She was expecting to go on
board some hospital boat at the landing the day befo' your regiment
arrived. I haven't set eyes on her since. A gun-boat was to take
one of the Commission's steamers to Fortress Monroe, and all that
day the fleet kept on firing at our--at the Confederate batteries
over the river"--she corrected herself wearily--"and I was so
afraid, that Ailsa's steamer would try to get out----"
"Did it?"
"I don't know. There are so many, many boats at the landing, and
there's been so much firing, and nobody seems to know what is
happening or where anybody is. . . . And I don't know where Ailsa
is, and I've been ve'y mise'ble because they say some volunteer
nurses have been killed----"
"What!"
"I didn't want to tell you, Phil--until you were better----"
"Tell me what?" he managed to say, though a terrible fear was
stiffening his lips and throat.
She said dully: "They get shot sometimes. You remember yo'se'f
what that Sister of Charity said last night. I heard Ailsa
cautioning Letty--the little nurse, Miss Lynden----"
"Yes, I know. What else?"
Celia's underlip quivered: "Nothing, only Ailsa told me that she
was ordered to the field hospital fo' duty befo' she went aboard
the commission boat--and she never came back--and there was a
battle all that day----"
"Is that all?" he demanded, rising on one elbow.
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