"Do!" they cried, and Mollie added, patting the smooth side of the car with admiring fingers: "She's a wonder, Betty--as Roy would say, 'a perfect pippin.' Good-bye," she added suddenly, starting down the drive. "Where are you going?" cried Betty, as they looked after her surprised. "Home," she answered, adding with a chuckle: "I've got to finish cleaning my old car. It's poor old nose must be terribly out of joint." CHAPTER VI LIFE AND DEATH The next morning Betty awoke to the sound of the telephone ringing imperatively in the hall. She got up, dragged the instrument from its stand and spoke drowsily into the receiver. "Hello--who--why, Grace, how did you happen to wake up?--Why, Grace, what is the matter, dear?--You have heard what?--Will is wounded?--Oh, Honey, how awful! Is it serious?--Never mind, don't try to tell me about it now. I'll get dressed just as fast as I can and come right over--Yes, yes, in about five minutes." Mechanically Betty replaced the receiver on the hook and hurried back into her room. Then swiftly she began to dress. Will! Dear old Will was wounded! That had been about all she had been able to gather from Grace's sobbing message--but that was enough. He was the first of the boys to fall out there in the trenches, and who knew but what Allen might be the next! And here only yesterday they had been so happy, as happy as they could be with that shadow always hanging over them. This was the day, too--the incongruous thought struck Betty as she hastily pulled on her clothing--the day they had set for their trip to Bluff Point. Well, of course, it was all off now. Who wanted to go anyway? These thoughts and many more raced through Betty's head as she put the finishing touches to her toilet and crushed a garden hat on her pretty soft hair. She was a very attractive picture as she ran down the stairs, but she neither knew it nor cared. "Why, Betty dear, what is the meaning of the hat?" her mother inquired, smiling as her young daughter burst into the dining room. "You don't need it to eat breakfast in, you know. Who called on the 'phone?" "I'm not going to eat breakfast, at least not right away. But there, of course, you don't know," answering her mother's look of surprise. "Grace called up and, oh, Mother, poor Will has been wounded! I don't want to c-cry," her chin quivered and she turned away for a moment to get control of the lump in her throat. "I know, dear," said her mother, putting an understanding arm about her, "and so I'm not going to offer very much sympathy--just now. Were you going over to see Grace, poor child?" Betty squeezed her mother's hand gratefully and nodded. "I'll be back in a little while," she said finally, getting the better of that annoying lump. "I just want to find out all about it and give Grace my sympathy."