Page:No More Parades (Albert & Charles Boni).djvu/181

 "But there's one question of Solomon's he could not answer The one about the way of a man with Oh, a maid Ask him what happened before the dawn ninety-six—no, ninety-eight days ago

She said to herself: "I can't help it Oh, I can't help it

The ex-sergeant-major was exclaiming happily:

"Oh, no one ever said the captain was one of these thought-readers It's real solid knowledge of men and things he has Wonderful how he knows the men considering he was not born in the service But there, your born gentleman mixes with men all his days and knows them. Down to the ground and inside their puttees

Tietjens was looking straight in front of him, his face perfectly expressionless.

"But I bet I got him she said to herself and then to the sergeant-major:

"I suppose now an army officer—one of your born gentlemen—when a back-from-leave train goes out from any of the great stations—Paddington, say—to the front He knows how all the men are feeling But not what the married women think or the  the girl

She said to herself: "Damn it, how clumsy I am getting I used to be able to take his hide off with a word. Now I take sentences at a time

She went on with her uninterrupted sentence to Cowley:

"Of course he may never be going to see his only son again, so it makes him sensitive The officer at Paddington, I mean

She said to herself: "By God, if that beast does not