Keineth

and called to her from the study. He was sitting at his desk, tapping the pad before him with the point of a pencil Aunt Josephine sat on the old horse-hai

little sense in the way you bring u

as much as to say: "Never mind, dear," but

could happen--Madame Henri going a

sephine; Keineth d

d the child,

, as he drew her between his knees

neth could not remember a time when she had see

she can go to some camp in the mountains--there are ever so many good ones. And nex

eineth pressed suddenly close to her fa

eineth and I will make our plans." As he said this he squeezed the child's hand. "You're awfully good to offer to take

iews in this manner when they had to do with Daddy's household. This time she stopped on her way

es but the Randolph features. With a little grooming she'd make a bea

sp. As her aunt and father went out she looked down wonderingly at the simple blue serge she wore. Tante had al

stood very still until her father came back. He shut the door and

re you--g

hild--I

mmer? For a

I think it m

stopped short to hide her face

be kept in repair. It must be kept clean and have pretty spots, just like Madame Henri's geraniums! And it must be guarded, too, from those who would break in and steal what belongs in the home--or tear it down and make a rui

ction of their efforts to persuade their ne

ry small part of it! There are a great many others--men like myself--who are going out over the world to work for the Stars and Stripes. And when I have been asked to go on a mission

ere very bright. She sat up very straig

ear a unifo

ct, I must go about in the quietest manner possible.

a secret?" th

ave gone for the government. We may fail--the newspapers mus

hy she could not go with him. He had often gone away before and she had alway

ut: "I'll be very br

though he held

's--it would be very different. Still--you'd have that French maid of hers for a nurse and go out with her and Fido for his walk and ride in the yellow

Aunt Josephine would not allow her to do, but she did not want to speak of

old friend of mine--a man I knew in college. I used to think the world of him. I hadn't seen him for fifteen years! He lives in the western part of the state. I knew Mrs. Lee, too,--she was a friend of y

t, D

ose youngsters of his--husky, bare-armed, round-cheeked children, I knew they were getting a lot of happiness you'd never know in th

uarrelling," he stopped, frowning. "I had it all when I was little and here I am cheating you. Aunt

nything about all t

mer home on the shore of Lake Erie and almost live out-of-doors. I said no at first--it seemed too much to ask of them, but he persisted and wouldn't take no for an answer

She was knitting, so Keineth took a book and sat near the window pretending to read. Her eyes wandered off the page and her poor little mind was busy at work trying to decide which she would dislike the least--living with Aunt Josephine and walking with Fido and the French maid and going

s if she could never be really happy again! That night Daddy and Keineth went uptown for dinner. In one of the hotels they met Mr. Lee. Keineth's heart was pounding with dread beneath her neat serge dress and she was almost afraid to look at the man. But when he took her hand in his and spoke in a ki

. Lee watched her very closel

look in her father's eyes that meant his thoughts were back in the past. Later Mr. Lee had added: "Why, John--you won't know

ed fourteen. Peggy was Keineth's age--twelve, and the little one, Alice, was eight. They all wore middy blouses in the picture and Peggy and Al

things, but a simple little piece she had learned with much precision from Madame Henri.

ecide yours

she did not know that Tante knew how to cry. Then Tante began to pray--a queer sort of prayer, all broken: "Oh, God, oh, God, keep this little girl safe from the things that hurt! Keep all the little ones! Why should they suffer? Where is your mercy?" Then she said a great deal in French so fast that Keineth could not understand her and finally, sobbing violently, she r

, dear Tante an

Peggy through fields all white with daisies, while in the distance at a fence like the rail fences in

iter. She pressed the button that lighted her bed lamp, found her slippers and stole noiselessly downstairs. Never in her whol

ill pursued by the screaming French mai