“I—I’m afraid we never gave it a thought. Our journey’s end comes first.”

“Yes, of course. You’ll return by way of Australia or Alaska perhaps.”

“Either will be thrilling.”

“And dangerous. Well, now,” his voice changed, “get on your party dress and we’ll be on our way.”

A maid appeared from nowhere. She had, in truth, been borrowed from a beauty parlor. When she looked at herself in the glass after the maid had done her work, Mary gasped, then experienced a sinking feeling about her knees.

“Sparky,” she thought. “He’ll put on his everyday coat and come strolling over to the club for dinner. It’s a shame. I wish I could wear my uniform with a few spots on it!”

But then, perhaps she did not know Sparky. Or was it young Captain Ramsey who had engineered the transformation? Be that as it may, as she entered the club, she looked Sparky up and down for a full ten seconds before she knew him.

“Sparky! You old rogue!” she exclaimed. “Why! You’re actually handsome! I’d like to—” She advanced toward him with shining eyes.

Blushing, Sparky backed away. “It says in the Bible,” he drawled, “that you should let your moderation appear before all men. You’re not looking so bad yourself,” he added in a low tone, “but, pardner, this is no sort of armor for a fightin’ fool. When do we eat?”

Colonel Mason led them to a table in the corner where the lights were subdued, and there they took their places, Mary, Sparky, Ramsey, and the Colonel.

The food, Mary discovered, was wonderful. “Lend-Lease?” she whispered to her father.

“Something like that,” he smiled. “However it gets here, it’s deserved. All the men you see here, British, French, or American, are on active duty. Most of them are fliers. Some have just returned from Tunisia where they have been on duty for long weeks. Half their squadron was shot down. Some are guarding the airways, as Captain Ramsey will be doing tomorrow. Almost every day some fine fellow fails to return—”

“But they seem so happy and cheerful.” Her eyes swept the large room filled with laughing, chattering men and their ladies.

“Certainly. What do you ask?” was the quick reply. “You just must believe in your luck and keep your sense of humor. You, who have come a long 

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