ws how to act!"

"It was wonderful!" breathed Betty, her eyes gleaming. "Just think what it
must be to be a man in these times! To be able to fight for one's
country!"

"Well, I don't know," said Amy, with a little shudder. "That part of it's
all right. But when it comes to being maimed and crippled for life it
isn't so much fun."

"Oh, Amy, don't!" cried Grace, clapping her hands to her ears, while Betty
continued spiritedly:

"I didn't say it was fun," she cried. "Naturally the boys have to take
into consideration the possibility of all that you said, Amy. But there's
no glory in the world like giving yourself for a great cause--"

"Hear, hear!" came a masculine voice in applause, and they turned to find
Allen and Frank close behind them.

"Well, what will you have?" asked Mollie, eyeing them hostilely. "We
thought you were lost and gone forever like Clementine--"

"And were quite reconciled," finished Betty primly, her eyes twinkling.

"Oh, you did, did you?" cried Frank, regarding Mollie's haughtily tip-tilt
little nose with mingled fear and admiration. "Well, I'll have you know,
young lady, that you can't get rid of us as easily as all that. May I be
permitted to walk beside you, mam'selle?"

Mollie sighed and permitted the liberty with an air of great resignation.

In the meanwhile, Allen was whispering into Betty's almost reluctant
little ear.

"Did you really mean what you said about its being glorious to give
yourself for a great cause?" he asked softly.

"Why, I--g-guess so," she stammered, taken off her guard. "Why?"

"Oh, just because," he answered vaguely, watching the elusive little
dimple at the corner of her mouth, "I might want to remind you of it--some
day."

CHAPTER X

ALARMING SYMPTOMS

The girls awoke one morning several days later--days of routine duty at
the Hostess House--with the delightful sensation of something good
impending. Crowded as they were in the one big room for Mrs. Sanderson's
accommodation, they had formed the habit of talking over their prospective
fun before the actual work and hurry and bustle of the day began.

So it was this morning, just after the sun had streamed in through the two
big east windows and settled on the tip of Betty's upturned little nose in
a most provocative manner.

Sleepily she rubbed a hand across her face, then sneezed.

"Goodness, she's got the 'flu'!" cried Grace in alarm, as she sat up in
bed, jerking the covers from her