had shown several weeks before.

However, her patient was not conscious of the fact. At present he was
not thinking of his wound but of his nurse.

There was something about her so deliciously frank and ingenuous. At
least she seemed ingenuous to him, although it was difficult always to
be sure concerning Sally.

When she had finished the young Frenchman took one of her hands and
touched it lightly with his lips.

"Will you tell me your name, please, and where to find you before you
say farewell? I am Lieutenant Robert Fleury of the French-cuirassiers."

Ten minutes later Sally was walking back home alone to the farm house,
having left Jean to continue to care for their patient.

She was not to go back to the chateau again and she was to tell her
friends exactly what had taken place in the past few weeks. She seemed
to have promised this to her patient.

Yet Sally was not sure when she would tell her story. She had no desire
to make a confession to Alice, and Aunt Patricia was not to be
considered. If only she might arrange to wait until Mrs. Burton's return
from her journey into southern France.

CHAPTER XVI

AN UNEXPECTED SHELTER

It was after the hour for their midday dinner when Sally finally arrived
at the farmhouse; however, she was able to reach her own room without
any questions being asked concerning her delay.

Undressing slowly with the idea of lying down for a little while before
facing her friends, Sally was interrupted for the second time that day
by the unexpected appearance of her sister. On this occasion Alice's
expression made any further discussion not only unnecessary but
impossible.

"Will you come with me, please, to Aunt Patricia's room?" she began at
once. "I have been talking to Aunt Patricia and she says it is only fair
that we should hear your explanation before passing judgment. I have
spoken to no one else, although I suppose it will be impossible to hide
the facts from the other girls. In reality, I believe they already have
guessed a great deal and have been trying to keep the truth from me."

At the moment of her sister's entrance Sally had been slipping into a
little blue dressing gown which had been her mother's final gift the day
before their parting. The dressing gown did not have a utilitarian
appearance, since it was made of a soft blue, light woolen material with
little clusters of yellow roses scattered over the design and with blue
ribbons and lace about