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〃I don't think you mean it；〃 he said。 〃I give you credit for too much
sense。 Maybe some one is needed over there。 I guess things are pretty bad。
But why should you make it your affair？ There are about a million women
in this Country that haven't got anything else to do。 Let them go。〃
Some of them will。 But they're afraid； mostly。〃
〃Afraid！ My God； I should think they would be afraid！ And you're
asking me to let you go into danger； to put off our wedding while you
wander about over there with a million men and no women and … 〃
〃You're wrong； Harvey dear；〃 said Sara Lee in a low voice。 〃I am not
asking you at all。 I am telling you that I am going。〃
Sara Lee's leaving made an enormous stir in her small community。
Opinion was divided。 She was right according to some； she was mad
according to others。 The women of the Methodist Church； finding a real
field of activity； stood behind her solidly。 Guaranties of funds came in in a
steady flow； though the amounts were small； and； on the word going about
that she was to start a soup kitchen for the wounded； housewives sent in
directions for making their most cherished soups。
Sara Lee； going to a land where the meat was mostly horse and where
vegetables were scarce and limited to potatoes； Brussels sprouts and
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
cabbage； found herself the possessor of recipes for making such sick…room
dainties as mushroom soup； cream of asparagus； clam broth with whipped
cream； and from Mrs。 Gregory； the wealthy woman of the church … green
turtle and consomme。
She was very busy and rather sad。 She was helping Aunt Harriet to
close the house and getting her small wardrobe in order。 And once a day
she went to a school of languages and painfully learned from a fierce and
kindly old Frenchman a list of French nouns and prefixes like this： Le
livre； le crayon； la plume； la fenetre； and so on。 By the end of ten days she
could say： 〃La rose sent…elle bon？〃
Considering that Harvey came every night and ran the gamut of the
emotions； from pleading and expostulation at eight o'clock to black fury at
ten； when he banged out of the house； Sara Lee was amazingly calm。 If
she had moments of weakness； when the call from overseas was less
insistent than the call for peace and protection … if the nightly drawn
picture of the Leete house； with tile mantels and a white bathroom；
sometimes obtruded itself as against her approaching homelessness； Sara
Lee made no sign。
She had her photograph taken for her passport； and when Harvey
refused one she sent it to him by mail； with the word 〃Please〃 in the corner。
Harvey groaned over it； and got it out at night and scolded it wildly； and
then slept with it under his pillows； when he slept at all。
Not Sara Lee； and certainly not Harvey； knew what was calling her。
And even later； when waves of homesickness racked her with wild
remorse； she knew that she had had to go and that she could not return
until she had done the thing for which she had been sent； whatever that
might be。
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
CHAPTER III
The first thing that struck Sara Lee was the way she was saying her
nightly prayers in all sorts of odd places。 In trains and in hotels and； after
sufficient interval； in the steamer。 She prayed under these novel
circumstances to be made a better girl； and to do a lot of good over there；
and to be forgiven for hurting Harvey。 She did this every night； and then
got into her narrow bed and studied French nouns … because she had
decided that there was no time for verbs … and numbers； which put her to
sleep。
〃Un； deux； trois； quatre； cinq；〃 Sara Lee would begin； and go on；
rocking gently in her berth as the steamer roIled； 〃Vingt； vii gt…et…un；
vingt…deux； trente； trente …et… un … 〃 Her voice would die away。 The book
on the floor and Harvey's picture on the tiny table； Sara Lee would sleep。
And as the ship trembled the light over her bead would shine on Harvey's
ring； and it glistened like a tear。
One thing surprised her as she gradually met some of her fellow
passengers。 She was not alone on her errand。 Others there were on board；
young and old women； an4 men； too who had felt the call of mercy and
were going； as ignorant as she； to help。 As ignorant； but not so friendless。
Most of them were accredited somewhere。 They had definite objectives。
But what was more alarming … they talked in big figures。 Great
organizations were behind them。 She heard of the rehabilitation of
Belgium； and portable hospitals； and millions of dollars； and Red Cross
trains。
Not once did Sara Lee hear of anything so humble as a soup kitchen。
The war was a vast thing； they would observe。 It could only be touched by
great organizations。 Individual effort was negligible。
Once she took her courage in her hands。
〃But I should think；〃 she said； 〃that even great organizations depend
on the … on individual efforts。〃
The portable hospital woman turned to her patronizingly。
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
〃Certainly； my dear；〃 she said。 〃But coordinated … coordinated。〃
It is hard to say just when the lights went down on Sara Lee's quiet
stage and the interlude began。 Not on the steamer； for after three days of
discouragement and good weather they struck a storm； and Sara Lee's fine
frenzy died for a time； of nausea。 She did not appear again until the boat
entered the Mersey； a pale and shaken angel of mercy； not at all sure of her
wings； and most terribly homesick。
That night Sara Lee made a friend； one that Harvey would have
approved of； an elderly Englishman named Travers。 He was standing by
the rail in the rain looking out at the blinking signal lights on both sides of
the river。 The ship for the first time had abandoned its policy of darkness
and the decks were bathed in light。
Overhead the yardarm blinkers were signaling； and directly over Sara
Lee's head a great white searchlight swept the water ahead。 The wind was
blowing a gale； and the red and green lights of the pilot boat swung in
great arcs that seemed to touch the waves on either s