e knew it, the plucky old dear. She was a gallant soldier, I can tell
you! One night she woke me groaning. I hurried in to her and told her
she must let me take care of her all I could. I told her I had a mother
at home and all that sort of thing, you know, to make her easy about
having me wait on her, and she was no end grateful--more than I
deserved. But she worried. She knew that she didn't have the strength to
go through many attacks like that, and how she did mourn over that
niece. I didn't blame her, seeing the way things are over there.

"It went along two weeks more, and one night I heard a gentle tapping on
the door of my room. It was Elise, the little girl. Her aunt was having
another attack. I hurried in, and as soon as I saw her I knew the poor
old lady was going where she would not have to slave and starve any
more, and going soon. She took my hand.

"'Elise; oh, Elise!' she managed to gasp. Mother, honestly I just could
_not_ help it! I said, 'Don't worry, madame! I have told you of my
mother and my home. I would esteem it so great a favor, such an honor,
if you would give Elise to me.'"

Mrs. Horton's lip trembled. Mrs. Hargrave let two large tears slip
unnoticed down her pretty, faded pink cheeks.

"Well, she died perfectly happy," continued Robert. "And there I was
with a little girl on my hands! I turned her over to some women I knew
in the Red Cross, and she has been well taken care of ever since. I saw
her when I stopped over in Paris on my way home. Food and a little care
had made her look like a different child.

"Then I sailed, and she sort of slipped my mind until this morning. I
have a letter here telling me that the Red Cross friends are about to
sail for home and they are bringing Elise, of course. That was the first
time I really realized what I had let myself in for. I might have put
her in a convent over there if I had not promised the old lady that I
would personally look after her. But I did promise!

"Now what I want is some advice. Remember, I am not asking you to have
Elise here. You have Rosanna and I think that is enough. But you both
must know of some nice place where she can be placed and where it would
be homelike. I told Rosanna about it when I was up there just now, and
she didn't want me to put her in a school. She said little girls wanted
to be loved."

Mrs. Horton winced.

"Did she suggest a place for her?" she asked.

"Yes, she did," said Robert.

"Didn't she ask