w--or to-morrow. And in the midst of his
work he still listened. As he sat and dreamed he listened and sometimes
he was very deep in thought--sitting with his arms folded and his eyes
troubled and questioning of the space into which he looked. The time was
really not very long, but it began to seem so to her.

"But some day--soon--he will tell me," she thought.

* * * * *

One afternoon Donal walked into a room where a number of well-dressed
women were talking, drinking tea and knitting or crocheting. It had
begun already to be the fashion for almost every woman to carry on her
arm a work bag and produce from its depths at any moment without warning
something she was making. In the early days the bag was usually highly
decorated and the article being made was a luxury. Only a few serious
and pessimistic workers had begun to produce plain usefulness and in
this particular Mayfair drawing-room "the War" as yet seemed to present
itself rather as a dramatic and picturesque social asset. A number of
good-looking young officers moved about or sat in corners being petted
and flirted with, while many of the women had the slightly elated
excitement of air produced in certain of their sex by the marked
preponderance of the presence of the masculine element. It was a thing
which made for high spirits and laughs and amiable semi-caressing chaff.
The women who in times of peace had been in the habit of referring to
their "boys" were in these days in great form.

Donal had been taken to the place by an amusement-loving acquaintance
who professed that a special invitation made it impossible to pass by
without dropping in. The house was Mrs. Erwyn's and had already
attracted attention through the recent _debuts_ of Eileen and Winifred
who had grown up very pretty and still retained their large, curious
eyes and their tendency to giggle musically.

In very short and slimly alluring frocks they were assisting their
mother in preparing young warriors for the seat of war by giving them
chocolate in egg-shell cups and little cakes. Winifred carried a coral
satin work-bag embroidered with carnations and was crocheting a silk
necktie peculiarly suited to fierce onslaught on the enemy.

"Oh!" she gasped, clutching in secret at Eileen's sleeve when Donal
entered the room. "There he is! Jack said he would make him come! Just
_look_ at him!"

"Gracious!" ejaculated Eileen. "I daren't look! It's not safe!"