The corps commander turned, and apparently observing Barry for the first time started and said,
“You are—”
“My friend, Captain Dunbar,” said the general.
“Ah, Captain Dunbar,” said the corps commander, obviously annoyed at his presence at the interview. “I trust Captain Dunbar is quite—”
“Captain Dunbar's reticence,” said the general with quiet courtesy, “can be entirely trusted. He has just been doing some fine work at the C. C. S.”
“Ah, yes. You are a padre, Dunbar? Oh, I remember to have heard about you. Very glad, indeed, to meet you, sir. Well, I must be off. We'll see to that strong point at once, general. Good-night—good-night, Dunbar.”
The general returned from seeing his visitor out. “Of course, we keep these things to ourselves.”
“Of course,” answered Barry.
“And now,” said the general with a kindly smile, “I have kept the good news to the last. Your majority is coming through, and here is a letter which came in my care. Now, if you will excuse me, I'll leave you to take a bit of a rest. There's a cot, if you want to lie down. Then we'll have a bite to eat later.”
“Oh, thank you very much,” said Barry eagerly, taking the letter. “This is good news, indeed. My letters have been going astray somehow. I have not had one for a week.”