'It’s going to be very hard on him; he’ll be so disappointed,' she said to herself.
At the same time, while apparently following the antics of Mary Pickford, he was thinking, 'It’s going to be so hard on her! She’ll be so disappointed in me!'
When she had gone, and he found himself once more seated on his bunk in desolation, he berated himself violently:—
'I must have treated her badly. This will not do. I’ve never given up before. I’ve got to pull myself up to my best if it’s only a corporal’s job. It’s better to be a man than a higher-up anyway. Good God, I can serve better by going where I’m put than where I want to be put! True patriotism, after all, is filling the niche, whatever—'
'Say, Ruggsie,' burst in the Duke from the side door, 'big doin’s here Monday. Big review for a Russian general. This company is goin' to be divided into two—A and B companies.'
Ruggsie was silent.
'Don’t you care anything about it?' continued the Duke.
'I’m not interested in reviews—to be frank.'
'Say, old fellow, you don’t need to get so down because you tied up that drill the other day. Course, there’s a great deal to know about this military game. At first I was pretty green myself. May be in a second camp you can get onto the stuff.'
Ruggs was not desirous of discussing the matter with the Duke, who, having been given the natural opportunity, filled the gap with conversation.