“Afraid of what?”

“Afraid that you may not come back.”

“My dear——”

“Oh, I know,” she said gravely. “One day you’ll not come back. Tell me that day hasn’t come yet.”

“Hush, Edith. I shall always love you.”

“Always? No matter what happens?”

“No matter what happens.”

She took his hand, and with an adoring gesture raised it to her lips, then asked timidly:

“You had news from France this morning. They told me.”

“Yes.”