signation. Charlie grew
red and gruff if she as much as suggested that he was doing anything
out of the ordinary. Yet she knew he had written a book about his
first year's experiences and his brother had found a publisher for it
in New York. His share of the proceeds from that book was going to the
Red Cross.

Into the ambulance they climbed, and again they were rolling over the
dark and rough road. Ruth gathered together all her courage and asked:

"Do you know anything about Tom Cameron?"

"Tom Cameron?"

"Yes," she said. "I want to know what's happened to him, Charlie."

"For the love of Pete!" gasped the young fellow. "I didn't know
anything had happened to him--again."

"I must know," Ruth told him, her voice quivering. "Some of those
officers belonged to his battalion. _All_ were of his regiment. But
when I asked about him they refused to answer."

"You don't mean it!" Plainly Charlie Bragg was nonplussed. "I thought
they acted funny," he said, with a sudden grin, which she sensed rather
than saw. "But I thought it was girlitis. It has a terrible effect
upon these fellows that haven't seen a real American girl for so long."

"I am serious, Charlie," she told him. "Something has happened to
Tom--or about him. It seems to me that those officers were afraid to
speak of it. As though there was something--something disgraceful
about it!"

"Oh, say!" murmured Charlie. "That's not sense, you know."

"Of course Tom could do nothing disgraceful. But why should those men
be afraid to speak of him?" cried the shaken girl. "He can't be
wounded again. That can't be it. Haven't you heard a word?"

She suddenly realized that her companion had grown silent. He made no
comment now upon her speech. She waited a full minute before bursting
out again:

"You _have_ heard something, Charlie! Something about Tom!"

"I--I don't know," he muttered. "I didn't know it was Tom."

"What is it?" she demanded with rising eagerness.

"I don't know that it's about Cameron _now_," he muttered. "I should
hope not."

"Charlie Bragg! Do you want to drive me wild?" she demanded, clutching
at his arm.

"Hold on! You'll have us in the ditch," he warned her.

"You answer me--at once!" she commanded.

"Oh---- But what can I say? I don't know anything. I don't believe
Tom Cameron would be tricky--not a bit. And as for selling out to the
Boches----"

"What _do_ you mean?" almost shrieked the girl. "