"Mr. Schuler was the singing teacher in the high school year before last and last year," explained Helen. "Last spring he had to go back to Germany in May so he was there when the army was mobilized and went right to the front."
"It does come near home when you actually know a soldier fighting in the German army and a nurse in a hospital on the Allies' side," said Roger thoughtfully.
"It makes it a lot more exciting to know who Fräulein's betrothed is."
"Does she speak of him?" asked Margaret.
"She talked about him very freely yesterday after her mother mentioned his name."
"I suppose she didn't want the high school kids gossiping about him," observed Roger.
"As we are," interposed James.
"We aren't gossiping," defended Helen. "She looks on the Club members as her special friends—she said so. She knows we wouldn't go round at school making a nine days' wonder of it. She knows we're fond of her."
"We are," agreed Roger. "She's a corker. I wonder we didn't think of its being Mr. Schuler."
"Her mother always mentioned him as 'my daughter's betrothed'; and Fräulein yesterday kept saying 'my betrothed.' We might have gone on in ignorance for a long time if Mrs. Hindenburg hadn't let it slip out yesterday."