"Mary," said Jack, "do you know Miss Brackley?"
Mary stopped and was smilingly introduced. Miss Brackley at once pounced amusingly upon Mr. Blessington.
"I want to speak to you," Jack said once more to Mary. "Behind the curtain of the third window."
He glanced at the red, ponderous plush curtain he meant. Mary looked frightened into his eyes, then glanced too. Mr. Blessington, extricating himself, walked on with Mary.
Jack looked round for Tom. That young man was having a drink, at the supper extra. Jack left the Barrack Hack for a moment.
"Tom," he said. "Will you stand by me in anything I say or do?"
"I will," said the glistening, scarlet-faced Tom, who was away on the gay high seas of exaltation.
"Get up a rubber of whist for Aunt Matilda. I know she'd like one. Will you?"
"Before you c'n say Wiggins," replied Tom, laughing as he always did when he was tipsy.
"And I say, Tom, you care for Mary, don't you? Would you provide a home for her if she was wanting one?"