“At least it is not a cow shed,” she remarked to Pom Pom, “although for my part I do not care for those funny things upon the wall.” She was attracted by a pair of foils and fencing gloves at which she looked curiously, then gave her attention to other manly adornments of the room. These, however, did not keep her attention very long, for she remembered the eventful journey which was probably before her, and soon made ready to go downstairs to glean such news as might have been gathered during the night. She found Paulette still in the rôle of heroine recounting her adventures to a group of Marianne’s friends. She stopped short at sight of Lucie and the little company of gossips dispersed so that Lucie was left alone with Paulette, whom she began to consider rather a person of importance who might very well direct their future plans. “What news? What news?” she asked. “Has anything been heard of my grandfather?” “Nothing,” replied Paulette, “and no news is good news. As for other things they say the Germans are still advancing and that the people are flocking from the villages by thousands. Those that do not flee must remain to be under German rule. We are lucky, we, to have come when we did.” “What would have happened if we had stayed?” “If we were not killed by the bombardment, we would have been caught like rats in a trap.” “Would they have killed us?” asked Lucie in horror. “One cannot say, but for my part I should not like the idea of being forced to obey a boche.” “But do you think, could it be that mother and grandfather have been caught that way?” “Pst!” Paulette made a scornful snap of her fingers. “Dispose of that notion. We shall hear quite otherwise. We shall know the truth about them before long. In Paris everything is known. They say that one cannot wink without the thing being known by the police.” “What do we do first when we get to Paris?” Lucie inquired, full of curiosity. “Where do we go? Is it to a place we shall live till my parents arrive, and will it be in the heart of the city or in the suburbs? Shall we have a garden, do you think?” “La la,” cried Paulette, “what questions! How is one to tell till we get there?” “Shall we have plenty of money? Are we going to be very poor? Have you enough in case grandfather is delayed in coming?” “Such questions!” cried Paulette again. “We shall not at once starve, though what is in the future who can say? The business is a thing of the past; it is no more, and one must exercise economy of course, but we shall see what we shall see. Rest tranquil for the present, my pigeon; to-day we shall dine.” And no more could Lucie learn.