husband. Let me come in."

The attack was so debonair, so unquestioning, that the woman withdrew a
pace or two and Betty, following up her advantage, entered and shut the
door behind her. I could not have done what Betty did if I had had as
many legs as a centipede. Marigold turned to me anxiously.

"You do think she's safe, sir?"

I nodded. "Anyway, stand by."

The neighbours came out of adjoining houses; slatternly women with
babies, more unwashed children, an elderly, vacant male or two--the
young men and maidens had not yet been released from the mills. As far
as I could gather, there was amused discussion among the gossips
concerning the salient features of Sergeant Marigold's physical
appearance. I heard one lady bid another to look at his wicked old eye,
and receive the humorous rejoinder: "Which one?" I should have liked to
burn them as witches; but Marigold stood his ground, imperturbable.

Presently the door opened, and Betty came sailing down the path with a
red spot on each cheek, followed by Mrs. Tufton, vociferous.

"Sergeant Marigold," cried Betty. "Will you kindly go into that house
and fetch out Corporal Tufton's kit-bag?"

"Very good, madam," said Marigold.

"Sergeant or no sergeant," cried Mrs. Tufton, squaring her elbows and
barring his way, "nobody's coming into my house to touch any of my
husband's property...." Really what she said I cannot record. The
British Tommy I know upside-down, inside-out. I could talk to you about
him for the week together. The ordinary soldier's wife, good, straight,
heroic soul, I know as well and and profoundly admire as I do the
ordinary wife of a brother-officer, and I could tell you what she
thinks and feels in her own language. But the class whence Mrs. Tufton
proceeded is out of my social ken. She was stale-drunk; she had,
doubtless, a vile headache; probably she felt twinges of remorse and
apprehension of possible police interference. As a counter-irritant to
this, she had worked herself into an astounding temper. She would give
up none of her husband's belongings. She would have the law on them if
they tried. Bad enough it was for her husband to come home after a
year's desertion, leaving her penniless, and the moment he set eyes on
her begin to knock her about; but for sergeants suffering under a
blight and characterless females masquerading as hospital nurses to
come and ride rough-shod over an honest working woman was past
endurance. Thus I paraphras