The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-03-20
Now Go Right On With
the Story,

Now Go Right On Win
the Story.
DO ]? Ann will not. believe me-
that you are Gisela Won Niebuhr not
Doring. What a lark that was to
run OF to America and. fool every
bodyl
"I wish /, had come across you. 1t
would have been quite dramatic to
tear on the mask OF the goyerness
and reveal the junker. think, it was
too stupid Of you. Ann, that you didn't
guess"
II noticed many Inconsistencies"
said Mrs. Prentiss dryly. She adqed,
holding out her hand with a eharni-
ing smile: BUT later, was-so proud
to have known Gisela Dortng, that
personal curiosity seemed impairment.
How we have missed your writings
these last dreadful years"
Then all three began to talk at once
and Gisela gathered that Mrs. Toby
had nursed behind the British lines in
France since the early days OF the
war, and that her old friend, Mrs.
Prentiss,. had Joined her q few months
since.
Kate asked innumerabls questions
about the other girls, particularly
Meriette. whom she remembered as
GermanIc blonde Of warm colorins;
the coolest eyes, the most s1btty rigid
and ruthless mouth she mad ever seen.
She had found some difficulty pic
turing her as a Red Cross nurse and
was not surprised to hear thas she
was in charge of an. enormous organ
ization for the supply OF cantines. OF
her executive ability and quick deter
mination there could be no doubt-as
she told Ann Prentiss later.
In the excitement and exhilaratton
of this purely feminine conversation
which soon included Heloise and Mimi
the two parties forgot the CORY
chasm that divided them.
When they dropped suddenly at
chance word to the present that grir-
ped even these glittering snowdelds
with its red Unsuitable fingers, Kate,
as ever, was equal TO the formidable
moment and cried out. swapping her
fingers at the blue ether so TRANQUILITY
aloof from warning hosts:
Forget It! For today, at least.
What are you thinking about so hard,
ANN"
an tell you later. Let us go In
and have tea and then skate again.
I noticed how. well my step suited
Countess Gisela's."
student of Humpn Mature.
Ann Howland. as the wife Of an
eminent politician. had long since Gull
tivated the art Of mental suppleness
and had learned to fascinate the most
diverse Intelligence and egos. Gisela.
who was always warmly responsive
to personal charm when not too obvf
ously insIncere, enjoyed the hour on
the ice so exclusively devoted to her
by the distinguished American. and
went to bed that night we'll content
to bury the war during this period OF
necessary rest, grateful for this fresh
current that swept her for the mo-
ment into one OF those old backwaters
of mere femininity. 49,
AIre. Prentiss had not related sin
gle anecdote of the front. nor alluded
to the fact that she was Red Cross
nurse.
But she and Kate Terrfss sat up
until midnight They were both WON
ei capable OF seizing those rare op-
portunities for service that fit past
s. many intelligent women lacking
Initiative, and here was one that the
most clear-thinking man would have
envied
1t was a piece OF unbelievable luck:
Gisela Doring was not only here to
their hand in a relaxed and friendly
m BOD, but she possessed charm COM
bined with a great intelligence and
an iron will: she was far more the
obvious leader than they had inferred
from her work, and they guessed
something OF tho powerful influence
she must quietly have obtained over
the women OF Germany.
Mrs. Prentiss had by no means ap-
proved OF her at an earlier period. for
she had shrewdly suspected that 1t
was the handsome German governess,
not the high-born Irma, who thwarted
her designs upon the most attractive
foreigner" she had ever met
Grateful to GiseIa-
But even IL she had cherished a
grudge, and her life had been far too
happy and successful for that. she
would have been So profoundly CRATE
full to Gisela for saving her from the
anomalous and wretched position OF
other modern American women mar
ried to medieval Germans. that she
felt almost as great a desire to serve
her as civilization in general.
When the two Americans parted for
the night a methodical program had
been worked out, with every data at
command and every fact in damning
sequence.
The result of this momentous con-
ference was that none of the five
went to bed on the following night,
but sat about a large oval table in
the common sitting room OF Mrs.
Prentiss and Mrs. Toby, and wrangled
until dawn.