r and see you back to Brackenfield. I must say ta-ta now, as I've to
be on duty."

Marjorie lingered a moment, and turned again to Bed 17.

"Good-bye!" she said hurriedly. "I hope you'll be better soon."

"Thanks very much," returned Private Preston. "I'm 'marked out' for a
convalescent home, and shall be leaving here as soon as I can get up. I
hope you'll enjoy the holidays. Don't miss your train this time.
Good-bye!"

CHAPTER XI

A Stolen Meeting

At the very first available moment Marjorie went to the library and
consulted the latest number of the _Brackenfield School Magazine_. She
turned to the directory of past girls at the end and sought the letter
P. Here she found:

1912-1915. PRESTON, Kathleen Hilary } The Manor,
1913-1916. PRESTON, Joyce Benson } Wildeswood, Yorks.

"Each here for three years," she soliloquized. "I wonder what they're
doing now? I'll look them up in the 'News of Friends'. This is
it:--'Kathleen Preston has been doing canteen work in France under the
Croix Rouge Francaise at a military station. This canteen is run by
English women for French soldiers, and is a specially busy one, the
hours being from 6 a.m. to 12, and again from 2 to 7 p.m. A recreation
hut is in connection with it. Owing to her health, Kathleen returned to
England on leave, but is now in the north of France driving an ambulance
wagon.'

"'Joyce Preston is at Chadley College learning gardening and
bee-keeping. She says: 'If any Brackenfield girls want to go in for
gardening, do send them here. I am sure they would love it.' Joyce was
able to get up a very excellent concert for the soldiers in the Red
Cross Hospital at Chadley, the evening being an immense success.'

"Enterprising girls," thought Marjorie. "Those are just the sort of
things I want to do when I leave school. I'd like Kathleen best, because
she drives an ambulance wagon. I wish I knew them! I'd write to them and
tell them I've seen their brother in hospital, only they'd think it
cheek. They must feel proud of him getting the V.C. I know how I should
cock-a-doodle if one of our brothers won it! Oh dear, we haven't seen
Leonard or Bevis for nine months! It's hard to have one's brothers out
at the war. I wonder what convalescent home Private Preston will be sent
to? I must ask Elaine."

Next morning, when Marjorie met Dona at the eleven o'clock "break", she
found the latter in a state of much excitement.

"I had a line from Moth