the frontier from France with the _Eagle_, to offer my services. I'm
glad now I failed in the hope that brought me over from America to
England. I wanted to join Shackleton's Polar expedition, but he had no
need of me."

"So that was why you came to England?"

"Yes. I told you it wasn't for the sole purpose of testing my feelings
at St. George's Church. Being in London----"

"I understand. But, oh, Eagle! To _think_ you would have gone away for
years without bidding me good-bye!"

"You don't quite understand yet or you wouldn't say that." His eyes were
wistful. "I was disgraced--put beyond the pale, down and out, unless I
could work my way up again out of the mud. Mentally, I was a sick man.
Now I see clearer. I'm on my way to get well in spite of scars. Life or
death will cure me soon. It doesn't much matter which!"

It mattered to me--mattered so much that I could not speak.

* * * * *

A few hours later I had said good-bye to all my friends at the Liege
hospital. Again I was a passenger of the _Golden Eagle_, flying through
darkness as once I had flown through sunshine. Hidden by the night, we
winged our way to Brussels safely and surely, and landed outside the
town after forty minutes in the air--forty minutes which seemed to me
worth as many years.

We came down in a farm field, safely but not silently, and waked the
farmer, and his three sons not yet of soldier age. They ran out with
rifles prepared for any emergency, but a few words of explanation warmed
their hearts to welcome us.

I with my little bundle--my only luggage--was taken to the wife and
mother, who exclaimed over me as if I had dropped from another planet,
and gave me a bed for the rest of the night. One of the boys offered to
guard the monoplane while Eagle went off on the bicycle of the other
into town with dispatches from General Leman to the king.

In the morning "Monsieur Mars" came back with the news that a party of
English ladies were starting for home in the care of a clergyman, and
that he had asked if I might go with them. They had consented to take
me, and I must be ready in twenty minutes. An automobile belonging to an
officer would call for me at the farm. It came promptly, and in it Eagle
and I had our last minutes alone together. We talked cheerfully; but I
knew as well as he knew that the chances were ten to one against our
ever meeting again on earth.

CHAPTER XX

I could not bea