"I have already done so," he answered quietly. "That is, I called upon Madame Villard before leaving Paris. I told her that I had traced her lost grandchild. I told her that I wished her to come to our home to-morrow. But I did not tell her any more." "Ah, poor Madame Villard! How happy I am for her! What a joy this will be for her!" sighed Madame d'Artrot. The Major smiled and agreed with his wife. "And what a joy for this poor little play-starved child!" he said, looking out of the window at the happy band of children. They were romping and making the air ring with glad sounds. The next morning Jeanne arose early. Being on a farm was something so different and thrilling to this child of the city that every noise outside her window seemed to call her. She put on her little black apron and went out into the brisk country air. The farm animals greeted her, and the little stream gurgled good morning. This was the most beautiful feeling that life had ever given Jeanne. She skipped about the farm, seeing and feeling and smelling the country, freshness, and morning. It was beautiful. And then she thought of Auntie Sue. Ah, poor Auntie Sue! If only she could be here with Jeanne! If only they could forget that shop and come to a place like this! Why hadn't Auntie Sue ever told her about places like this? As Jeanne's thoughts flew, her little feet flew, too. Soon she found herself walking along the country road. New wonders met her eyes and ears and nose with every step. Her sadness was nearly forgotten, until she stopped. There, in front of Jeanne, were countless crosses--crossed of white, crosses of brown, all in rows. Margot had told her about the soldiers' burying grounds in the Argonne and in other places of France. This was a soldiers' burying ground. [Illustration: THIS WAS A SOLDIERS' BURYING GROUND] The little girl stood and wondered. She wondered about her own soldier father. Just then, a big motor car stopped not far away, and Jeanne watched a black-gowned lady and child step out. They carried flowers in their arms. They went to a little brown cross and they knelt. The tears welled up in Jeanne's eyes. Ah, how she, too needed to pray! How she needed a little brown cross to kneel to--to talk to! Everything was making Jeanne cry. She was wondering again about Auntie Sue. How strangely Auntie had acted! And she had sent Jeanne away! CHAPTER XVIII MARGOT'S STORY "Come. Tell me. Quick!" Madame Villard breezed into the Major's house with Margot following. They were both breathless, excited. "What have you found out, dear Major? Tell me." Major d'Artrot bade the eager grandmother be seated and rest herself. Then he asked one of his own little girls to take Margot outside. "We can't find the little girl," said the Major's eldest to Margot, when they were outside in the garden. "When we came out this morning she was gone." "What little girl?" asked Margot.