‘You judge by superficial things. Of course, there may be a little in what you say; but you must remember that men now and after the war will be scarce in the marriage-market. I’m sorry for all the nice girls who are being left on the perch. As for the lady who smiled, she doesn’t represent her sex. You know it, too, but you are simply bent on “chewing the rag.” You’re a fat-headed old’——
‘Excuse me,’ said a sweet-faced girl at that moment, touching my arm.
‘Yes,’ I answered, a little abashed.
‘Are you in the Cadet Battalion at Windmoor?’
‘Yes,’ I replied more pleasantly, observing how charming she and her companion looked. Beefy was grinning like a nigger.
‘I wonder if you could give this note to your fellow-cadet, Robert Clarke.’
‘I believe you call him “Nobby.”’
‘Certainly—delighted! May I have the pleasure of telling him the name of the sender?’
‘His sister—Marjory. I do hope you will excuse my asking you, but I want him to come to-morrow for tea, and I thought I should meet somebody from the camp. I was rather nervous about stopping you, for you appeared so engrossed in some discussion.’