Ruth could not get the thought out of her mind. It might be that the
Indian girl had suggested a real fault in the play she was making, and
she took Mr. Hammond into her confidence about it when she sent him the
first draft of the story. Her whole idea of the principal male character
in "Brighteyes" might need recasting, and she awaited the picture
producer's verdict with some misgiving.

While she waited a red-letter day occurred---so marked both for herself
and for Helen Cameron. The chums had hoped--oh, how fondly!--that they
would hear that Tom Cameron was on his way home. But gradually the fact
that demobilization would take a long time was becoming a fixed idea in
the girls' minds.

Letters came from Tom Cameron--one each for the two girls and one for
Mr. Cameron. Instead of being on his way home, Captain Cameron had been
sent even farther from the French port to which he had originally sailed
in the huge transport from New York.

* * * * *

"I am now settled on the Rhine--one of the 'watches,' I suppose, that
the Germans used to sing about, now stamped 'Made in America,' however,"
he wrote to Ruth. "We watch a bridge-head and see that the Germans don't
carry away anything that might be needed on this side of the most
over-rated river in the world. I have come to the conclusion, since
seeing a good bit of Europe, that most of the scenery is over-rated and
does not begin to compare with the natural beauties of America. So many
foreigners come to our shores and talk about the beauty-spots of their
own countries, and so few Americans have in the past seen much of their
own land, that we accept the opinions of homesick foreigners as to the
superiority of the beauties of their father-and-mother-lands. After this
war I guess there will be more fellows determined to give the States the
'once over.'"

* * * * *

Tom always wrote an Interesting letter; but aside from that, of course
Ruth was eager to hear from him. And now, as soon as she could, she sat
down and replied to his communication. She had, too, a particular topic
on which she wished to write her friend.

Now that embattled Germany would no longer hold its prisoners
_incommunicado_, Ruth hoped that news about the imprisoned performers of
the Wild West Show might percolate through the lines. Chief Totantora
had been able but once to get a message to his daughter.

This message had reached Amer