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[Illustration: OCCASIONALLY A DARTING AIRPLANE ATTRACTED HER TO THE
WINDOW.]




                             Ruth Fielding
                            In the Red Cross

                                   OR

                           DOING HER BEST FOR
                               UNCLE SAM

                                   BY

                            ALICE B. EMERSON

               Author of "Ruth Fielding of the Red Mill,"
                  "Ruth Fielding in the Saddle," Etc.

                             _ILLUSTRATED_


                                NEW YORK
                         CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY
                               PUBLISHERS




                            Books for Girls
                          BY ALICE B. EMERSON
                          RUTH FIELDING SERIES
                       12mo. Cloth. Illustrated.
                 Price per volume, 50 cents, postpaid.


                   RUTH FIELDING OF THE RED MILL
                   RUTH FIELDING AT BRIARWOOD HALL
                   RUTH FIELDING AT SNOW CAMP
                   RUTH FIELDING AT LIGHTHOUSE POINT
                   RUTH FIELDING AT SILVER RANCH
                   RUTH FIELDING ON CLIFF ISLAND
                   RUTH FIELDING AT SUNRISE FARM
                   RUTH FIELDING AND THE GYPSIES
                   RUTH FIELDING IN MOVING PICTURES
                   RUTH FIELDING DOWN IN DIXIE
                   RUTH FIELDING AT COLLEGE
                   RUTH FIELDING IN THE SADDLE
                   RUTH FIELDING IN THE RED CROSS
                   RUTH FIELDING AT THE WAR FRONT


               Cupples & Leon Co., Publishers, New York.

                          Copyright, 1918, by
                         Cupples & Leon Company

                     Ruth Fielding in the Red Cross

                          Printed in U. S. A.




                                CONTENTS

         CHAPTER                                              PAGE
              I. Uncle Jabez Is Excited                          1
             II. The Call of the Drum                            9
            III. The Woman in Black                             17
             IV. "Can a Poilu Love a Fat Girl?"                 25
              V. "The Boys of the Draft"                        34
             VI. The Patriotism of the Purse                    39
            VII. On the Way                                     49
           VIII. The Nearest Duty                               56
             IX. Tom Sails, and Something Else Happens          64
              X. Suspicions                                     75
             XI. Said in German                                 81
            XII. Through Dangerous Waters                       90
           XIII. The New Chief                                  99
            XIV. A Change of Base                              107
             XV. New Work                                      118
            XVI. The Days Roll By                              127
           XVII. At the Gateway of the Chateau                 133
          XVIII. Shocking News                                 141
            XIX. At the Wayside Cross                          149
             XX. Many Things Happen                            156
            XXI. Again the Werwolf                             165
           XXII. The Countess and Her Dog                      175
          XXIII. Ruth Does Her Duty                            180
           XXIV. A Partial Exposure                            191
            XXV. Quite Satisfactory                            197




RUTH FIELDING IN THE RED CROSS




CHAPTER I--UNCLE JABEZ IS EXCITED


"Oh! Not _Tom_?"

Ruth Fielding looked up from the box she was packing for the local Red
Cross chapter, and, almost horrified, gazed into the black eyes of the
girl who confronted her.

Helen Cameron's face was tragic in its expression. She had been crying.
The closely written sheets of the letter in her hand were shaken, as
were her shoulders, with the sobs she tried to suppress.

"It--it's written to father," Helen said. "He gave it to me to read. I
wish Tom had never gone to Harvard. Those boys there are completely
crazy! To think--at the end of his freshman year--to throw it all up and
go to a training camp!"

"I guess Harvard isn't to blame," said Ruth practically. If she was
deeply moved by what her chum had told her, she quickly recovered her
self-control. "The boys are going from other colleges all over the land.
Is Tom going to try for a commission?"

"Yes."

"What does your father say?"

"Why," cried the other girl as though that, too, had surprised and hurt
her, "father cried 'Bully for Tom!' and then wiped his eyes on his
handkerchief. What can men be made of, Ruth? He knows Tom may be killed,
and yet he cheers for him."

Ruth Fielding smiled and suddenly hugged Helen. Ruth's smile was
somewhat tremulous, but her chum did not observe this fact.

"I understand how your father feels, dear. Tom does not want to be
drafted----"

"He wouldn't be drafted. He is not old enough. And even if they
automatically draft the boys as they become of age, it would be months
before they reached Tom, and the war will be over by that time. But here
he is throwing himself away----"

"Oh, Helen! Not that!" cried Ruth. "Our soldiers will fight for us--for
their country--for honor. And a man's life lost