ight, indeed. Yes, Miss Henderson, it'll be peace next year--perhaps
this year! Who knows! But I hope I'll have a look in first. I've got my
orders. As soon as they've appointed my successor here, I'm off. About a
month, I suppose. They've accepted me for the Air Force."

His eyes glowed. Rachel said nothing. She felt hurt that he expressed no
regret at going. Then the vicar struck into the conversation with some
enthusiastic remarks about the steady flowing in of the American army.
That, indeed, was the great, the overpowering fact of these August days.
Ellesborough responded eagerly, describing the huge convoy with which he
himself had come over; and that amazing, that incredible march across
three thousand miles of sea and land, which every day was pouring into
the British Isles, and so into France, some 15,000 men--the flower of
American manhood, come to the rescue of the world. He told the great
story well, with the graphic phrases of a quick mind, well fed on facts,
yet not choked by them. The table hung on him. Even little Jenny, with
parted lips, would not have missed a word.

He meanwhile was led on--for he was not a man of facile or boastful
speech--by the eyes of Rachel Henderson, and those slight gestures or
movements by which from time to time when the talk flagged she would set
it going again.

Margaret Shenstone was particularly stirred.

"What friends we shall be!" she said presently, with a long, quivering
breath--"I mean America and England. Friends for ever! And we quarrelled
once. That's so wonderful. That shows good does come out of evil!"

"I should jolly well think so," said Ellesborough, looking kindly at the
young girl. "Why, if it hadn't been for this war, millions of these boys
who are coming over now would never have seen England or Europe at all.
It'll change the face of everything!"

"Only we must play up," said the vicar anxiously. "We must get rid of our
abominable shyness, and let your people really see how we really welcome
them."

Rachel gave a little defiant shake of the head.

"America's got to thank us, too!" she said, with a challenging look at
Ellesborough. "We've borne it for four years. Now it's your turn!"

"Well, here we are," said Ellesborough quietly, "up to the neck. But--of
course--don't thank us. It's our business just as much as yours."

The talk dropped a moment, and Janet took advantage of it to bring in
coffee as a finish to the meal. Under cover of the slig