og an' rine las' night.... I'd give a
'ogs'ead to see the bloke who wrote in the bloomin' Reggilashuns _'nor
must bloomin' sentries stand in their blasted sentry-boxes in good or
even in moderate-weather'_ a doin' of it 'isself in 'is bloomin'
'moderate weather' with water a runnin' down 'is back, an' 'is feet
froze into a puddle, an' the fog a chokin' of 'im, an' 'is blighted
carbine feelin' like a yard o' bad ice--an' then find the bloomin'
winder above 'is bed been opened by some kind bloke an' 'is bed a
blasted swamp... Yus--you 'ave four o' rum 'ot and you'll feel like
the bloomin' 'Ouse o' Lords. Then 'ave a Livin'stone Rouser." "Oh,
shut up," said Dam, cursing the Bathos of Things and returning to the
beginning of Lucille's letter.

* * * * *

In his somewhat incoherent reply, Dam assured Lucille that he was in
the rudest health and spirits, and the particular pet of his Colonel
who inquired after his health almost daily with tender solicitude;
that he had exaggerated his feeling on That Evening when he had kissed
Lucille as a lover, and begged forgiveness; that marriage would
seriously hamper a most promising military career; that he had had no
recurrence of the "fit" (a mere touch of sun); that it would be unkind
and unfair of Lucille to bring scandal and disgrace upon a rising
young soldier by hanging about the Lines and making inquiries about
him with a view to forcing him into marriage, making him keep to a
bargain made in a rash, unguarded moment of sentimentality; that, in
any case, soldiers could not marry until they had a certain income and
status, and, if they did so, it was no marriage and they were sent to
jail; that his worst enemy would not do anything to drag him out once
again into the light of publicity, and disgrace his family further,
now that he had effectually disappeared and was being forgotten; and
that he announced that he was known as Trooper Matthewson (E Troop,
The Queen's Greys, Cavalry Lines, Shorncliffe) to prevent Lucille from
keeping her most unladylike promise of persecuting him.

Lucille's next letter was shorter than the first.

"MY DARLING DAM,

"Don't be such a _priceless_ Ass. Come
off it.

"Your own

"LUCILLE.

"P.S.--Write to me properly at once--or expect
me on Monday."

He obeyed, poured out his whole heart in love and thanks and
blessings, and persuaded her that the one thing that could increase
his misery would