carrion-feeding birds of prey.

Saxham, Recently Attached Medical Staff, Gueldersdorp, suffered from the
notoriety inseparable from the name of a man who has been thrice mentioned
in Despatches, and has been publicly thanked by the representatives of an
Imperial Government. The Interviewer yapped at his heels whithersoever he
went, and the Correspondent strove to lure him into confidences, and
Society fluttered at him with shrill squawkings, and wanted to know, don't
you know? It must have been "devey" and "twee" to have gone through all
those experiences. It was the year when "devey," and "twee," and similar
abbreviations first became fashionable.

There were pleasanter episodes than these, when soldierly, bronzed
warriors and simple, unaffected men of great affairs, expressed to Saxham
in few words their belief that he had done his duty. The approval of these
warmed him and helped to raise him higher. It was a little creature, a
human insect no bigger than a bar-tender, that brought about the mischief.

There was an American bar on the ground-floor of the Trafalgar. Saxham
stood upon the threshold of the place, replying to the questions of a
group of Colonial officers, New South Wales Mounted Engineers and Canadian
Rangers, when somebody suggested Drinks, and led the way in. Invited to
make his choice from a long list of alcoholic mixtures, beginning with
Whisky Straight, and ending with Bosom Caresser and Gin Sour, Saxham said
that he would take a glass of ice-water.

"Well, boss, since you're on the Temperance Walk," said the Australian,
his would-be host, a little huffily, "you'll please yourself, I suppose?"
He collected the preferences of his other guests, and gave the orders to
the man behind the bar.

The barman had the misfortune to be a joker of the practical kind. Seeing
Saxham held in conversation by one of the other men, he winked
portentously at the New South Waler, and whispered in his ear.

The Australian understood. A reason for Saxham's abstinence had been given
him. The new-made bridegroom as a rule shuns Alcohol. And in proportion to
his desire to avoid, grows the determination of other men to compel him to
drink. The bridegroom is fair game all the world over for the Rabelaisian
jest and the clown's horseplay.

The bar-tender, hoisting his eyebrows to his scollops of gummed hair,
winked at the New South Waler with infinite meaning, and pointed to a
cut-glass carafe that stood on the shining n