, Nora Jamison quietly acquiesced. The next instant she
disappeared inside the Liedermann house, the door being opened for her
almost instantly by Frau Liedermann herself.

It was possible that the German lady may have observed their brief
conversation, yet Jimmie Hersey had no suspicion of Frau Liedermann, who
struck him as being an outsider in the family of her husband.

An hour later, when Major Hersey sought the place he had chosen for
their appointment, he discovered Nora Jamison was there before him.

She was sitting on a small bench under a great tree filled with tiny
flowering blossoms which scented the air with a delicious fragrance.

Evidently she was thinking deeply.

Nora Jamison's exceptional appearance did not attract the young officer,
although she did interest and puzzle him.

Her short hair, her slender, almost boyish figure, the queer elfin look
in her face, which made one wonder what she was _really_ thinking even
at the time she was talking in a perfectly natural fashion, had a
tantalizing rather than a pleasant effect upon some persons.

Yet once seated beside her Major Jimmie felt less embarrassment than he
had anticipated. One had to believe in any human being for whom children
cared as they did for this American girl.

"Freia and Gretchen talk about you always," he began a little awkwardly.
"I thought at the beginning of our acquaintance that I was to be their
favored friend, but soon found you had completely won their allegiance.
But where is your usual companion, the little French girl?"

"I left her at the hospital today, Major Hersey; for a special reason I
wished to make a call upon Frau Liedermann alone. But please do not let
us talk about Freia and Gretchen at present though they are dear little
girls. You have something you specially want to say to me and I must be
back at my work at the hospital in another half hour."

Major Hersey was a soldier and Nora's directness pleased him.

"Yes, it is absurd of me to waste your time," he returned. "The fact is
simply this. As I am billeted in their house for the present I cannot
very well have failed to notice that you are developing what looks like
a personal intimacy with the Liedermann family. I presume you know that
the Americans in Coblenz, who have anything to do with the United States
army, are not supposed to fraternize with the Germans. You may regard it
as impertinent of me to recall this fact to your attention. I presume
you