y had stood by
her, regardless of everything but her wishes; and then, they were both
so handsome, such gallant soldiers. She took their hands, she gazed into
their honest faces, a few words of farewell were spoken, and then they
helped her into the cab, the door was shut, and she drove away.

"As she turned and looked out of the little window in the back of the
cab she saw one of them gazing after her; but the dusk of the evening
had come on so rapidly she could not be certain which one of them it
was. At a turn in the road she sank into her seat. She was tired; she
was faint; and, instinctively thrusting her hand into her pocket, she
found there one Albert biscuit which had been left. She drew it out,
but when she looked at it, it seemed to her as though it would be a
sacrilege to eat it; its companions had done so much for humanity. But
she did eat it, and felt stronger.

"For the rest of the drive she sat and wondered and wondered which it
was who had looked back, the brown-haired soldier or the black-haired
one. Then she tried to think which she would like it to be, but she
could not make up her mind.

"Before parting with the soldiers Almia had exchanged cards with them,
and they had assured her they would let her know how fortune should
treat them. Day after day she watched and waited for the letter-carrier;
but a fortnight passed, and he brought her nothing--at least, nothing
she cared for.

"At last a letter came. It was from one of the soldiers; she knew that
by the address and its general appearance, but of course she did not
know the handwriting. She held it in her hand and gazed upon it, and her
heart beat fast as she asked herself the question, 'Which one has
written first?'

"Presently she opened it. It was from the brown-haired soldier. Her face
flushed and her heart said to her, 'This is right; this is what you
hoped for.' Then she read the letter, which was long. It told of many
things; and, among others, it informed Almia how grateful were the
writer's wife and two little girls for the kindness she had shown the
husband and father. She had dressed his wounds; she had saved him from
being made a prisoner. For the rest of their lives they would never
forget her.

"The letter dropped from Almia's hand; she had received a shock, and for
a time she could not recover from it. She sat still, looking out into
the nothingness of the distant sky. Then her face flushed again, and her
heart told her it ha