The ride home through the dark was very quiet。 Sara Lee sat beside
him watching the stars and growing increasingly anxious as they went； not
too rapidly； toward the little house。 There were no lights。 Air raids had
grown common in Dunkirk； and there were no street lights in the little city。
Once on the highway Jean lighted the lamps； but left them very low； and
two miles from the little house he put them out altogether。 They traveled
by starlight then； following as best they could the tall trees that marked the
road。 Now and then they went astray at that； and once they tilted into the
ditch and had hard pulling to get out。
At the top of the street Jean stopped and went on foot a little way
down。 He came back； with the report that new shells had made the way
impassable； and again Sara Lee shivered。 If the little house was gone！
But it was there； and lighted too。 Through its broken shutters came the
yellow glow of the oil lamp that now hung over the table in the salle a
manger。
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Whatever Jean's anxieties had been fell from him as he pushed open
the door。 Henri's voice was the first thing they heard。 He was too much
occupied to notice their approach。
So it was that Sara Lee saw； for the last time； the miller and his son；
Maurice； saw them； but did not know them； for over their heads were bags
of their own sacking； with eyeholes roughly cut in them。 Their hands were
bound； and three soldiers were waiting to take them away。
〃I have covered your heads；〃 Henri was saying in French； 〃because it
is not well that our brave Belgians should know that they have been
betrayed by those of their own number。〃
It was a cold and terrible Henri who spoke。
〃Take them away；〃 he said to the waiting men。
A few moments later he turned from the door and heard Sara Lee
sobbing in her room。 He tapped； and on receiving no reply he went in。 The
room was unharmed； and by the light of a candle he saw the girl； face
down on the bed。 He spoke to her； but she only lay crouched deeper； her
shoulders shaking。
〃It is war； mademoiselle；〃 he said； and went closer。 Then suddenly all
the hurt of the past days； all the bitterness of the last hour； were lost in an
overwhelming burst of tenderness。
He bent over her and put his arms round her。
〃That I should have hurt you so！〃 he said softly。 〃I； who wouki die for
you； mademoiselle。 I who worship you。〃 He buried his face in the warm
hollow of her neck and held her close。 He was trembling。 〃I love you；〃 he
whispered。 〃I love you。〃
She quieted under his touch。 He was very strong； and there was refuge
in his arms。 For a moment she lay still； happier than she had been for
weeks。 It was Henri who was shaken now and the girl who was still。
But very soon came the thing that； after all； he expected。 She drew
herself away from him； and Henri； sensitive to every gesture； stood back。
〃Who are they？〃 was the first thing she said。 It rather stabbed him。 He
had just told her that he loved her； and never before in his careless young
life had he said that to any woman。
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〃Spies；〃 he said briefly。
A flushed and tearful Sara Lee stood up then and looked up at him
gravely。
〃Then … that is what you do？〃
〃Yes； mademoiselle。〃
Quite suddenly she went to him and held up her face。
〃PLease kiss me； Henri；〃 she said very simply。 〃I have been cruel and
stupid； and …〃
But he had her in his arms then； and he drew her close as though he
would never let her go。 He was one great burst of joy； poor Henri。 But
when she gently freed herself at last it was to deliver what seemed for a
time his death wound。
〃You have paid me a great tribute；〃 she said； still simply and gravely。
〃I wanted you to kiss me； because of what you said。 But that will have to
be all； Henri dear。〃
〃All？〃 he said blankly。
〃You haven't forgotten； have you？ I … I am engaged to somebody else。〃
Henri stood still； swaying a little。
〃And you love him？ More than you care for me？〃
〃He is … he is my kind；〃 said Sara Lee rather pitifully。 〃I am not what
you think me。 You see me here； doing what you think is good work； and
you are grateful。 And you don't see any other women。 So I…〃
〃And you think I love you because I see no one else？〃 he demanded；
still rather stunned。
〃Isn't that part of it？〃
He flung out his hands as though he despaired of making her
understand。
〃This man at home …〃 he said bitterly； 〃this man who loves you so well
that he let you cross the sea and come here alone … do you love him very
dearly？〃
〃I am promised to him。〃
All at once Sara Lee saw the little parlor at home； and Harvey； gentle；
rather stolid and dependable。 Oh； very dependable。 She saw him as he had
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looked the night he had said he loved her； rather wistful and very； very
tender。 She could not hurt him so。 She had said she was going back to him；
and she must go。
〃I love him very much； Henri。〃
Very quietly； considering the hell that was raging in him； Henri bent
over and kissed her hand。 Then he turned it over； and for an instant he held
his cheek against its warmth。 He went out at once； and Sara Lee heard the
door slam。
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CHAPTER XVI
Time passed quickly； as always it does when there is work to do。
Round the ruined houses the gray grass turned green again； and in
travesties of gardens early spring flowers began to show a touch of color。
The first of them greeted Sara Lee one morning as she stood on her
doorstep in the early sun。 She gathered them and placed them； one on each
grave； in the cemetery near the poplar trees； where small wooden crosses；
sometimes surmounted by a cap； marked many graves。
Marie； a silent subdued Marie； worked steadily in the little house。 She
did not weep； but now and then Sara Lee found her stirring something on
the stove and looking toward the quiet mill in the fields。 And once Sara
Lee； surprising that look on her face； put her arms about the girl and held
her for a moment。 But she did not say anything。 There was nothing to say。
With the opening up of the spring came increased movement and
activity among the troops。 The beach and the sand dunes round La Panne
were filled with drilling men； Belgium's new army。 Veterans of the winter；
at rest behind the lines； sat in the sun and pared potatoes for the midday
meal。 Convalescents from the hospital appeared in motley garments from
the Ambulance Ocean and walked along the water front； where the sea； no
longer gray and sullen； rolled up in thin white lines of foam to their very
feet。 Winter straw came out of wooden sabots。 Winter…bitten hands turned
soft。 Canal boats blossomed out with great washings。 And the sentry at the
gun emplacement in the sand up the beach gave over gathering sticks for
his fire； and lay； when no one was about； in a hollow in the dune； face to
the sky。
So spring came to that small fragment of Belgium which had been
saved spring and hope。 Soon now the great and powerful Allies would
drive out the Huns； and all would be as it had been。 Splendid rumors were
about。 The Germans were already yielding at La Bassee。 There was to be a
great drive along the entire Front； and hopefully one would return home in
time for the spring planting。
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A sort of informal council took place occasionally in the little house。
Maps replaced the dressings on the table in the salle a manger； and junior
officers； armed with Sara Lee's box of pins； thrust back the enemy at
various points and proved conclusively that his position was untenable。
They celebrated these paper victories with Sara Lee's tea； and went away
the better for an hour or so of hope and tea and a girl's soft voice and quiet
eyes。
Now and then there was one； of course； who lagged behind his fellows；
with a yearning tenderness in his face that a glance from the girl would
have quickly turned to love。 But Sara Lee had no coquetry。 When； as
occasionally happened； there was a bit too much fervor when her hand
was kissed； she laid it where it belonged … to loneliness and the spring …
and became extremely maternal and very； very kind。 Which … both of them
… are death blows to young love。
The winter floods were receding。 Along the Yser Canal mud…caked
flats began to appear； with here and there rusty tangles of barbed wire。
And with the lessening of the flood came new activities to the little house。
The spring drive was coming。
There was spring indeed； everywhere but in Henri's heart。
Day after day messages were left with Sara Lee by men in uniform …
sometimes letters； sometimes a word。 And these she faithfully cared for
until such time as Jean came for them。 Now and then it was Henri who
came； but when he stayed in the village he