ar. American diplomacy had done little for her or
her mother, but it had been the shield, the salvation, the only hope
of Belgium. Moreover, the break-off of diplomatic relations
initiated the certain hope of a happier future. American
intervention in the war _must_ lead to Peace and Freedom. Germany
_must_ now be beaten and Belgium set free.

So she had contributed her mite to the fund which purchased spring
flowers--hothouse-grown, for this April was a villainous
prolongation of winter--with which to strew the approach to the
station and fill the reserve compartment of the train.

As Vivie was nearing the end of her description--and Minna was
hoping it _was_ the end, as she wanted to get back to her
patients--two German policemen marched up to Vivie, clicked their
heels, saluted, and said in German, "Mademoiselle Varennes, nicht
wahr? Be good enough to accompany us to the Kommandantur."

At this dread summons, Vivie turned pale, and Minna dismayed began
to ask questions. The Polizei answered that they had none to
give.... Might she accompany her friend? She might not. Then
followed a ride in a military motor, with the two silent policemen.

They arrived outside the Kommandantur.... More clanking, clicking,
and gruff conversation in German. She got out, in response to a
tight pressure on her arm, a grip in fact, and accompanied her grim
guide through halls and corridors, and at last entered a severely
furnished office, a kind of magistrate's court, and was confronted
with--Bertie Adams! A whiskered, bearded, moustached, shabbily
dressed (in a quasi-military uniform) Bertie Adams: lean, and
hollow-eyed, but with the love-light in his eyes. He turned on her
such a look of dog-like fealty, of happy recognition that although,
by instinct and for his safety, she was about to deny all knowledge
of him, she could not force her eyes or tongue to tell the lie.

"Oh miss, oh my dear Miss Warren! _How_ I have hungered and thirsted
for a sight of you all these months and years! To see you once more
is worth all and more I've gone through to get here. They may shoot
me now, if they've got the heart--Not that I've done anything to
deserve it--I've simply had one object in view: To come here and
help you."

He looked around as if instinctively to claim the sympathy of the
policemen. To say he met with none would be to make them out more
inhuman than they were. But as all this speech was in English they
understood but little o