stating a fact, and her son added briefly:

"You are right, mother. In the air I can work best for our people. Ah,
John, here is my sister, who is quite curious about the stranger from
across the sea."

A young girl came into the room. She was tall and slender, not more than
seventeen, very fair, with blue eyes and hair of pure gold. John was
continually observing that while many of the French were dark and small,
in accordance with foreign opinion that made them all so, many more were
blonde and tall. Lannes' sister was scarcely more than a lovely child,
but his heart beat more quickly.

Lannes kissed her on the forehead, just as he kissed his mother.

"Julie," he said lightly and yet proudly, "this is the young American
hero of whom I was telling you, my comrade in arms, or rather in the
air, and adopted brother. Mr. John Scott, my sister, Mademoiselle Julie
Lannes."

She made a shy curtsey and John bowed. It was the first time that he was
ever in the heart of an old French home, and he did not know the rules,
but he felt that he ought not to offer his hand. Young girls, he had
always heard, were kept in strict seclusion in France, but the great war
and the approach of the German army might make a difference. In any
event, he felt bold enough to talk to her a little, and she responded, a
beautiful color coming into her face.

"Dinner is ready for our guest and you," said Madame Lannes, and she led
the way into another apartment, also with long, low windows, where the