"I believe he is."
"Then damn my Lord Brocton! Did you chance to see him?"
"I had that honour late last night."
"Anything the matter with him?"
"He'd had enough," said I simply.
"That's what comes of shoving sprigs of your bottle-sucking nobility into the service. Damn his nobility! There's another of them back yonder, as much use as an old tup."
"If I detain you much longer," said I, with exaggerated sweetness, "you'll be damning me."
"Nothing likelier. I damn everything and everybody that don't suit me. That's why I'm captain at fifty instead of colonel at thirty. What of it?"
"Lord Brocton's nine miles off, and I'm not."
"Think I care? Damn you, too, and I'll fight you when we meet again. Like a lark! Wish I'd time now. Good day, sir!"