g in
carriage, but of very different temperament and gait. It is no studied
negligence which has arranged the careless inconsistency of his dress.
It is but the mind speaking through the person. He wears nothing that
has cost a tailor a minute's thought to shape. His staff cap is set
askew; his badges of staff distinction have obviously been sewn into
position by some unskilled craftsman--probably his soldier servant.
His tunic tells its own story of two years' campaigning in the rough;
while the Mauser pistol strapped to the nut-brown belt which Wilkinson
designed to carry a sword, speaks eloquently of the wearer's
appreciation of the latter weapon as part of a general officer's
service equipment. But as you look at the two--the one dandy and
smart, the other rough and workmanlike--you can feel the personality
of the junior, while the senior means no more to you than a clothier's
model. This may not convey much to the average layman. But
men--illiterate, uncultured, fighting men--see and appreciate all
this, and it means much to them. Know, therefore, that there is no
keener judge of human character and human mind than the cherub of the
gutter. It is from these gutter-snipe, grown into men, that the
fighting ranks of the great British army are filled.

The generals were discussing the situation, as far as their respective
staffs could discern from their speech and attitude, amicably enough,
though the brigadier was pressing some point. In reality he had
renewed his protest against his senior's decision of the morning, and
was endeavouring to influence him into a change of policy and plan.
But the stern usage of the service decrees that the public convenience
should be ordered by the man whose name ranges first upon the Army
List schedule, and that the junior should press his arguments in
deferential rather than aggressive language. But by dint of argument,
and some short reference to the senior members of the staff, a
compromise was arrived at in order to meet the wishes of the
brigadier.

_General._ "I tell you that I don't like it; neither do I see any
object in the move. After the handling which he has had from Plumer,
Prieska can be the only line open to De Wet."

_Brigadier._ "But all my information is in an opposite direction, sir.
It distinctly----"

_G._ "I don't think that your information is worth much. What can that
boy know about it? He has been gulled by all the old wives' fables on
the line of march