e and claim her, after we chase these Boches back over
the Rhine, and the war is over. Bessie and her mother have left Paris
for a while and are in Nice, too far away for me to send Jeanne to them.
We--Tom and I--did not know another girl or woman to turn to, so I have
come to you."

Nellie bent her head in deep thought, while Jack waited anxiously.
Presently she looked up and smiled into his eager face.

"I'll manage it all right, Jack, leave it to me," she told him. "I may
have to keep her with me for a day or two, though a field hospital is a
dreadful place for a child to stay in. When I've found a way to get her
the necessities she must have I'll make sure she is placed with some
good people who for a consideration will care for her."

"Fine, Nellie! But then it's no more than I expected from you!" Jack
told her, in a low tone. "There's another thing I want to explain. Tom
and I have money enough, you know, and we've made up a purse to carry
our ward along for some time. Take these French notes, and make any
arrangement you see fit with the person in whose care you leave her.
There's plenty more cash where this came from."

"But Jack, I'd like to share with you two generous boys in this kind
deed of yours," protested Nellie. "I have means, too, and wouldn't miss
anything we might plan to contribute between us."

"Ah, you'll be doing the hardest part as it is, Nellie," he told her,
and then on second thought, realizing that such an arrangement might
afford him and Tom many an excuse for seeing Nellie as well as Jeanne,
he added: "But I'll talk it over with Tom, and if he's willing we might
let you come into the partnership arrangement. Isn't she a little
darling, though? I'm speaking of Jeanne now."

After that they found much to talk about, and it was quite late when
Jack finally got up to go. Jeanne was still sound asleep.

"I'll get her into bed presently, when I've looked after several of my
more seriously wounded patients," Nellie assured him. "And when you come
again perhaps I'll have made a start on her wardrobe; though I imagine
it's going to be a serious job to collect anything here. But some of the
nurses will be only too glad to help. When shall I see you again, Jack?"

"Oh! Me? Why, I'll try to get around to-morrow night, if they'll give me
permission. Tom, too, I hope. Of course there'll be heaps we must talk
over. This thing of being guardian to a real flesh-and-blood child is a
serious business