Barry, the charmer, the gay and reckless Barry who was never hard hit by any girl! But this was different. A little girl, he said to himself, just a little Texas girl. But what a find! A memory for any chap to tie to! Anne, crouching on Raquel’s bed late that night, talked and talked, laughing, romancing, going off in gay flights of imagination which literal-minded Raquel could scarcely follow. “La Principessa Raquela, with the spell cast off. She was a bewitched princess shut up in The Towers.” “Hmm. You’re more like it. I always pictured you,” Raquel’s thought came hesitatingly, “when we read that poem, _The Princess_. I never did see any one look more beautiful than you did tonight, Anne. You sure did look lovely in that changeable taffeta, blue and silvery. And your hair braided round your head shines so. “I was just thinkin’ how the boys, Grant and Custer, and Russell and Jami--they’re our ropers I told you about--would sit up and stare if they could see you. Oh, Anne, you must come out to Los Ranchos some day. We’d sure treat you like a princess. “Me, I’m just a desert plant. Made to stand a hard life--and bloom once in fifteen years. Tomorrow I’ll be the same old ugly Rakie again.” * * * * * There was a long yellow envelope awaiting Raquel when she and Anne set down their bags three mornings later in the great hall at The Towers, a night message from Dad. “Enlisted today. Assigned to animal transport section,” it ran. “Need you back to run the rancho.” He was to leave as soon as she could get home. Dad enlisted! And she was to be the _Boss_ of the Lazy L! Curiously enough Miss Hetty Carter was at almost the same moment reading a message from Mr. Wainwright. Lois was not to return to school, he was sorry to say. The doctors had ordered him west; he had little time to live, though Lois did not know it. And he felt that he could not bear to be parted from her--so she was going with him. When the girls were assembled in the auditorium, Miss Hetty Carter stepped before them to make an announcement. Something in her manner commanded a deeper hush than usual. “I have two announcements to make which I know you will all be sorry to hear.” The news of Lois’ departure was received with whispered “Ahs” of surprise and disappointment, which rose from all over the assembly room. Miss Carter waited a moment and then spoke quietly. “We have had with us this year another classmate whom some of you have not come to know very well--Raquel Daniels. Raquel is in her room now, packing to leave us. She has been called home to run the ranch while her father and brothers are at war. “It is a big thing to do, an important one. And it falls upon the shoulders of a girl of barely sixteen years. I should be happy if you would offer Raquel some evidence of your good wishes and appreciation of what she is doing for her country.” * * * * *