She was confident that we would not be empty long.  Bloody battles were being waged from Alsace throughout the entire north.  Belgian territory had been violated and Liege was putting up a heroic defense.

But our doctor and the pharmaceutical products?  From where and when would they arrive?  Food and bedding would go a long way, but were hardly sufficient to start a hospital!

We were to count on Madame Macherez for both.  She had promised to do her utmost to reach us with our supplies, but the rules of circulation on the roads were so severe that even Red Cross supply cars had to stand in line and await permits.  In the meantime we must organize as best we could.

The following morning a few moments’ intercourse proved to me that Madame Guix’s competence extended far beyond the bounds of her metier.  She was a splendid worker, and no task was too difficult, so long as it furthered our purpose—­namely, that of being ready in case of emergency.

By noon we had decided that it would be useless to count upon my servants to help in the hospital.  They already had all they could do.  So I went and asked our mayor if he knew of any women who, de bonne volonte, would come and assist us.  Madame Guix volunteered to teach them the rudiments of bandaging between two and five on the coming afternoons, and we would establish a roulement so that the little time that each disposed of might be properly and efficiently utilized.

The drum beat and made the announcement, and at two the same afternoon we had the satisfaction of welcoming some twenty women.  In the meantime every bit of old linen I possessed was brought down and put on the dining room table, then measured and torn in formes rilglementaires ready to be sterilized and put aside.  Half a dozen bands were left out as models and it was with these that Madame Guix commenced her demonstrations.  She soon put her listeners at ease, and presently all were anxious to try a hand at bandaging.  The naive clumsiness of these poor souls was extremely pathetic, but such was their patriotism that they never considered themselves ridiculous for a single instant, and stood there fumbling the long linen rolls with bands that were hands more accustomed to wielding a spade or directing a plough.  Again and again they would recommence certain difficult proceedings, taking turns at playing the dummy, and offering as models calves and biceps of which many an athlete might have been proud.

Of the score of women but two or three really acquired any facility, but we considered that sufficient, for in time of need the others could easily be put to work at necessary matters which were of less vital importance.