Part 3 (1/2)
”Fine,” agreed Grace, adding with a chuckle as Mollie handed over the alone, I don't call it such a bad bargain at that”
”I'll say it wasn't,” dimpled Betty
”Just the sah the twins are a great deal of trouble, Mother said she just wouldn't have knohat to do without them--especially after I went to Cahtfully dull”
”I should think so,” said Grace, adding suddenly, as though she had thought of it for the first time: ”Why she would have been all alone, wouldn't she? Hoful!” For Mollie had no father, he having died several years before
”And the other day she said the strangest thing,” Mollie continued, suddenly earnest ”You kno she adores Paul Well, I caught her looking at him with the most wistful expression, and when I asked her what the matter was she looked up at me and I saw there were tears in her eyes
”'It's Paul,' she said softly 'Of course I'm thankful he is so little that I can keep him safe at home with me, but sos she has suffered, I al retribution upon those hideous Germans Sometimes I feel cheated--yes, you needn't stare--that I have not a son ”over there”'”
”Oh, Mollie!” cried the Little Captain softly, ”what a wonderful thing to say And yet I think she would die if anything happened to either of the twins”
”That's just it,” said Mollie, her eyes gloith pride ”Loving them as she does, she almost wishes it were possible to make the supreme sacrifice for her country”
”It was that spirit,” said Grace thoughtfully, ”that won the battle of the Marne”
For a long tiirls worked quietly, each busy with her own thoughts It was Amy who finally broke the silence
”And here we are,” she said plaintively, ”letting another whole afternoon slip by without deciding e are going to do on our vacation Can't soested half a dozen things, only to be laughed to scorn,” said Mollie, adding decidedly: ”I' I can say seems to meet with approval,” added Betty plaintively
”Well,” said Grace, stretching herself, sitting up in the swing, and looking iest,”
adding as they turned a battery of surprised and eager glances her way: ”I don't knohether I can be persuaded to tell you now or not”
”Tell us!” they cried, piling into the swing till the supporting ropes creaked with the strain
”Can't we bribe you with candy?” pleaded Aeous trade in that article, you will remember,” was the answer
”Anye don't bribe, we command,” put in Betty ”Grace, we refuse to be trifled with What have you to suggest? Out with it!”
”You'd better hurry,” added Mollie, raising her knitting needle threateningly, ”before I spit thee like a pig!”
CHAPTER IV
GRACE SURPRISES HER CHUMS
”I'nified, which is a rather difficult procedure when one is being hugged by three pairs of arms at once ”I don't care how many times you spit ”
”Of course she shan't,” said Betty soothingly ”If she does it again, we'll try our hand at this spitting business--”