"All right, Honey," Betty spoke sympathetically, for she had often seen the time when even her best friend would have been in the way. "We only wanted to help, that's all. When you want us we'll be in my room." Amy murmured something in reply, and they slipped back again into the other room and closed the door. "I guess she feels it even worse than we thought she did," said Mollie pityingly. "When Amy cries she is pretty well cut up." "Well, I guess all we can do now is just sit still and wait till somebody wants us," said Betty, sitting down irresolutely and folding her hands. It was this last action that reminded her of the letter from Joe Barnes which she had not yet read. Although she had been holding it in her hand all the while, she had completely forgotten there was such a person as the writer. At her exclamation Mollie looked up rather listlessly. "That's so," she said. "You never did find out whether or not Joe Barnes had been accepted. Tell me about it. I'd welcome a diversion--a cyclone or a tidal wave or anything--if it would only get my mind off our troubles." "I'll guarantee it would be effective," returned Betty absently, as she took up the closely written pages. "It would be like burning yourself to make you forget you have a toothache." There was silence for a long while, broken only by the sound of the waves breaking on the shore and the crackling of the paper as Betty turned page after page. It was a long letter, filled with youthful enthusiasm. In it the youth spoke his pleasure in meeting her and his hope that she would not only answer this letter but would allow him to write to her often. But over and above all the great fact stood out that he had been accepted! The doctors had looked him over and declared him fit in every respect to serve his country. As Betty read the last glowing sentence a sob broke from her and she buried her head in her arms. Mollie went over to her quickly. "What is it?" she asked anxiously, putting an arm about the Little Captain. "You haven't had bad news too, have you, Betty?" "N-no," sobbed Betty, raising eyes that were shining through her tears. "I just love them so--all those splendid boys that are so crazy to give their lives for their country, that my heart gets too full sometimes, that's all." "Then I take it that Joe Barnes has been accepted," Mollie rather stated than asked. "Yes," said Betty, feeling for a handkerchief. "And he is simply wild with joy, Mollie," she added, while the color flooded her face. "The Germans simply can't last long with that spirit against them. It makes our boys indomitable!" CHAPTER XIX BETTY CONFESSES Betty woke up the next morning with a sense of deadly depression weighing her down. For a few moments she lay staring up at the ceiling trying to collect her thoughts. Then the events of the day before came back to her and she frowned unhappily.