“In a town which was held by the Germans till very recently. I was caught there on my way from home, and there I have been ever since.” “Were you badly treated?” “Sometimes better, sometimes worse; it depended on who was in command. I was obliged to work, at times, beyond my strength. I was fortunate not to be deported, as so many others were, but I think my claims to being American born spared me that.” “Good!” exclaimed her brother. “I sent you a message,” Madame Du Bois went on, “but I never knew whether it reached you. An old man in the town determined to try to escape. I knew of his intention, and sent the message which I knew would not incriminate him in any way if he were captured.” “It did reach us,” Lucie told her, “and has been the one gleam of comfort that my father and I have had. You know, perhaps, mamma, about my father, and that dear grandfather has left us.” “I have heard. Victor has told me some things, many things indeed, and Philip has told me others.” She sighed. “Cheer up, Louise,” said her brother. “We’re driving those Boches clear out of sight, and before you know it there won’t be a spiked helmet this side the Rhine. We’re driving them fast.” “Dear Philip,” said Madame Du Bois, looking at him affectionately. “I can’t believe that my baby brother has grown into this big, six-foot soldier. We must talk of things at home, for you know we have hardly touched upon that subject yet.” “Why, when did you meet him?” inquired Lucie. “Just before we started to come here from the canteen.” “But this is even more strange. How was it?” “Let Monsieur Victor tell you,” spoke up Philip, “while I talk to sister. I haven’t much time to spare this trip.” Lucie turned to Victor. “Tell me,” she said. “I met madame, your mother, in a town back there,” Victor commenced to say. “But you were not fighting, of course. You were not with your company.” “No, I had been in a hospital for this,” he touched his empty sleeve, “and was discharged, but I could not stay away, and when I learned that the towns were being evacuated, and that those who had been under German control were being liberated, I asked the boys to do something I could not do, so they did this and when your mother came through the place where I was I joined her and we came on together. I wanted to come, you know, to see--Pom Pom.”