She knew well enough that it was but a postponement of the evil day, a very temporary lifting of the war-clouds to let the sun of their happiness shine briefly through. But possibly, to one under sentence of death, a respite of even a week may seem a mighty gain,--seven long days and nights snatched from the shadow beyond. Possibly!--for to some it might seem better to have it over and done with rather than to live on in the inevitableness of the ever-approaching menace. Yet most would be gratified for even the gift of days, and Lois was so. Like Alma, she felt that when the actual parting came it would be wisdom to look on it as possibly--probably final. And so these few unlooked-for extra days were jewels beyond compare, vouchsafed them by the goodness of God,--to be made the very most of, and afterwards to be treasured as long as memory lasted. Ray came striding in on her just before dinner. “Well!” he said, when he had kissed her to their hearts’ content, and then held her off at arm’s length to take her all in,--“We are smart!” “To be upsides with you, sir.” “However did you manage it? I was half afraid it would bother you to come, but the Colonel gave permission and it was too good a chance to miss.” “I should think so, indeed. I am so glad you managed it.” There was a joyous surface-light on his face though below it was set in firm restraint. Like herself,--but with larger knowledge of the actual facts and so a clearer estimate of the possibilities--he thought it more than likely they might never see one another again when they said their last good-bye. The slaughters out there were terrible. Officers especially were going under at a terrific rate. It seemed, from what they heard, that it was an essential part of the new low German fashion of fighting to make a dead set at every man in officer’s uniform. But not for one moment did he regret what they had done. If the worst was to come, his last breath would be the happier for the knowledge that their lives had been one, and that Lois’s future was secure so far as Uncle Tony’s generous hands could make it. His billet was not very far away, but the Colonel, who had known him for years and Uncle Tony still better, and who had heard all about their little romance, permitted him the privileges of the hotel so that he might spend as many of these last precious hours with his new-made wife as possible, and Ray saw to it that love trespassed not on duty by so much as one hair’s breadth. He was up and away each day before she was properly awake, and he came in at night--when he came in at all--tired and hungry, but hungriest of all for another sight of her. And Lois spent the days intercepting the Battalion on its route marches or exercising itself in cover-taking and trench-digging and manœuvering at Fortune’s Farm.