The Rosemont party's certainty was relieved by Mrs. Hindenburg who turned to them, beaming.
"It iss Mr. Schuler; it iss Heinrich," she explained. "He has lost his leg. What matter? He is here and the Tochter is happy!"
Happy indeed was Fräulein when she turned her tear-stained face toward the others.
"He has come," she said simply, while the rest crowded around and shook hands.
It seemed that he had obtained leave to return to America because he had lost his leg and could fight no more. Yes, he said, Mademoiselle Millerand had nursed him when his leg was taken off.
The spectators of the moving pictures looked at each other and nodded.
Mademoiselle had sent a message to the Secretary of the United Service Club, he went on. It was—he took a slip of paper from his pocket book.
"Message received. Answered in person."
The Club members laughed at this whose whole meaning it was clear that Mr. Schuler did not appreciate.
He had arrived, it seemed, only two hours before, on an Italian boat, and had heard on the way up from Quarantine of the sailing of the Christmas Ship and so had crossed to wave a farewell before going out to Rosemont.