The news of the Armistice brought some relief to Marie. She no longer had to worry about John being killed or wounded. The next week passed in an air of euphoria. Surely John would soon be able to come back to her. She had had a letter, written the morning of the 12th, which talked of his hopes, but which was lamentably short on concrete plans.

The General was on convalescent leave, and came to visit frequently with Dominique. He had found some discharged soldiers, and work was already underway on the new Drolet farmhouse.

The General counselled patience. "Voyez-vous, petite, the Army has its ways of doing things. We have won, but it is necessary that the Boche understand it - so the Allies will have to go into Germany. When the peace is signed, then it will be time to discharge men."

"But mon General, what if they send him back to Canada? I cannot - I will not wait for him to cross the Atlantic twice!" Even now, a tiny part of Marie feared that John would not come back.

The General smiled. "I do not think it will come to that. Remember, his mother is French; that is a good reason for him to take his discharge here. If not here, then in England, and he can be here in days." He knew from talking to Canadian officers that many of the CEF were British-born, and suspected that some of them would elect to be discharged there to return to their families.