She still wore her hair brushed softly back and coiled low at the base of her beautiful curved head. Her pearls were the only jewels she had brought to France and she always wore them. She sighed as she looked at the vision in the mirror. For Kirkpatrick! But she was used to the irony of life. CHAPTER IX I He arrived promptly at half-past four and in his capacious hands were three packages which arrested her eyes at once. He presented them one by one. "Sugar. Loaf of white bread. Candy--I'm also solid with one of the doctors." "I feel like pinching myself. White bread!--I've only tasted it twice in two years-both times at the Crillon. And candy--not a sight of it for more than that. I don't like the heavy French chocolates, which were all one could get when one could get anything. I shall eat at least half and take the other half back to Gora." "Miss Dwight? She's done good work, I'll bet. Just in her line. Somehow, I don't see you--What did you do?" He watched her hungrily as she made the tea, sitting in a gilt and brocaded chair, whose high tarnished back seemed to frame her dark head. "Oh, Lord!" he sighed. "What is it?" "Don't ask me. What've you been doing? Yes, I'll drink tea to please you." "I nursed at first--as an auxiliary, of course--what is the matter?" "Can't bear to think of it. I hope you've not been doin' that for four years!" "Oh, no. I've been at work with a war-relief organization in Paris most of the time. That was too monotonous to talk about, and, thank heaven, this will probably end my connection with it. I am much more interested to know how the war has affected you. Are you still a socialist?" "Ain't I!" "Not going Bolshevik, I hope." "Not so's you'd notice it. I want changes all right and more'n ever, but I've had enough of blood and fury and mix-ups without copying them murdering skally-wags. That's all they are. Just out for loot and revenge and not sense enough to know that to-morrow there'll be no loot, and revenge'll come from the opposite direction. I may have been in hell but my head's screwed on in the same place." "I wondered ... I've heard so many stories about the grievances of the soldiers."