d slowly into Cheslow, the New England town to which her fare had been paid when her friends back in the town where

the old Red Mill on the bank of the Lumano River that the child found out that a great uncle was a tall, craggy kind of man, who wore clothing from which

ne softening thought of love or kindness. She was a "charity child"

woman would otherwise have completed her years in the poorhouse. Had it not been for Aunt Alvirah Boggs, Ruth Fielding's first month

e grew older the warped nature and acid temper of the miller both changed toward his grand-niece. But to brin

teps into education and fortune. As "Ruth Fielding of the Red Mill"-the title of the first book of this series-the little girl had never dreamed that she would arrive at any eminence.

considered that because Ruth discovered a sum of money that he lost he owed her a reward. That reward took the form of payment for tuition and board fo

at Lighthouse Point, at Silver Ranch, on Cliff Island, at Sunrise Farm, with the Gypsies, in Moving Pictures, down in Dixie, at College, in the Saddle, in the Red Cross, at the War Front. In this present volume she is int

onths, and that after some considerable experience at other points in France. As

t an old chateau belonging to the ancient family of the Marchands. With the Countess Marchand, a very simple and

ond the German lines, it was by grace of Henri Marchand's influence, and in his company, that Ruth Fielding was able to get into the Ge

win brother had returned in safety through the German lines. The adventure had knitted a stronger cord of friendship between Ruth and Tom; a

y revealed. Perhaps that was as deep as her interest in the young man la

more College and were near to finishing their sophomore year when America got int

them that Jennie Stone should have so suddenly become engaged. Indeed, the plump girl was one of "the old crowd" that the

the Countess Marchand's younger son, Jennie Stone had been carried

den'! Theirs is nothing to the whirlwind

ted during the past few months; therefore Jennie had become acquainted with the C

previous to this fateful day when our story opens, the war had touched the town but sli

had pressed the Germans back, slowly but surely. The last and greatest German offensive had broken dow

he front, had crossed the fighting lines, and had reached Clair with its single building of mark-the hos

tments of the institution were too plainly seen from the air for the Hun to h

ittle sleeping cell, was the final one dropped from the enemy plane. The machine dr

ambled up from the floor of the corridor outside Ruth's door their united s

ie, gazing in horror at thei

Helen, and covered he

s, but her experience of four years of war had made her used to such sights as this. She knelt beside the fallen gir

sad! That so-heavy stone! Ah, the

No, no! She is very bad wounded-p

Between them they turned Ruth Fielding over. Plainly she

hie!" begged Hel

e shoulder should be set and properly bandaged before she comes to consciousness again. Push

on her narrow bed. A man came running along the corridor. The matron instructed him in such rapid Fre

ed the matron, when the brancard

nd Helen following in the wake. On both of the main floors of the hospital nurses came to the doors of the wards to learn what h

groaned Helen. "To think of our R

f came hurriedly to see what was needed for the injured girl. Mademoiselle Americaine, as Ruth

last Madame la Directrice came out. She smiled at the anxious girls. That wa

scar will be left, the surgeon assures me. And when she recovers from the anesthetic--Oh, la, la! she

the private room that had been given to the wounded Red Cross worker. Ruth's eyes opened

s a little girl. And I dreamed all about Briarwood, and our trips about the country, and our adventure

s happened to me? I'm all ban