"When he comes back from the Front and sees you," I threatened her, "it may alter everything. If you become an old man's darling——"
"Brrrr!" shuddered Elizabeth.
"Plenty of girls do. You might like it better than marrying the Lion-Tamer, after all.... And don't say I didn't warn you if it does come off——"
"Give me your handkerchief," said Elizabeth, without ceremony plucking the green silk handkerchief out of my smock pocket. "I want to tie a knot in it."
She tossed it back to me as we went on.
"What's that for?" I demanded. "To remind you of what I said about that old Colonel of yours?"
"No," from Elizabeth. "It's to remind you of something, Joan."
As the corrugated iron roof of the hut came into sight beyond the great white cliff of a hawthorn bush she spoke earnestly, but with an imp of mischief dancing in each of her eyes.
"Whatever happens, however much better you may feel, however much more you may laugh and talk like your old self, I want you always to remember one thing. I want you to be sure—sure to go on thinking of Harry at least once every day!"
And before I could take the unsympathetic little wretch by her overalled shoulders and shake her, before I could pull her short hair, or even retort by a single word, we were back at the camp among the girls—with a fresh trial awaiting us!