market), the kind of woman for whom men have a slightly and subtly
different manner at meet, hunt-ball, dinner or theatre-box? Get
Lucille "talked about"?

No--setting aside the question of the possibility of living under the
same roof with her and conquering the longing to marry.

No--he had some decency left, tainted as he doubtless was by his
barrack-room life.

Tainted of course.... What was it he had heard the senior
soldierly-looking man, whom the other addressed as "General," say
concerning some mutual acquaintance, at breakfast in the dining-car
going up to Kot Ghazi?

"Yes, poor chap, was in the ranks--and no man can escape the
barrack-room taint when he has once lived in it. Take me into any
Officers' Mess you like--say 'There is a promoted gentleman-ranker
here,' and I'll lay a thousand to one I spot him. Don't care if he's
the son of a Dook--nor yet if he's Royal, you can spot him
alright...."

Pleasant hearing for the "landed proprietor," whom a beautiful,
wealthy and high-bred girl proposed to marry!

Tainted or not, in that way--he was _mentally_ tainted, a fact beside
which the other, if as true as Truth, paled into utterest
insignificance.

No--he had taken the right line in replying to Lucille that he was