"How can I?" she demanded with sudden caprice. "I have my wash to finish; then I have to see that my father has his soup; then I must attend to customers at the inn, go up to the belfry, oil the machinery, play the carillon later, wind the drum for the night----" "I shall come to you in the tower after the angelus," he said eagerly. "I shall be too busy----" "After the carillon, then! Promise, Maryette!" "And sit up there alone with you in the dark for an hour? _Ma foi!_ How amusing!" She laughed in pretty derision. "I shall not even be able to blow bubbles!" Watching her pouting face intently, he said: "Suppose I bring some toy balloons for you to fly from the clock tower? Would that amuse you--you beautiful, perverse child?" "Little toy balloons!" she echoed, enchanted. "What pleasure to set them afloat from the belfry! Do you really promise to bring me some little toy balloons to fly?" "Yes. But _you_ must promise not to speak about it to anybody." "Why?" "Because the gendarmes wouldn’t let us fly any balloons." "You mean that they might think me a spy?" she inquired naïvely. "Or me," he rejoined with a light laugh. "So we shall have to be very discreet and go cautiously about our sport. And it ought to be great fun, Maryette, to sail balloons out over the German trenches. We’ll tie a message to every one! Shall we, little comrade?" She clapped her hands. "That _will_ enrage the Boches!" she cried, "You won’t forget to bring the balloons?" "After the carillon," he nodded, staring at her intently. "Half past ten," she said; "not one minute earlier. I cannot be disturbed when playing. Do you understand? Do you promise?" "Yes," he said, "I promise not to bother you before half past ten." "Very well. Now let me do my washing here in peace." ------------------ She was still scrubbing her linen when he went reluctantly away across the meadow toward Sainte Lesse. And when she finally stood up, swung the basket to her head, and left the meadow, the sun hung low behind Sainte Lesse Wood and a rose and violet glow possessed the world. At the White Doe Inn she flew feverishly about her duties, aiding the ancient peasant woman with the simple preparations for dinner, giving her father his soup and helping him to bed, swallowing a mouthful herself as she hastened to finish her household tasks. Kid Glenn came in as usual for an _aperitif_ while she was gathering up her wooden gloves. "Did a mule stray today from your corral?" she asked, filling his glass for him. "No," he said. "Are you sure?" "Dead certain. Why?" "Do you know one of the new muleteers named Braun?" "I know him by sight."