Opening the case, he found it to contain a photograph of Don. The latter, who was watching him, spoke:
"My affairs would have terminated on February the ninth, Paul, if Duveen had not been there. He was pipped twice."
"His honour doesn't tell you, sir," added Mrs. Duveen, "that he brought Michael in on his back with the bullets thick around him."
"Oh! oh!" cried Don gaily. "So that's the story, is it! Well, never mind, Mrs. Duveen; it was all in the day's work. What the Sergeant did deserved the V.C., and he'd have had it if I could have got it for him. What I did was no more than the duty of a stretcher-bearer."
Mrs. Duveen shook her head, smiling wanly, the thin hand pressed to her breast. "I'm sorry you couldn't meet Flamby, sir," she said. "She should have been home before this."
"No matter," replied Don. "I shall look forward to meeting her on my next visit."
They took their departure, Mrs. Duveen accompanying them to the gate and watching Don as long as he remained in sight.
"Did you observe the drawings on the wall?" he asked Paul, as they pursued their way along Babylon Lane.
"I did. They were original and seemed to be interesting."
"Remarkably so; and they are the work of our wood nymph."