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but standing by the open window looking out toward the great
city to the south。
When she turned Miss Page saw something in her eyes that
caused that young woman to shriek with amazement。
〃Anita！〃 she exclaimed。 〃You crying！ What in Heaven's name
can make you cry？〃
It was not a kind speech； nor did Miss Flagg receive it
kindly。 She turned upon the tactless intruder。
〃Suppose；〃 cried Anita fiercely； 〃a man thought you were
worth forty dollars a monthhonestly didn't know！honestly
believed you were poor and worked for your living； and still
said your smile was worth more than all of old man Flagg's
millions； not knowing they were YOUR millions。 Suppose he
didn't ask any money of you； but just to take care of you； to
slave for youonly wanted to keep your pretty hands from
working； and your pretty eyes from seeing sickness and pain。
Suppose you met that man among this rotten lot； what would
you do？ What wouldn't you do？〃
〃Why； Anita！〃 exclaimed Miss Page。
〃What would you do？〃 demanded Anita Flagg。 〃This is what
you'd do： You'd go down on your knees to that man and say：
'Take me away！ Take me away from them； and pity me； and be
sorry for me； and love meand love meand love me！〃
〃And why don't you？〃 cried Helen Page。
〃Because I'm as rotten as the rest of them！〃 cried Anita
Flagg。 〃Because I'm a coward。 And that's why I'm crying。
Haven't I the right to cry？〃
At the exact moment Miss Flagg was proclaiming herself a
moral coward； in the local room of the REPUBLIC Collins； the
copy editor； was editing Sam's story' of the laying of the
corner…stone。 The copy editor's cigar was tilted near his
left eyebrow； his blue pencil； like a guillotine ready to
fall upon the guilty word or paragraph； was suspended in mid…
air； and continually； like a hawk preparing to strike； the
blue pencil swooped and circled。 But page after page fell
softly to the desk and the blue pencil remained inactive。 As
he read； the voice of Collins rose in muttered ejaculations；
and； as he continued to read； these explosions grew louder
and more amazed。 At last he could endure no more and；
swinging swiftly in his revolving chair； his glance swept the
office。 〃In the name of Mike！〃 he shouted。 〃What IS this？〃
The reporters nearest him； busy with pencil and typewriters；
frowned in impatient protest。 Sam Ward； swinging his legs
from the top of a table； was gazing at the ceiling； wrapped
in dreams and tobacco smoke。 Upon his clever； clean…cut
features the expression was far…away and beatific。 He came
back to earth。
〃What's what？〃 Sam demanded。
At that moment Elliott； the managing editor； was passing
through the room his hands filled with freshly pulled proofs。
He swung toward Collins quickly and snatched up Sam's copy。
The story already was lateand it was important。
〃What's wrong？〃 he demanded。 Over the room there fell a
sudden hush。
〃Read the opening paragraph；〃 protested Collins。 〃It's like
that for a column！ It's all about a girlabout a Red Cross
nurse。 Not a word about Flagg or Lord Deptford。 No speeches！
No news！ It's not a news story at all。 It's an editorial； and
an essay； and a spring poem。 I don't know what it is。 And；
what's worse；〃 wailed the copy editor defiantly and to the
amazement of all； 〃it's so darned good that you can't touch
it。 You've got to let it go or kill it。〃
The eyes of the managing editor； masked by his green paper
shade； were racing over Sam's written words。 He thrust the
first page back at Collins。
〃Is it all like that？〃
〃There's a column like that！〃
〃Run it just as it is；〃 commanded the managing editor。 〃 Use
it for your introduction and get your story from the flimsy。
And； in your head； cut out Flagg entirely。 Call it 'The Red
Cross Girl。' And play it up strong with pictures。〃 He turned
on Sam and eyed him curiously。
〃What's the idea； Ward？〃 he said。 〃This is a newspapernot a
magazine！〃
The click of the typewriters was silent； the hectic rush of
the pencils had ceased； and the staff； expectant； smiled
cynically upon the star reporter。 Sam shoved his hands into
his trousers pockets and also smiled； but unhappily。
〃I know it's not news； Sir；〃 he said； but that's the way I
saw the storyoutside on the lawn； the band playing； and the
governor and the governor's staff and the clergy burning
incense to Flagg； and inside； this girl right on the job
taking care of the sick and wounded。 It seemed to me that a
million from a man that won't miss a million didn't stack up
against what this girl was doing for these sick folks！ What I
wanted to say；〃 continued Sam stoutly 〃was that the moving
