The Splendid Folly by Margaret Pedler
page 38 of 358 (10%)
page 38 of 358 (10%)
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But Diana paid no heed.
"I want that child," she said eagerly, holding out her arms. "The mother's nearly out of her mind--she thinks he's killed, and I told her I'd go and look for him." "Is this the child? . . . All right, then, I'll carry him along for you. Where did you leave his mother?" Diana led the way to where the woman was sitting, still rocking herself to and fro in dumb misery. At the sight of the child she leapt up and clutched him in her arms, half crazy with joy and gratitude, and a few sympathetic tears stole down Diana's cheeks as she and her fellow-helper moved away, leaving the mother and child together. The man beside her drew her arm brusquely within his. "You're not going near that--that hell again. Do you hear?" he said harshly. His face looked white and drawn; it was smeared with dirt, and his clothes were torn and dishevelled. Here and there his coat was stained with dark, wet patches. Diana shuddered a little, guessing what those patches were. "_You've_ been helping!" she burst out passionately. "Did you want me to sit still and do nothing while--while that is going on just below?" And she pointed to where the injured were being borne along on roughly improvised stretchers. A sob climbed to her throat and her voice shook as she continued: "I was safe, you see, thanks to you. And--and I felt |
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