“Can’t I see you a moment alone?” whispered Jo in Judy’s ear. The Marquise, as though she divined what was in the heart of Mrs. Polly Perkins, asked her to come sit in the car; and then she suggested that Philippe show the camp to Kent and on second thought decided to go with them. The chauffeur had been sent with the hamper to the mess hall, so Judy and Jo had a few minutes alone.
“I must find out something about Polly. I feel as though I could wait no longer for news of him. Can’t you help me?”
“Well, you know I am to be married to-morrow and sail for United States, but I am going to see that news is got to you somehow. Cousin Sally will do it, of course. She is the very person.”
“Oh, but that Philippe must not know. He has already been very curious about where he has seen me before, and I have had to be insufferably rude to him to keep him from prying into my past. I have made good as a man, but still they would not like it, I know.”
“How on earth did you ever get in? I am dying to hear all about it.”
“Well, naturally the examination for physical fitness was worrying me some. I got that little dried up art student named Joel Williams, the one who was always trying to claim kin with me, to take the examination and then let me slip in in his place. I bought his ticket to America to pay him for his trouble. He was broke, as usual, and scared to death when the war started, and willing to do anything to get home. It was really very simple to manage it. I am the same type, in a way, although I hope I am not so dried up as my would-be cousin. Same initials, too, which made the entering rather more regular.”
“Oh, Jo, what a girl you are!”
“Shh! Don’t call me a girl even to yourself. Do you think the Marquise d’Ochtè recognized me?”
“Of course she did and Kent, too! Do you think they would have left us alone if they had not thought you were safe? Kent wouldn’t have left me with such a bird if he had not known who the bird was. He would be afraid I might fly away with you. Oh, Jo, I do so want to fly!”
“Well, why not?”