spirit of the hospital was not in the man who signed the
checks； but in these women who do the workthe nurses； like
the one I wrote about； the one you called 'The Red Cross
Girl。'〃
Collins； strong through many years of faithful service；
backed by the traditions of the profession； snorted
scornfully。
〃But it's not news！〃
〃It's not news；〃 said Elliott doubtfully； 〃but it's the kind
of story that made Frank O'Malley famous。 It's the kind of
story that drives men out of this business into the arms of
what Kipling calls 'the illegitimate sister。'〃
It seldom is granted to a man on the same day to give his
whole heart to a girl and to be patted on the back by his
managing editor； and it was this combination； and not the
drinks he dispensed to the staff in return for its
congratulations； that sent Sam home walking on air。 He loved
his business； he was proud of his business； but never before
had it served him so well。 It had enabled him to tell the
woman he loved； and incidentally a million other people； how
deeply he honored her； how clearly he appreciated her power
for good。 No one would know he meant Sister Anne； save two
peopleSister Anne and himself； but for her and for him that
was as many as should know。 In his story he had used real
incidents of the day； he had described her as she passed
through the wards of the hospital； cheering and sympathetic；
he had told of the little acts of consideration that endeared
her to the sick people。
The next morning she would know that it was she of whom he
had written； and between the lines she would read that the
man who wrote them loved her。 So he fell asleep； impatient
for the morning。 In the hotel at which he lived the REPUBLIC
was always placed promptly outside his door； and； after many
excursions into the hall； he at last found it。 On the front
page was his story； 〃The Red Cross Girl。〃 It had the place of
honorright…hand column； but more conspicuous than the
headlines of his own story was one of Redding's； photographs。
It was the one he had taken of Sister Anne when first she had
approached them； in her uniform of mercy； advancing across
the lawn； walking straight into the focus of the； camera。
There was no mistaking her for any other living woman； but
beneath the picture； in bold； staring； uncompromising type；
was a strange and grotesque legend。
〃Daughter of Millionaire Flagg；〃 it read； 〃in a New Role；
Miss Anita Flagg as The Red Cross Girl。〃
For a long time Sam looked at the picture； and then； folding
the paper so that the picture was hidden； he walked to the
open window。 From below； Broadway sent up a tumultuous
greetingcable cars jangled； taxis hooted； and； on the
sidewalks； on their way to work； processions of shop…girls
stepped out briskly。 It was the street and the city and the
life he had found fascinating； but now it jarred and
affronted him。 A girl he knew had died； had passed out of his
life foreverworse than that had never existed； and yet the
city went or just as though that made no difference； or just
as little difference as it would have made had Sister Anne
really lived and really died。
At the same early hour； an hour far too early for the rest of
the house party； Anita Flagg and Helen Page； booted and
riding…habited； sat alone at the breakfast table； their tea
before them； and in the hands of Anita Flagg was the DAILY
REPUBLIC。 Miss Page had brought the paper to the table and；
with affected indignation at the impertinence of the press；
had pointed at the front…page photograph； but Miss Flagg was
not looking at the photograph； or drinking her tea； or
showing in her immediate surroundings any interest
whatsoever。 Instead； her lovely eyes were fastened with
fascination upon the column under the heading 〃The Red Cross
Girl〃； and； as she read； the lovely eyes lost all trace of
recent slumber； her lovely lips parted breathlessly； and on
her lovely cheeks the color flowed and faded and glowed and
bloomed。 When she had read as far as a paragraph beginning；
〃When Sister Anne walked between them those who suffered
raised their eyes to hers as flowers lift their faces to the
rain；〃 she dropped the paper and started for telephone。
〃Any man；〃 cried she； to the mutual discomfort of Helen Page
and the servants； 〃who thinks I'm like that mustn't get away！
I'm not like that and I know it； but if he thinks so that's
all I want。 And maybe I might be like thatif any man would
help。〃
She gave her attention to the telephone and 〃Information。〃
She demanded to be instantly put into communication with the
DAILY REPUBLIC and Mr。