uld be dreadful for me to have to say to any one of them, 'I can't
explain why the wedding must be postponed.' They love me and I love
them. We've always shared our joys and sorrows. It doesn't seem fair to
leave them in the dark. Naturally it will hurt me a great deal to
explain, but it will hurt me far more not to. I have talked with Mother
and Father about it. They both feel that the decision must rest with
you. It's too bad to bother you with this new perplexity, but I must
know one way or the other. I can't endure the suspense."

At the beginning of Grace's earnest plea that her closest friends be put
into possession of the knowledge that Tom Gray was among the missing,
his aunt's delicate face showed unmistakable signs of disapproval. Swept
along by the girl's fervent earnest words, Mrs. Gray felt her brief
abhorrence of the idea vanish in an overwhelming flood of admiration for
the dauntless spirit in which Grace bore the torturing dread that had
been thrust upon her.

"You make me feel ashamed of myself, Grace," she faltered. "While I've
been nursing my own selfish grief you have been putting aside your
sorrow to think of others. After all, you have more at stake than I. My
life has been practically lived, while yours is only at its dawn. I have
known the bitterness of losing those I loved. It should have taught me
to face the future more courageously. When you spoke just now of letting
others know of our trouble, it seemed for a moment as though I could
never consent to it. But I have changed my mind. It would not be fair
either to you or my poor boy, wherever he may be, to place you in a
false position. I have only one stipulation. Wait a little longer before
telling your friends of this dreadful disruption of our plans. If within
the next three days we have not heard from Mr. Blaisdell, the
investigator, then write to your friends and let them know the exact
circumstances."

"It breaks my heart to hear you say such things of yourself," was
Grace's passionate cry. Springing to her feet she knelt before the older
woman and wrapped two shielding arms about her. "You've always thought
of others. I won't let you say that you are selfish, or that your life
has been almost lived. You've been as brave as a lion ever since this
terrible trouble came to us. You have just as much at stake as I. We
must stand together, even more firmly than before, waiting and hoping
that all will be well. Before Tom went away he often