GIRLS WHO BRING TH& WOUNDED

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 42, 14 November 1918, Page 2

GIRLS WHO BRING TH& WOUNDED

BY ONE OL , THEM. "Convoy—out at oncu!" It is tno corptlial's voice nt the door ol the hut where I. mill my companion am sleeping, and in a moment wu aiv out of bed and throwing on our dottiest —another few minutes sees us out in the yard and hurrying .towards our ambulances. Lighls spring out, engines hum, ami soon tho ten ambulances, jour ot which «i'o driven by Women's Legion drivers, are ready and' waiting, "Koady," comes the corporal's voice, and away glides the iirst "ambulunce— and another—nnd another—until i.'the whole string aro heading for the hoFpilal. Hern wo each pick up nn attendant who is to ride in the ambulance and look lifter Ilio patients; nlretchors fire loaded up inside; then along comes tho word mid wo aro off again (ownrds tho edition, ■where wo back the cars .up in a linn ready (o start the moment they aro loaded. I switch on" the current. _ "How ■long, corporal?" This is my first night convoy. j "Two hours, miss." "Two'hours!" 1 gasp. "About that. I. should have, a sleep. Sleep! Absurd! I cross lo one of the ears and chatter to tho cttls. But conversation Hafts, and in half an hour I am lying on my front seat with as many cushions as I our find. Tho night air is chilly. Onn of the men drivers comes round nnd lays his coat over mo. .

Suddenly a bell Tings. Have T been asleep? I sit up feeling very stiff. Tlio elation is alive again, everyone is awake and at work. J. jump qIT and crank up the ear.

"Ts it coming?" "Yen. Don't jret excited." says a more experienced companion. Then I hear it. in the distance—nearer and ncnrei—until at ln<-t it pulls up gently in the Bidin:: near to us.

Hero they corae! These am the walking cases that go by and fill up the first four cars. OA" they go—and noiv Hie stretcher eases are coming; the nexi; car lo mine is (illed and starts away, (hen a shaking in the back of tho car tells me my turn has come.

The corporal conies round. "Gently with them, miss; two of them arc bod cases."

Bad cases! Suppose T let in ihi? clutch with a 1 .'wing juo quickly round a corner! A wholp itet of possible, errors stands suddenly h-.'fore me. "You'll bo all right," he sdds kindly "Sight awa.v, and be back hero as Boon as you can." ■ ■

The clutch dips in beautifully, and wo glide away. 1 drive as carefully us I can, but ench hole in the road makes mo sot my teeth and swear lo remember it next time. I pull np at the hospital door, and. standing up, look ilirotijh. the little window into the ambulance. "Are you all right? I do hope I' didn't shake you." One of them raises his head and hoUi? out his hand. "It was grand, find bless you, miss." I could just touch his hand. Then T saw then) carried away. I turned my cur for the station again. I had two more journeys with stretcher cases; then the corporal came ogain, "Buck to the lines." Dawn is coming. Thee is .\ trlow in thf: sky; my lamps no loiwor shine on the road, and I hirn in the barracks ga'e. I back tut car into nlace; nn comes finnflw—and another, (ill the "-liole line i? there, and loft with the solitary ?entii«l to ijuarrl them. " I

Mr first, night convoy is over.-—"Daily Mail." .