She entered the little shed and sat down to take a baby bunny in her lap, stroking the small creature’s long, soft ears. “And there is Pom Pom,” she soliloquized, “even he will not miss me so much once he is again in Victor’s hands. Odette thinks of no one but Jean, and Annette has her baby. I have my beloved parents, ungrateful that I am, but it is hard to feel one’s self slipping into second place, third place, no place in the affections of one’s friends.” She sat there for some time nursing the little baby rabbit. She saw her father and Victor go out the gate, Pom Pom at their heels. The two men were talking earnestly as they moved off down the street. After a time Lucie put the rabbit back with his brothers and sisters, then she went into the house. Her mother looked up brightly as she came in. “Where have you been, dear daughter?” Lucie smiled somewhat wofully. “Out in the shed with the rabbits.” “You couldn’t have found them very lively companions.” “No, but they were better than none. I meant to go down to see Miss Lowndes, but I saw papa and Victor walking off in that direction and thought I’d better wait till the coast was clear.” “For the possible meeting of that ideal American soldier you were talking of the other day?” “Maybe. Miss Lowndes is going very soon. Every one is deserting me.” “Why, my dear.” Her mother looked up, surprising tears in her daughter’s eyes. “Why are you so melancholy, dear little girl?” “Miss Lowndes is going, and Uncle Philip cannot stay very long on this side the world.” “But from the looks of things we shall see them both again, and together, in all probability.” “Yes, but that doesn’t help the present parting.” “But think what pleasure we shall have in looking forward to seeing them again. Some day we shall be going over to my old home and there you will find Miss Lowndes transformed into a new aunt. That should make you very happy, as it does me.” “Yes, I shall like that.” Lucie brightened a little, though she said rather mournfully, “I’m afraid I shall appear very ignorant to those relatives over there. Miss Lowndes knows such a lot about everything.” “Well, dear, we know your education has been neglected of late, but we shall find a good school for you. Those four years your father spoke of, they will have to be made up, though we shall not be satisfied to send you too far from us after this long separation.” “But why at all? Cannot we find a teacher here?” “We shall see; we shall see. The main thing is to make up for lost time. There are many girls like you who will be wanting to begin their studies where they left off four years ago, and the opportunities will come. It is wonderful what has been done already for the children orphaned or stranded.” Lucie did not reply to this, but presently she said: “I suppose the time is coming when I must give back Pom Pom, that hurts dreadfully, and there is Odette going to marry.”