A day on which war seemed more than ever a cruel outrage upon humanity.

But across the sunniest days, across the shining face of France, and across their spirits, too, the war cast its black shadow.
They both, however, seemed to have resolved that for that day at least they would turn their eyes from that shadow and let them rest only where the sun was shining.
The V.A.D.with her mind intent upon her wheel could only contribute, as her share in the conversation, descriptive and somewhat desultory comments upon points of interest along the way.

Barry, because it harmonised with his mood, talked about his father and all their years together but ever without obtrusion of his grief.

The experiences of the past three days, which they had shared, seemed to have established between them a sense of mutual confidence and comradeship such as in ordinary circumstances would have demanded years of companionship to effect.

This sense of sympathy and of perfect understanding on the part of the girl at his side, together with the fascinating charm of her beauty, and her sweetness, was to Barry's stricken heart like a healing balm to an aching wound.
They were in sight of Etaples before Barry imagined they could have made more than half the journey.
"Etaples, so soon! It cannot be!" "But it is," said the girl, throwing a bright smile at him, "and that's the hospital, on the hill yonder, where the flag is flying." "Why," exclaimed Barry, "that's the American flag! What's the American flag doing there ?" "It's flying over an American hospital," said the V.A.D.