y the operators.)

At last, the wish being father to the thought, she decided it to be
"Can do" (she knew that to be a navy expression). "So cheer up.
Writing. His adjutant a pal of mine. Coming over Saturday if I get
leave. Going Shorncliffe if necessary. Leave due. Dam all right. Will
blow over. Thanks for letting me help." Which was not far wrong.

Dear old Ormonde! She knew he would not fail her--although he had been
terribly cut up by her rejection of his suit and by his belief that
Dam had let him haunt her in the knowledge that she was his own
private property, secured to him.

* * * * *

Having dispatched his telegram and interviewed his Adjutant, Captain,
and Colonel, Mr. Delorme sat him down and wrote to Lieutenant the
Honourable Reginald Montague Despencer, Adjutant of the Queen's
Greys:--

"MY DEAR MONTY,

"At the Rag. the other day, respectfully dining
with my respected parent, I encountered, respectfully
dining with his respected parent, your embryo Strawberry
Leaf, old 'Punch Peerson'. (Do you remember
his standing on his head on the engine at
Blackwater Station when he was too 'merry' to be
able to stand steady on his feet?) I learnt that he
is still with you and I want him to do something for
me. He'll be serious about it if _you_ speak to him
about it--and I am writing to him direct. I'm
going to send you a letter (under my cover), and
on it will be one word 'Dam' (on the envelope, of
course). I want you to give this to Punch and
order him to show it privately to the _gentlemen-rankers_
of the corps till one says he recognizes the
force of the word (pretty forceful, too, what!) and
the writing. To this chap he is to give it. Be
good to your poor 'rankers,' Monty, I know one
damned hard case among them. No fault of _his_,
poor chap. I could say a lot--surprise you--but
I mustn't. It's awfully good of you, old chap. I
know you'll see it through. It concerns as fine a
gentleman as ever stepped and _the_ finest woman!

"Ever thine,

"O. DELORME."

"Look here, my lambs--or rather, Black Sheep," quoth Trooper Punch
Peerson one tea-time to Troopers Bear, Little, Goate, Nemo, Burke,
Jones, and Matthewson, "I suppose none of you answers to the name of
'_Dam_'?"

No man answered, and Trooper Peerson looked at the face of no man, nor
any one at any other.

"No. I thought not. Well, I have a letter addressed in