re girls to work with me in the
devastated area of France. It is really too late now to interfere. I was
finally able to secure my husband's permission."

Miss Patricia Lord carefully set down her tea-cup.

"Come and kiss me, Polly Burton, and tell me you are glad to see me. I
don't like your fashion of greeting an unexpected guest. But there--you
look tired out from too much responsibility before it is time to set
sail! As a matter of fact, I have not come to try to _prevent_ your
going to France. Has anybody ever made you give up anything you had
firmly set your heart upon? But, mavourneen, I have come to go with you.
Do you suppose for a moment, after receiving yours and Richard's letters
telling me of your plans, that I dreamed of allowing you to undertake
such a project as you have in mind alone? Why, you won't be able to look
after yourself properly, to say nothing of more than half a dozen young
girls! I am told there are eight hundred and forty thousand homeless
people in the devastated districts of France at the present time and I
cannot understand why you wish to add to the number. But as you will go,
well, I am determined to go with you."

A moment later, seated close beside the older woman, Mrs. Burton had
slipped an arm inside hers and was holding it close.

"Oh, Aunt Patricia, I am so relieved," she murmured. "I have not
confided this fact to any one before, but sometimes I have been so
nervous over the prospect of looking after my group of Camp Fire girls
in France that I have wanted to run away and hide where no one could
ever discover me. Of course I am not afraid of disaster for myself,
Richard is in France and then nothing ever happens to me! Besides, no
one has a right to think of oneself at present. But to be responsible to
so many mothers for the safety of their beloved daughters! I rise up
each morning feeling that my hair must have turned white in the night
from the very thought. But if you are with me, why, I will not worry!
Still I don't see just how you can arrange to sail with us; perhaps you
can manage to cross later, but our passage has been engaged for weeks
and----"

Miss Patricia Lord arose and walked over to the tea table, where she
devoted her energy to pouring her hostess a cup of tea.

"You need not trouble about _my_ arrangements, Polly. I secured my
ticket on the steamer upon which you are to sail some time ago and also
my passport. I sent my trunk directly to the boat. Of co