“Of course, just as I was confident that you would come, and here you are. It was Uncle Philip, you know, who was instrumental in getting us this.” “Dear Phil; he always was the most generous boy.” “Weren’t you surprised to see him?” “Surprised and overjoyed.” “How did you happen to recognize him? You hadn’t seen him since he was a little boy.” “I didn’t recognize him at first. Victor thought it would be well to stop at the canteen to inquire if you were still here. Philip was there talking to the young lady,--Miss Lowndes is her name?” “Of course he would be,” Lucie interpolated the remark. “He talks a great deal to Miss Lowndes, I notice.” “Does he? Well, he might spend his time in a worse way. At all events when Victor made his inquiries Philip turned around and looked very sharply at me. Then he came rushing over. ‘Louise, Louise,’ he cried, ‘is it really my sister Louise?’ I am sure I don’t know how he could tell, changed as I must be, but he did, so we hugged and kissed and cried, all of us. Miss Lowndes included, and then we came on.” “How did you get to S----?” “We came in a motor car belonging to the Red Cross.” “The next joy will be the arrival of papa; then we shall all be at home together, all but dear grandfather. You learned about him and about poor little Annette, didn’t you?” “I heard. It is very sad about Annette; she is so very young.” “But I didn’t tell you about Mousse. He was prowling last night so you didn’t see him, but he has come back. Wasn’t it remarkable that he should have stayed all that time in the town? That first night, oh, mamma. I felt as if I should die. It was all so desolate, so forlorn. I found a piece of the blue dress you used to wear; it was down among the débris. It was only a bit of rag, and had been rained upon and shined upon till it was faded and queer, but it seemed like a part of you, and it almost broke my heart. Mother, mother, is it really you? Do you mind if I pinch you to see if you are flesh and blood?” Her mother hugged her so closely as to prove herself no dream, whispering fond words all the while. “And there is Pom Pom,” Lucie went on after a while. “I have a great deal to tell you about him. Oh, dear, I have just thought, I suppose I shall have to give him back to Victor.” “Don’t you think Victor deserves that you should?” “Oh, dear, yes. Mamma, if I begin to tell you everything about Victor, all the wonderful things he has done and what a wonderful friend he has been, we shall never get up for it will take till to-morrow morning. We shall have to select one subject each day. One day it will have to be Victor, another Pom Pom, another Paulette, another Odette, another _Coin-du-Pres_ and Annette, and so on. I’m up!” She sprang out of bed but continued to chatter away while she was dressing, then she ran down to see if the hens had laid any fresh eggs for her mother’s breakfast.