"And now we have exchanged compliments," she said, "we will have some
tea, and then you shall tell me what you are so excited about."

"I am excited; I--"

"Let's have the tea first."

Audrey's housekeeping was still rather casual. Tidiness of Natalie's
meticulous order would always be beyond her, but after certain frantic
searches for what was needed, she made some delicious tea.

"Order was left out of me, somehow," she complained. "Or else things
move about when I'm away. I'm sure it is that, because I certainly never
put the sugar behind my best hat. Now--let's have it."

Delight was only playing with her tea. She flushed delicately, and put
the cup down.

"I was in the crowd this morning," she said.

"In the crowd? Oh, my crowd!"

"Yes."

"I see," said Audrey, thoughtfully. "I make a dreadful speech, you
know."

"I thought you were wonderful. And, when those men promised to enlist, I
cried. I was horribly ashamed. But you were splendid."

"I wonder!" said Audrey, growing grave. Delight was astonished to see
that there were tears in her eyes. "I do it because it is all I can do,
and of course they must go. But some times at night--you see, my dear,
some of them are going to be killed. I am urging them to go, but the
better the day I have had, the less I sleep at night."