rls. Returning from her work in southern France, Mrs. Burton had
been injured and rather than be cared for in a hospital had begged to be
brought directly to the farm.

As a matter of fact, Miss Patricia arrived at the farm house exactly two
minutes before the Red Cross ambulance drew up before the front door.
How she managed this one could only discover from Miss Patricia. The
village owned a single motor car used in transporting supplies and Miss
Patricia saw that it traveled faster on this occasion than ever before
in its history.

Besides, Mrs. Burton, who was so swathed in bandages one could scarcely
recognize her, the ambulance contained Monsieur Duval, the French
senator, Mrs. Bishop and a Red Cross nurse.

Ignoring them all, Aunt Patricia lifted Mrs. Burton in her arms and
carried her upstairs to her room, placing her upon the bed.

An hour later, when the farm house had grown strangely quiet and
everybody had been sent outdoors except the nurse and a doctor who had
been hastily summoned, Aunt Patricia stalked down the steps into the
drawing-room. Here she found Monsieur Duval and Mrs. Bishop waiting to
explain the situation to her.

They had been motoring toward home and several miles back of the French
line, when without any reason for such a catastrophe, a shell had
dropped from a German aeroplane and exploded near their car.

Aside from Mrs. Burton, no member of the party had been hurt, but a
piece of the shell had imbedded itself inside her chest and was supposed
to be too near her lungs for an operation.

"Do you mean that Polly Burton has a chance to live without an
operation?" Miss Patricia demanded in grim tones when her two companions
had finished their unsatisfying explanation of what had taken place.

Mrs. Bishop shook her head.

"I am afraid not; that is why we took the risk of bringing her home to
you when she wished so much to come."

"Is there a chance for her to recover through an operation?" Miss
Patricia next asked without a perceptible change either in her
expression or manner.

This time, as Mrs. Bishop appeared unable to speak, Monsieur Duval
answered instead.

"There is one in a hundred, but we dared not accept the responsibility
without first coming to you."

"Then telegraph at once for the best surgeon in Paris who can be spared
and also for Captain Richard Burton. I will give you his address. In the
meantime, if you can find hospitality elsewhere than at our farm I shall