"He is to leave the military hospital in a fortnight," wrote Mrs. Anderson, "and be transferred to a Red Cross hospital. We are using all our influence to get him sent to Whitecliffe, where Aunt Ellinor and Elaine could specially look after him." To have Larry at Whitecliffe would indeed be a cause for rejoicing. Marjorie could picture the spoiling he would receive at the Red Cross Hospital. She wondered if he would have the same bed that had been occupied by Private Preston. It was No. 17, she remembered. "One shall be taken, and the other left," she thought. For Larry there was the glad welcome and the nursing back to life and health, and for that other brave boy a grave in a foreign land. Some lines from a little volume of verses flashed to her memory. They had struck her attention only a week before, and she had learnt them by heart. "For us-- The parting and the sorrow; For him-- 'God speed!' One fight,-- A noble deed,-- 'Good-night!' And no to-morrow. Where he is, In Thy Peace Time is not, Nor smallest sorrow." Marjorie was almost glad that on her next exeat at The Tamarisks Elaine was away from home. She was afraid her cousin might speak of Private Preston, and she did not wish to mention his name again. "I'm afraid you'll be dull this afternoon without Elaine," said Aunt Ellinor; "and I'm obliged to attend a committee meeting at the Food Control Bureau. I've arranged for Hodson to take you out. Where would you like to go? To Whitecliffe, and have tea at the cafe? You must choose exactly what you think would be nicest." As the girls wished to do a little shopping, they decided to visit Whitecliffe first, have an early tea at the cafe, and then take a walk on the moor, ending at Brackenfield, where Hodson would leave them. "That's all right, then," said Mrs. Trafford. "I'm sorry I can't be with you myself to-day. Get some sweets at the cafe and have some ices if you like. I must hurry away now to my committee. Hodson won't keep you waiting long; I've told her to get ready." Left alone, the girls grumbled a little at the necessity of taking an escort with them. "At fourteen and sixteen we surely don't need a nursemaid," sniffed Marjorie. "It's a perfectly ridiculous rule that we mayn't walk ten yards by ourselves, even when we're out for the afternoon. We might be interned Germans or conscientious objectors if somebody always has to mount guard over us. What does the Empress think we're going to do, I wonder?" "Ask airmen for autographs, or snowball soldiers!" twinkled Dona. "Oh, surely she's forgotten those old crimes now!" "I wouldn't be sure. The Empress has a long memory. Besides, the rule's for everybody, not only for us." "I know. Patricia was horribly savage last week. An officer cousin was over in Whitecliffe, and she wasn't allowed to go and meet him, because no one could be spared to act chaperon."