orning after the departure of Mrs. Burton and her guests and
three days before the arrival of Ralph. Marshall for his visit at the
farm house on the Aisne.

Having completed her work downstairs, Sally Ashton had hurried up to her
bedroom where at present she was making little nervous preparations as
if intending to go outdoors and anxious not to be observed.

There was no reason why she should feel alarmed. So far as she knew,
every member of her household was occupied with the day's work. From the
schoolroom below she could hear the voices of the children singing a
little French chanson, and now and then one of the older girls either
asking a question or reciting. Alice Ashton and Bettina Graham, Marta
Clark and Yvonne Fleury were engaged with their pupils.

An hour before Peggy and Vera had driven off in the motor with Mary
Gilchrist, since Mary had promised to transport a number of wounded
soldiers from a train to a nearby convalescent hospital, and was
uncertain whether she would find anyone at the railroad station to help.
Therefore she had asked the two girls to accompany her. Peggy also
desired to mail a letter to Ralph Marshall which might reach him before
he started upon his journey.

Always Aunt Patricia was occupied outdoors from breakfast until lunch
time. So in spite of the fact that Sally Ashton showed a degree of
suppressed excitement both in her manner and appearance, there would
seem to have been no apparent excuse. A certain timorousness once wholly
unlike her, lately had appeared in Sally's attitude.

She also had grown thinner and her big golden brown eyes had lost their
sleepy expression and acquired an anxious appeal. The lines about her
full, rather pouting lips were strained and apprehensive.

Having at the moment pulled a small traveling bag down from a shelf
overhead and allowed it to fall on the floor, Sally did not hear the
swift opening and closing of her bedroom door. Therefore, when she had
secured her bag and was straightening up, she gave an exclamation of
surprise on discovering her sister standing within a few feet of her.

Except that she was handsomer, Alice looked very like her mother, the
Esther of the first Camp Fire days, yet she and Sally bore no possible
resemblance to each other either in disposition or appearance.

Alice was tall and slender, with a grave, severe air. She wore her dark
red hair parted and bound about the back of her head in a heavy braid.
She was a li