man in the circumstances for not being aux petits soins des dames.
And he seems to be doing magnificently--twice mentioned in
dispatches."

"I know all that," she said. "I'm not a fool. But the war has
nothing to do with it. It started a month before the war broke
out. Don't let us talk of it."

She threw the end of her cigarette into the fire and lit a fresh
one. I accepted the action as symbolical. I dismissed Boyce, and
said:--

"And so you're engaged to Captain Connor?"

"More than that," she laughed. "I'm going to marry him. He's going
out next week. It's idiotic to have an engagement. So I'm going to
marry him the day after to-morrow."

Now here was a piece of news, all flung at my head in a couple of
minutes. The day after to-morrow! I asked for the reason of this
disconcerting suddenness.

"He's going out next week."

"My dear," said I, "I have known you for a very long time--and I
suppose it's because I'm such a very old friend that you've come
to tell me all about it. So I can talk to you frankly. Have you
considered the terrible chances of this war? Heaven knows what may
happen. He may be killed."