"_Ma tante_," Julia Redmond had said to her when the last telegram was brought in to the Château d'Esclignac, "I shall leave for Africa to-morrow." "My dear Julia!" "He is alive! God will not let him die. Besides, I have prayed. I believe in God, don't you?" "Of course, my dear Julia." "Well," said the girl, whose pale cheeks and trembling hands that held the telegram made a sincere impression on her aunt, "well, then, if you believe, why do you doubt that he is alive? Some one must find him. Will you tell Eugene to have the motor here in an hour? The boat sails to-morrow, _ma tante_." The marquise rolled her embroidery and put it aside for twelve months. Her fine hands looked capable as she did so. "My dear Julia, a young and handsome woman can not follow like a daughter of the regiment, after the fortunes of a soldier." "But a Red Cross nurse can, _ma tante_, and I have my diploma." "The boat leaving to-morrow, my dear Julia, doesn't take passengers." "Oh, _ma tante_! There will be no other boat for Algiers," she opened the newspaper, "until ... oh, heavens!" "But Robert de Tremont's yacht is in the harbor." Miss Redmond looked at her aunt speechlessly. "I shall telegraph Madame de Haussonvelle and ask permission for you to go in that as an auxiliary of the Red Cross to Algiers, or, rather, Robert is at Nice. I shall telegraph him." "Oh, _ma tante_!" "He asked me to make up my own party for a cruise on the Mediterranean," said the Marquise d'Esclignac thoughtfully. Miss Redmond fetched the telegraph blank and the pad from the table. The color began to return to her cheeks. She put from her mind the idea that her aunt had plans for her. All ways were fair in the present situation. The Marquise d'Esclignac wrote her despatch, a very long one, slowly. She said to her servant: "Call up the Villa des Perroquets at Nice. I wish to speak with the Duc de Tremont." She then drew her niece very gently to her side, looking up at her as a mother might have looked. "Darling Julia, Monsieur de Sabron has never told you that he loved you?" Julia shook her head. "Not in words, _ma tante_." There was a silence, and then Julia Redmond said: "I only want to assure myself that he is safe, that he lives. I only wish to know his fate." "But if you go to him like this, _ma chère_, he will think you love him. He must marry you! You are making a serious declaration." "Ah," breathed the girl from between trembling lips, "don't go on. I shall be shown the way." The Marquise d'Esclignac then said, musing: "I shall telegraph to England for provisions. Food is vile in Algiers. Also, Melanie must get out our summer clothes." "_Ma tante!_" said Julia Redmond, "_our_ summer clothes?" "Did you think you were going alone, my dear Julia!"