who reads 'em just skims through
'em and doesn't really take in anything. I've had to do it, an' I know."

"Still, I'll hate it," said Betty woefully, and started at a light tap at
the door. "Passengers are taking their seats, sir," said the warning
voice outside.

Doors were banging and farewells sounding down the length of the train
when Betty stepped out on to the platform. A curly-headed subaltern of a
Highland regiment who had been in possession of the door surrendered it,
and, catching a glimpse of Betty's face, returned to his compartment
thanking all his Gods that he was a bachelor. A whistle sounded out of
the gloom at the far end of the long train, and a green light waved above
the heads of the leave-takers. A faltering cheer broke out, gathered
volume, and, as the couplings tautened with a jerk, came an answering
roar from the closely packed carriages.

Standish bent down. "Good-bye, Bet----" and for a moment lips and
fingers met and clung. The train was moving slowly.

"God bless you!" she said with a queer little gasp, and stepped back into
one of the circles of subdued light.

For a few seconds he saw her thus, a slim, girlish, fur-clad figure
standing with her hands at her side like a schoolgirl in class, her face
rather white and her lips compressed: then a bend hid her and the tumult
of cheering and farewell died.

"Good on you, little girl," he muttered, and withdrew his head and
shoulders to fumble fiercely for his pipe. Courage in the woman he loves
will move a man as never will her tears. There is also gratitude in his
heart.

He retraced his steps to his sleeping-compartment and was aware of the
faint fragrance of violets still lingering in the air. She had been
wearing some that he had bought her late that afternoon....

He sat down on the bunk and fervently pressed the tobacco into the bowl
of his pipe with his thumb. "Oh, damn-a-horse!" he said. For a moment
he sat thus sucking his unlit pipe and staring hard at the carpet, and
not until it sounded a second time did a knock at the door of the
compartment cause him to raise his head and say, "Come in!"

The door opened, and a clean-shaven, smiling countenance, followed by a
pair of broad shoulders, appeared cautiously in the opening. Standish
stared at the apparition, and then rose with a grin of welcome.

"Why!" he said, "Podgie, of all people! Come in, you old blighter!"

The visitor entered. "How goes it, Bunje?" he