“Seems like we should have a salute as you went by.”
“Oh, yes,” said the girl.
She raised her hand and saluted in a perfunctory and absent-minded manner, then turned away from them. She nodded to the messengers, some of whom she knew. One of them, who knew her best, stepped forward.
“Good-evening, Miss Mitford, could we do anything in the office for you to-night?” he asked.
“Oh, yes,—you can. I want to send a—a telegram.”
The other of the young officers who had escorted her, who had remained silent, now entered the conversation.
“Have you been receiving some bad news, Miss Mitford?” he asked sympathetically.
“Oh, no.”
“Maybe some friend of yours has gone to the front, and——” interposed the first officer.
“Well, supposing he had,” said Caroline, “would you call that bad news?”