and you laughed that gentle and pretty, and your words did sound
sweet even when they was chaffing-like. But now I am fearing
something has gone wrong. Are you offended? I did not mean to do
so. Have you got tired of me? I would think _yes_ at once, if you
was the common sort of girl, but you are the honest sort that would
tell me straight, and not with hints in a letter. So if you are
not offended, I think you must have catched a cold in your head, or
got something wrong with your inside. Colds in the head is very
permanent [? prevalent] in the billet for the present, and the
chaps with them are ready to bite your nose off if you say a word
to them.

Dear, dear Christina, please tell me what is the matter. I will
not sleep well till I hear from you. The stew for dinner to-day
was better than the stew yesterday, but I could not take my usual.
I am fed up with anxiousness. Kindly write by return. Why do you
never put any X X X in your letters? Do you want me to stop
putting them in mine?

Your aff. intended,
M. ROBINSON.

P.S.--It is not to be the Dardanelles, but we are likely going to
Flanders next week. Excuse writing and spelling as usual. X X X
Please write at once.


_Christina to Macgregor_

DEAR SIR,--