ver again to see the young officer who for the past
few weeks had been her constant thought and care.

He had recovered sufficiently no longer to need her services and
although he was not wilfully responsible, nevertheless he had given her
a great deal of care and trouble.

"Of course you must do what you think best, Aunt Patricia," Sally added
a moment later, as she was preparing to start to her own room. "But
don't you think we had best wait until Tante's return?"

Aunt Patricia shook her head.

"What Polly Burton may think or desire in the matter will not have the
slightest influence with me. She cheerfully surrendered you girls into
my charge in order to make this trip, of which she knew I thoroughly
disapproved. However, in spite of the fact that I am very angry with
her, I do not wish any one else to feel uneasy, although I shall not
have a happy moment until she returns."

CHAPTER XVII

TWO OFFICERS

A week later two young officers were guests at the farm house on the
Aisne, one of them an American aerial lieutenant, the other a lieutenant
in the French cavalry.

Following his telegram within a few days, Lieutenant Ralph Marshall had
arrived to spend a short furlough, ostensibly with the entire group of
American Camp Fire girls, although in reality his visit was to Peggy
Webster. Notwithstanding the fact that he and Peggy were not supposed to
be engaged, chiefly because of Peggy's youth, they shared a different
conviction from their families.

The other young officer was none other than "Sally's soldier." Absurd as
the title appeared, particularly to Sally herself, nevertheless under
this name he was discussed secretly and at length in the Camp Fire
household.

Toward late afternoon on the day after Sally's enforced confession,
accompanied only by Old Jean, Miss Patricia Lord had tramped across the
fields to the French chateau and had there interviewed its inmate with a
directness and a searchlight quality worthy of a public prosecutor.

As a result she had received more valuable information than Sally Ashton
had acquired in the hour of their mutual and confused avowal. Among
other things Miss Patricia had learned that the wounded officer's
extraordinary outfit was due to the fact that he believed it would make
his escape more feasible.

But whatever the details of his story, he was able to inspire Miss
Patricia with sufficient interest and faith to admit him as a temporary
guest at the fa