the poor cottage in which we have been making our
home.

"'That terrible man was here with them as before,
mounted on his horse, and with all his trappings.
His name it is Anton von Berthold, and he is my
half-brother. To my face he boasted, knowing that
I was surely dying, that through Helene he meant
some day to claim our estate in Lorraine, where
there are deposits of iron that will be worth
millions of francs yearly.

"'I believe he has long plotted to get hold of
this property, and schemed to secure his ends
through one of my poor children. Oh! if you have a
heart, my friend, I pray you by all you hold
sacred to see that my Jeanne is cared for; and, if
it be possible, try to save my poor Helene from
that monster.

"'This is the plea of a dying Frenchwoman. I have
faith to believe Heaven will not desert the
innocent in their hour of suffering. So I lay me
down to rest, while my Jeanne will go forth in
search of you, kind friend. And with my last
breath I still proudly say, "_Vive la France!_"'"

"Is that all?" asked Tom, as his chum stopped.

"Yes, and there are some of the words blurred. I think it must have been
through the tears of this poor woman. She seems to have been wealthy
before the Huns drove her out of Lorraine because she had French blood
in her veins, and was probably married to an Englishman. What do you
think of it, Tom?"

"It's certainly a dreadful thing for so small a child as Jeanne to be
left alone in the world," replied the other. "What can we do about her,
Jack, have you any idea?"

Jack remained for a moment in deep thought. Then he gave his comrade a
sidewise look as he spoke again.

"Do you know," he ventured to say, "it has struck me that if we could
get an hour or two off duty this evening you and I might take the
little thing to Nellie and ask her if she couldn't have her looked
after, as long as the Gleasons are out of reach in the south of France."

"Nellie Leroy!" exclaimed Tom, astonished, "Why, how could we manage it?
The last I heard she was in a hospital on the French front, over in the
mountain section of Alsace."

"Oh, I've had later news than that," replied Jack. "Met Harry yesterday,
and among other things he mentioned the fact that his sister