"OH, how lovely the roses are!" exclaimed Josephine softly. "And, oh, how I wish father was here to see them!"

 

"I expect there are roses where he is," answered May, "for I saw a picture in a newspaper yesterday showing part of a ruined village—it had been shelled —and there were roses climbing over a cottage wall I noticed."

 

It was a beautiful evening in June, and the two little girls, having learnt their lessons for the next day, had come into the garden for a short while before supper and seated themselves on a seat within call of the house.

 

Everywhere were roses in full bloom—standard and half standards and bush roses in the garden beds, ramblers twining over arches and stretching out trailing branches covered with clusters of flowers, whilst the porch of the house was decked with a magnificent "cloth of gold" which Mr. Basset declared to be the finest in the county.

 

Josephine had been enjoying the peace and beauty of the garden; but at May's mention of the ruined village a shadow fell on her face, and a wistful expression crept into her dark eyes.

 

"I hope I shall hear from father soon," she said, "I have not heard from him now for ten days, and I can't help feeling very, very anxious—knowing his regiment¹ has been in action. I notice that Uncle John is anxious too; he is always on the look out for the post."

 

"There may be a letter from Captain Basset in the post now," said May hopefully; "you know once before two letters from him, written at different dates, arrived at the same time."

 

"So they did!" Josephine replied, her face brightening; "I am glad you have reminded me of that!"

 

"I heard from Donald this afternoon," May remarked, drawing a letter from her pocket and opening it; "I want to read you the part where he speaks of Mrs. Ford², shall I?"

 

"Oh, yes, do, please!" Josephine answered eagerly. So May read aloud—

 

"You might tell Josephine that I went to tea again on Saturday with her friend, Mrs. Ford. She is a real, good sort, and I like her. She has promised to come and watch a cricket match we are going to have with some wounded soldiers—of course they are nearly well now or they wouldn't be able to play. She says she thinks I walk better than I did at the beginning of the term, and I hope she's right. But I don't mind so much about my

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