The Old Blood

st in her room and about ten went for a walk in the garden. The morning after Phil's arriva

is epochal!" s

g strenuosity. She was a frank advocate of repose and it had not deserted her even with thi

ty appealed to her French quality. She would have liked to show him to her friends as a sevent

n. "If Longfield is your American home and Trucklef

Phil replied. "One must h

down to breakfast to hear him say it. "Perhaps I shall in

reflected a teasing spark which when she was y

signs," he said, "and mist

uld te

uld have to be told?" He was enjoyin

to whom one would always hate to say

ette. "At least he must stay till the por

ay at home!" said Phil. "Do I sit for both portra

Helen's eyes smiled above her coffee cup, which hi

than charcoal. Let Henriette get started

h a little archaic now-but not for mine," he said

rning," Hele

errace which gave a broad view. Here Henriette set up her easel and put Phil in a rustic chair in the position that pleased her, his only condition that he sit facing so he could watch her at work being granted. S

away at war. A figure which he recognised approached a nearby group. The bent backs straightened. Faintly he could hear their voices as they

with her labour. The breeze carried her voice and laugh, which was like a rich echo of Henrietta's, and at length he heard her singi

hing to see," said Henriette finally

y, yellow stubble for their mid-day meal. He heard them laugh at some sally of Helen's before she started acr

veteran! It was great fun

ing her the exerci

he looked at him and then at Henriette. "I dare you

ster will let me

ne of her quick

l volunteer, too

game!" Henri

e it is overripe. It will be straight sickling this afternoon on the Pigou patch. Poor Madame Pigou's

nding Henriette that she must wear gloves in order not to blister her

er kindly mouth and hands already stiffen

nriette. "Nothing takes it out of your bac

you," replied Henriette, "or as Helen, w

e of fellowship at Helen, "is one of us. Thank you all-thank you fo

adame Ribot warned Henriette as

k and often stopping to deride her own efforts or to boast of them very merrily, holding the attention of every one on herself. It was no cross to her that she did not keep up with the others. Madame Pigou complimented h

e bent to her work seemed in keeping with it. There was truth in Madame Pigou's saying that she

nipped the last straws from in front of her sickle; her face flushed, too, with exercise, as they both stood e

ooked far away in the Southwest when he was directing the workmen in railroad-building. Th

whispered Madame Pigou

ain to see them standing in quite the same position of confidential comradeship. "Cous

liment, this

ld put on a hat," said Mad

like it. I play tennis

the sun better than w

is white," Helen explained. "

population of the States were Indi

n, but not sav

stant sound on the road attracted his attention. It was the faint tramp of men and the rumble of guns. As the h

tching the figures all of a pattern in their uniforms, moving like automatons sharp cut against the skyline, and then bent to her work. Her son could not be among these battalions.

ssons looked as if they did not care, if only action soon came. Still they kept coming, that myriad-legged, human caterpillar, its convolutions following the gr

gou, her features in a transport of joy, with a long look toward the movin

e them driven back," He

top work. If she did not, they would not help her

ot work in the fields," Ph

Madame Pigou. "Ah, I unde

left during the day at the cottage. There was an inarticulate explosion of breath fro

village!" Helen

he mother was their thought, as her calloused fingers tore op

to fate's decree, then folded the message and placed it in her bosom. "It is for France! It is war!" she said, thi

the battalion on the road,

me!" she said simply,

But the suppressed suffering in her eyes as she spoke had brought the war nearer to Mervaux than the thro

l over France," said Helen, when she

e Ribot. "Don't let

ually genial and Henriette equally sparkling, none could help thinking of Madame Pigou;

said Madame Ribot to Phil as she bade him good-night. "I