下载辰思小说免费APP
Aftershehadgone，twoorderlieshelpedGodfreydownstairstositonthebroadverandahofthehospital。Herestillstoodmanyofthelittletableswhichusedtoserveforpleasanttea-partieswhenthebuildingwasanhotelinthedaysbeforethewar。OntheselaysomeoldEnglishnewspapers。Godfreypickeduponeofthemwithhislefthand，andbegantoreadidlyenough。Almostthefirstparagraphthathiseyefellonwasheaded：
“HeroicDeathofaV。A。D。Commandant。“
Somethingmadehimreadonquickly，andthiswaswhathesaw：
“AttheinquestonthelateMrs。Knight，thewifeofColonelKnightwhowasreportedmurderedbynativesinEastAfricasomelittletimeago，someinterestingevidencewasgiven。ItappearedfromthetestimonyofMrs。Parsons，anurseintheHawk’sHallHospital，thatwhenwarningwasgivenoftheapproachofZeppelinsduringlastweek’sraidontheEasternCountiesandLondon，thepatientsintheupperroomsofthehospitalwereremovedtoitslowerfloors。Findingthatoneyoungman，aprivateintheSuffolkRegimentwhohaslostbothhisfeet，hadbeenoverlooked，Mrs。Knight，followedbyMrs。Parsons，wentupstairstohelphimdown。WhenMrs。Parsons，whomsheoutran，reachedthedoorofthewardtherewasagreatexplosion，apparentlyontheroof。Shewaitedtillthedusthadclearedoffandgropedherwaydownthewardwiththehelpofanelectrictorch。ReachingPrivateThompson’sbed，shesawlyingonitMrs。Knightwhohadbeenkilledbythefallenmasonry。PrivateThompson，whowasunhurtbeneaththebody，saidthatwhenthebricksbegantocomedownMrs。Knightcalledtohimtoliestillandthrewherselfonhimtoprotecthim。Thensomethingheavy，hebelievedthestonecopingofachimney，fellonherbackandsheutteredoneword，hethoughtitwasaname，andwassilent。Mrs。Knight，whowastheonlychildofthelateSirJohnBlake，Bart。，thewell-knownshipowner，issaidtohavebeenoneoftherichestwomeninEngland。ShemarriedthelateColonelKnightsomemonthsago，immediatelybeforehewassenttoEastAfrica。UndertheprovisionsofherwillthecrematedremainsofMrs。KnightwillbeinterredinthechanceloftheAbbeyChurchatMonk’sAcre。“
Godfreyreadthisawfulparagraphtwiceandlookedatthedateofthepaper。Itwasnearlytwomonthsold。
“Soshewasdeadwhenshecametome。Oh!nowIunderstand，“hemutteredtohimself，andthen，hadnotapassingnativeservantcaughthim，hewouldhavefallentotheground。Itwasoneofthetenthousandminortragediesoftheworldwar，thatisall。
Threemonthslater，stillverycrippledandcoughingbadly，becauseoftheinjurytohislung，hereportedhimselfinLondon，andoncemoresawtheUnder-SecretarywhohadsenthimouttoEastAfrica。Therehesatinthesameroom，atthesamedesk，lookingpreciselythesame。
“Iamsorry，Sir，thatmymissionhasfailedthroughcircumstancesbeyondmycontrol。IcanonlyaddthatIdidmybest，“hesaidbrie
