
Four daring American Red Cross volunteers, fresh from harrowing months in war‑torn Belgium, now find themselves on the frozen outskirts of Russia. Clad in their familiar uniforms, they step through the iron gate of a massive fortress, the cold wind echoing their uncertainty. Mildred, with her steady flaxen hair and steel‑gray eyes, worries that they’ve ventured too far alone, while Nona tries to keep spirits up despite the cryptic messages they’ve received. Barbara, the youngest, clings to her friends for courage, recalling promises made to loved ones back home.
As they settle into a strange new landscape, the girls confront language barriers, unfamiliar customs, and the ever‑present military presence that patrols the courtyard. Their mission—to aid civilians caught in the turmoil of a distant conflict—forces them to balance compassion with caution. With each step, the fortress becomes both a sanctuary and a reminder that the war’s reach extends far beyond the front lines, testing their resolve and deepening the bonds that brought them together.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (244K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Mark C. Orton, Linda McKeown, Jacqueline Jeremy and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2007-07-18
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1876–1958
Best known for lively girls’ adventure series, this American children’s writer filled her books with travel, friendship, and wartime service. Her stories helped shape early 20th-century popular fiction for young readers, especially the Camp Fire Girls, Ranch Girls, Red Cross Girls, and Girl Scouts books.
View all books
by Margaret Vandercook

by Margaret Vandercook

by Margaret Vandercook

by Margaret Vandercook

by Margaret Vandercook

by Margaret Vandercook

by Margaret Vandercook

by Margaret Vandercook