Part 25 (2/2)

A little sob of pent-up misery broke from Betty and she dropped her head on Mollie's shoulder

”Oh, so much!” she whispered brokenly

Then everybody cried a little and the girls called the ”brutes” to their adored Little Captain, and when the storhter and they could even sht, when the little God of hope seemed about to take his accustomed place in the hearts of the Outdoor Girls, there caone before

As Betty was scanning the casualty list with terrified, yet eager, eyes, she gave a little cry, half gasp and half sob that brought the girls running to her

Her face was ashen pale, and she pointed with treer to a nairls, it's come--it's come! Allen! Allen! It can't be true!” and she dropped her head upon her ar the paper in her hand

CHAPTER XX

MISSING

Mollie took the paper froer down the colueant Allen Washburn,” she read in a sirls crowded close to look over her shoulder

”Dead?” queried Grace breathlessly

”No,” Mollie shook her head ”He's a a face so still and white that it startled the girls, ”that he is either dead or worse than dead I would a thousand times rather he were dead than have him taken prisoner by the Germans”

”But we don't know that he has been captured--”

”That's whatale, lifeless voice ”That,” she added, as though speaking to herself, ”was the column I always read first, because I was ot up unsteadily, and Mollie ran around to her, ”that if you don't o upstairs a little while”

She started for the door while the girls watched her du what to do or say Then suddenly Grace ran after her

”Betty, darling!” she cried, her own grief forgotten in her pity for her chuood to you just now, but I'd do ed Mollie, while Amy's eyes silently pleaded

But Betty only shook her head, s a pitiful little white smile, at them

”Not just now--please,” she said ”After a while I'll--I'll call you”

They watched her run upstairs and heard her door close quietly, oh, so quietly, behind her

Left behind, the girls looked at one another ide frightened eyes

”Girls, she worriesin a whisper, almost as if there were death in the house ”She is so quiet and still And when one knows Betty--”

”If she could only cry a little,” said Grace, speaking in the sas so much worse when you keep them bottled up that way”