supposed he ought to know, and was just going to ask another question,
when--

"Listen," he said, as he put his foot on the step. "Listen--before I
forget. My will is at my notary's in Paris, and on your table is a
letter to your father--if anything happens to me you know what to do."

We drove away in silence.

I let the horses walk almost all the way home and my thoughts were busy,
very busy along the way. Here I was alone--husband and friends had
vanished as by magic. My nearest relatives over five thousand miles
away--and communication with the outside world entirely cut off, for
Heaven knew how long. Evidently there was nothing to do but to face the
situation, especially as all those in my employ save Julie were under
twenty, and looked to me for moral support. This was no time to
collapse. If I broke down anarchy would reign at once.

But what to do? Go on living like a hermit on that great big estate?
The idea appalled me. It seemed such a useless existence--and in a few
moments' time I had decided to turn the place into a hospital. But how
and to whom should I offer it?

I stopped at the _Gendarmerie_, where our friends were able to give me
information.

"The nearest sanitary formation was Soissons--the Red Cross Society. The
president would probably be able to help me--" So I thanked the
_gendarme_ and left there, having decided to drive thence on the morrow.