night like this has an
influence upon a woman of my age with an almost grown-up family, it
makes me feel extremely nervous when I consider the girls."

Mrs. Burton laughed.

"Nevertheless, my beloved Mollie, even if you _have_ a grown-up family
and I have no children, I don't see what difference the fact makes in
our ages, as we happen to be twins. Besides, I never could see why age
should destroy one's susceptibility to beauty! My only feeling is that
perhaps we have no right to ease and enjoyment of any kind this summer,
now that the United States has entered the war. I don't think I should
have invited the girls on this long trip had I known beforehand. I feel
I ought to be devoting all my energies to war work; however, we must do
whatever we can out here. Richard seemed to think it impossible to have
me near the southern camp where he is located."

Mrs. Webster sighed gently in response. She was unhappy over the war,
too, but not so inclined as her sister to take deeply to heart the
sorrows of the world when they did not touch her personally.

"Well, I am glad we can be together for a few months longer, Polly. I
realize it is selfish of me, and yet I do rejoice that neither Dan nor
Billy is old enough to be drafted. Dan's desire to volunteer is of
course ridiculous! At least, I shall safe-guard my boys. I am also glad
my husband is doing war work by increasing the amount of food raised
upon our place, instead of entering the service as an ordnance officer
as your husband has. Dear me, I really think it is very fine of Richard
at his age!"

Shrugging her shoulders, Mrs. Burton smiled a little ruefully.

"You are determined to dwell upon our great age tonight, aren't you,
Mollie mine? Please remember that your daughter Peggy bestowed her
affections upon Ralph Marshall last summer when we were at the Grand
Canyon and not in southern California. Yet I do feel that with the
possibility of young soldiers and officers turning up at any moment in
our midst, you and I will have to be unusually vigilant chaperons.

"But do let us go now and find what has become of the girls. We have had
a long journey and should soon be in bed."

Mrs. Burton slipped her arm inside her sister's and drew her away from
the old hotel garden across the gleaming road.

To the right of them, bathed in the half-tropic moonlight, was the old
Spanish mission of San Juan Capistrano, named in honor of a
warrior-saint of the Crusades. It was th