ing for
sympathy, nor did he consider his story unusual. Nevertheless it
occurred to Miss Patricia this morning that she was unwilling to add
loneliness to the difficulties which he must face during the hours of
his return to health. Up to the present time he had been too engaged
with his soldiering to allow much opportunity for reflection.

Miss Patricia was also convinced of the truth of what Lieutenant Fleury
had told her of himself, although she had no thought of not adding the
necessary proof to her instinctive conviction. But in the meantime if he
really earnestly desired to see and talk to Sally Ashton and to express
his gratitude, what possible harm could come of allowing them an
interview? Their acquaintance had been achieved under such remarkable
circumstances, to meet in a more ordinary and formal fashion would
doubtless be best for them both. Afterwards they would not develop
fantastic and untruthful ideas concerning each other.

At the moment of Sally's arrival Lieutenant Fleury was despondent. It
was true he had managed to escape from the Germans and could
congratulate himself that he was not a prisoner and might hope within a
reasonable length of time to return to his own regiment. Nevertheless
what an extraordinarily stupid adventure he had stumbled into in his
sub-conscious effort to seek the neighborhood of his former home!

He had come out of the experience a thousand times better than he had
any right to hope, yet had he not involved an American girl in what must
have been an extremely disagreeable and ungrateful task?

At this moment of her entrance into the invalid's room Sally Ashton did
not appear to have been seriously affected by her experience.

Her hour of working in the garden in the warm late winter sun had given
her cheeks the color they frequently lacked, or else it was her
embarrassment at meeting the young officer. Sally's hair was also
curling in the delicious and irresponsible fashion it often assumed,
breaking into small rings on her forehead and at the back of her neck in
the fashion of which she at least pretended to disapprove.

"Miss Patricia said you wished to speak to me. I am glad you are so much
better," she began in a reserved and ceremonious fashion as if she and
the lieutenant had met on but one previous occasion before today.

In truth it seemed impossible to Sally that the French officer whom she
was facing at present had been the ill and disheveled boy she had fou