"Bud."
"Dear Bud!" said Venna softly, "some day your devotion shall be repaid!"
CHAPTER XVI.
"For all eternity."
The winter of 1916-17 will always be a memorable one in America. The awful reports of the war in the Old World filled the New World with constant fear that we, too, would be dragged into it in spite of all overtures for Peace by President Wilson.
This public interest together with her activities in religious work brought Venna completely out of her solitude, and made her once more happy and ambitious. She opened her home to the young Mormon missionaries and never was there a time when two or three were not staying with her. So heartily did she embrace the Mormon faith, that it soon seemed as though it had always been hers, and her new friends seemed nearer to her than the old ones. Most of her society friends dropped her entirely, but Venna had no time for them now, so she did not miss their attention.
It hurt Venna to see her aunt's continual attitude of despair for her lost condition. She and Dr. Hansom were still Venna's friends, but their relations were strained and they seldom stayed long in one another's company. All Venna's efforts to discuss with them failed.
Summer came again, but Venna entertained no thoughts of the country. Both her time and her money were too much needed in the city. She had become quite expert in Red Cross work and enjoyed it more than anything else.
It was one week after America had declared war. Venna was reading the papers with intense interest when Brother Hallock called.
She had come to look for his frequent calls as a necessity. At last love had come into her life and Brother Hallock was her greatest joy. Together they constantly planned for the Church and Red Cross work.