"I'm off to the war—to the war I must go,
To fight for my country and you, dear;
But if I should fall, in vain I would call
The blessing of my country and you, dear—"
All their eyes were wet then, even Wally's—moved by the sadness of his own song. Aunt Patty, Aunt Cordelia and Helen wiped their tears away unashamed, but Mary tried to hide hers.
And when the time came for his departure, Aunt Cordelia kissed him and breathed in his ear a prayer, and Aunt Patty kissed him and prayed for him, and Helen kissed him, too, her arms tight around his neck. But when it came to Mary's turn, she looked troubled and gazed down at her hand which he was holding in both of his.
"Come on out for a minute," he whispered, gently leading her.
They went out under the moon.
"Aren't you going to kiss me, too?" he asked.
Mary thought it over.
"If I kissed you, I would love you," she said, and tried to hide her tears no more.
He soothed her then in the immemorial manner, and soon she was tranquil again.
"Good-bye, Wally," she said.