all seemed eager to relate to their beautiful nurse their experiences，hopes and griefs.Soon she realized she was beginning to learn more of the true nature of war than she had ever gleaned from the correspondents of thenewspapers.
When dinner was served in the forward cabin Beth relieved Maud and after the evening meal Dr.Gys made another inspection of his patients.All seemed doing well except the young Belgian.The condition of the French sergeant was still unchanged.Some of those with minor injuries were ordered on deck for a breath of fresh air.
Patsy relieved Beth at midnight and Maud came on duty again at six o'clock，having had several hours of refreshing sleep.She found Patsy trembling with nervousness，for the sergeant had passed away an hour previous and the horror of the event had quite upset the girl.
"Oh，it is all so unnecessary！"she waileda as she threwherself into Maud's arms.
"We must s t e e lb ourselves to such things，dear，"said Maud，soothing her，"for they will be of frequent occurrence，I fear.And we must be grateful and glad that we were able to relieve the poor man's anguish and secure for him a peaceful end.""I know，"answered Patsy with a little sob，"but it's sodreadful.Oh，what a cruel，hateful thing war is！"From papers found on the sergeant Uncle John was able to notify his relatives of his fate.His home was in a little village not fifty miles away and during the day a brother arrived to take charge of the remains and convey them to their last restingplace.
The following morning Captain Carg was notified by the authorities to withdraw the Arabella to an anchorage farther out in the bay，and thereafter it became necessary to use the two launchesa for intercourse between the ship and the city.Continuous cannonadingb could be heard from the direction of Nieuport，Dixmude and Ypres，and it was evident that the battle had doubled in intensity at all points，owing to heavy reinforcements being added to both sides.But，as Maurie had predicted，the Allies were able to hold the foe at bay and keep them from advancing a step farther.
Uncle John had not been at all satisfied with that first day's experience at the front.He firmly believed it was unwise，to the verge of rashness，to allow the girls to place themselves in so dangerous a position.During a serious consultation with Jones，Kelsey，Captain Carg and Dr.Gys，the men agreed upon a better plan of procedure.