Chapter 9

Seline watched Heinz ride away. She did not want to see all the men go. Only now that Heinz was leaving it dawned on her that with all the men gone, all the work will be left to the very old or the very young men, and the women. Men under the age of 15 do not have to fight, but if the war goes on for a long time, even the ones who are staying safely at home now will grow to be old enough to go off and fight.

Seline looked back at the house. They were all still too upset to have noticed that she was gone. She decided to walk down the road and go to see Will before he and his older brother leave. She should have asked Heinz if she could ride double with him. He would have to ride by the road to Will’s father’s farm. It would have saved her some time.

Seline walked as fast as she could. He bulky skirts did not allow for too swift a movement, but she kept a steady pace. She was hoping that maybe they had not heard the news yet, but knew that Will’s older brother went into town to make d