'Oh, why, why am I a woman?' she clasped her hands above her head in
a passion of revolt. 'What does one's own life matter? Why waste a
thought--an hour upon it!'
In a second she was at her table putting together the notes she had
made that morning in the wood. About a hundred and fifty more ash
marked in that wood alone!--thanks to Sir Henry. She rang up Captain
Dell, and made sure that they would be offered that night direct to
the Government timber department--the Squire's ash, for greater
haste, having been now expressly exempted from the general contract.
Canadians were coming down to fell them at once. They must be
housed. One of the vacant farms, not yet let, was to be got ready
for them. She made preliminary arrangements by telephone. Then,
after a hasty lunch, at which the Squire did not appear, and Mrs.
Gaddesden was more than usually languid and selfish, Elizabeth
rushed off to the village on her bicycle. The hospital Commandant
was waiting for her, with such workpeople as could be found, and the
preparation of the empty house for fifty more beds was well begun.
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