g to add a somewhat lighter tone to the conversation.

Her host shook his head gravely.

"You are very kind, Madame, and yet I am afraid I cannot accept your
defense of my son. His ancestors were Spanish adventurers and soldiers
and my own fought with Washington. However, I shall be delighted to
visit your camp. One of the many reasons I wished to persuade you to
remain over night with us was in order that Felipe might learn to know
the girls who are with you. I fancied that he was immediately interested
in one of them. Perhaps later she may prove an inspiration, a spur to
him. American girls must have no patience with slackers these days. But
suppose we cease talking about the war which haunts us all so
everlastingly. Won't you walk with me and look at some of the other
views about the old place by moonlight?"

Mrs. Burton and her host entered the front door of the house, crossed
the large sitting room and came out upon one of the paths of the
enclosed garden.

Now the air was almost suffocatingly sweet with the night fragrances of
the semi-tropical flowers.

Under the deep magenta canopy of the bougainvillea vine the older woman
discovered Gerry and her younger host.

Felipe Morris was holding a guitar, but for the moment he and Gerry were
quietly talking. Feeling too shaken and uncomfortable to remain out of
bed, and realizing by feminine intuition that Felipe would prefer to be
alone with Gerry, Sally Ashton had retired some time before.

Now, although Mrs. Burton made no effort to interrupt Gerry's whispered
conversation with Felipe Morris, she did wonder a little curiously what
her influence upon the young man would be, if by chance he had been
attracted by her.

There was no denying Gerry's exquisite prettiness; tonight with her pale
gold hair, her fairness and grace she seemed in tune with the beauty of
this old-world garden. Yet Mrs. Burton believed that Gerry was shallow
and vain and that her ideas of life included less of devotion to duty
and self-sacrifice than Felipe's. It was difficult to conceive of her
acting as a motive force to high endeavor, Gerry, who dreamed only of
money and pretty clothes and what she was pleased to consider "society."

Then Mrs. Burton sighed as she followed her host into the land which lay
on the other side of the hedge. Had one the right to demand that Gerry
and Felipe think of war tonight in a shrine, dedicated like this
enclosed garden, to the service of youth and r