Remember, I
am pretty old and never was particularly fascinating, even as a girl. I
am afraid you will have a hard time to persuade my husband to jealousy.
Richard is the fascinating member of our family! As a matter of fact, I
have simply been boring Monsieur Duval for the past hour by discussing
our plan of campaign after we reach France. You don't consider the
subject a dangerous one?"

But neither Miss Patricia's face nor figure relaxed.

"I may not be original, Polly Burton; as a matter of fact, I have no
idea that you _said_ anything of the least importance to your
Frenchman. With you it is the old story; it is not _what_ you say,
but the _way_ you say it. I have been watching you and you may
pretend to have noticed the Camp Fire girls. However, if you tell the
truth, you have not been aware of anything or anybody except Mr. Duval
during the entire afternoon."

At this moment Miss Patricia appeared so annoyed and suspicious that it
was difficult for Mrs. Burton to decide whether she were the more amused
or irritated. However, it made no difference; either attitude would be
entirely lost upon Miss Patricia Lord.

"I am sorry you don't approve of me," Mrs. Burton returned with a
pretence of meekness, yet dropping her eyelids to conceal the expression
of her eyes.

"It is not that I do not approve of you, Polly, for I so seldom do
that," Aunt Patricia replied. "It is that I also feel it _my duty_
to recall you to _your_ duty. You speak of having lately observed
the Camp Fire girls wandering about near you. I feel it an effort to
believe this because only a short time ago, while undoubtedly you were
enjoying yourself with a foreigner concerning whom you know absolutely
nothing, I discovered Sally Ashton seated upon a coil of rope in an
obscure portion of this vessel, flirting outrageously with a young
American physician. Your niece, Peggy Webster, is walking up and down
the lower deck with a French officer; lower deck not the upper, mind
you, where she might have been seen by you, although I doubt it. The
other girls are----"

By this time Mrs. Burton had become seriously annoyed. She was obliged
to remember, of course, that Miss Patricia was a much older woman, yet,
nevertheless her eyes darkened and her color deepened a little
ominously.

"Please Aunt Patricia, you are making a mistake," she began warmly. "I
am not in the habit of spying upon my Camp Fire girls and I am sure you
will never find such a proc