had. Both at the regimental base, and now in
this hospital--an intermediate stage--waiting for the draft with
which he would be going into Palestine, all had been very nice to him,
friendly, and as it were indulgent; so might schoolboys have treated
some well-intentioned dreamy master, or business men a harmless
idealistic inventor who came visiting their offices. He had even the
feeling that they were glad to have him about, just as they were glad to
have their mascots and their regimental colours; but of heart-to-heart
simple comradeship--it seemed they neither wanted it of him nor expected
him to give it, so that he had a feeling that he would be forward and
impertinent to offer it. Moreover, he no longer knew how. He was very
lonely. 'When I come face to face with death,' he would think, 'it will
be different. Death makes us all brothers. I may be of real use to them
then.'

They brought him a letter while he stood there listening to that
even-song, gazing at the old desert road.

"DARLING DAD,

"I do hope this will reach you before you move on to Palestine. You said
in your last--at the end of September, so I hope you'll just get it.
There is one great piece of news, which I'm afraid will hurt and trouble
you; Nollie is married to Jimmy Fort. They were married down here this
afternoon, and have just gone up to Town. They have to find a house of
course. She has been very restless, lonely, and unhappy ever since
you went, and I'm sure it is really for the best: She is quite another
creature, and simply devoted, headlong. It's just like Nollie. She says
she didn't know what she wanted, up to the last minute. But now she
seems as if she could never want anything else.

"Dad dear, Nollie could never have made good by herself. It isn't her
nature, and it's much better like this, I feel sure, and so does George.
Of course it isn't ideal--and one wanted that for her; but she did
break her wing, and he is so awfully good and devoted to her, though you
didn't believe it, and perhaps won't, even now. The great thing is to
feel her happy again, and know she's safe. Nollie is capable of great
devotion; only she must be anchored. She was drifting all about; and one
doesn't know what she might have done, in one of her moods. I do hope
you won't grieve about it. She's dreadfully anxious about how you'll
feel. I know it will be wretched for you, so far off; but do try and
believe it's for the best.... She's out of danger; an