fascinating,” the colonel rumbled. “I suggest that you visit some of them, particularly the Buddhist temples. Those Buddhist priests are very hospitable. Everyone, the humblest and the very great are welcome there, welcome to food, shelter and all that they have to give.

“But don’t wait too long for that. The time is short. We shall be going—” The colonel brought himself up short. “As I was saying,” his voice rumbled again, “India is fascinating, very enchanting.

“But I have an appointment!” He looked at his watch, then leapt to his feet. “Well, goodbye and good hunting to you.” He shot her a flashing gleam, then he was gone.

“This surely is a crazy world,” Gale thought to herself. “Here is the colonel believing in us not as women but as soldiers, and here is Colonel Mary Noble Hatch, a perfect lady, who had devoted her life to the task of molding the character of young girls and who is now the head of all the WACS in India, holding up a nice, soft, refined finger and saying: ‘Tut! Tut! Naughty! Naughty! Girls weren’t made to fight wars. How utterly terrible!’” Rising, she marched away to her room, and there she met with a surprise.

A WAC she had seen but never spoken to, was seated in her favorite chair, and in the corner opposite was an extra bed.

“You’re Gale Janes?” The girl sprang up. “May I salute you?”

“You may do as you like about that,” Gale replied quietly. “As you know, I’m not an officer. My rank is the same as yours, so—”

In spite of this the girl’s hand rose in a snappy salute. “For gallantry in action,” she said soberly.

“Great Scott!” Gale exclaimed. “Has it gotten around like that? Mary Noble Hatch will send me back to America on the first boat.”

“No,” said the girl. “It’s not nearly as bad as that. Here. This must be your chair. I’m the latest comer, so—”

“Keep it.” Gale waved her back. “I really like this one with the mahogany seat. It’s so hard and sort of substantial, like—” the words came unbidden—“like our colonel.”

The girl’s big round eyes opened wide. “Just like our colonel,” she agreed. Then she settled back in her chair. She was a rather plump girl with a round face, eyes wide apart, and a high forehead. Gale was sure she was going to like her. She already had a roommate, but in this war people lived as they must.

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