Ralph Stock

“ Bill opened his eyes and blinked.
"Can't yer see when you're not wanted?" he muttered.
"Oh, I can see all right," said Horace, and in the semi-darkness Bill fancied he could feel the other's hawk-like eyes devouring the bulging kit-bag, even penetrating the blanket to his tell-tale boots.
"Then leave me alone," he snapped.
"Oh, I'll leave you alone all right," murmured the obliging Horace; "trust me. But you'll be creasing that fancy waistcoat of yours something crool if you don't watch it."
Bill leant over the edge of his bunk, regardless of exposed raiment, an ugly glint in his eyes. ”

“ One golden day succeeded another on Sonomo lagoon. This strangely assorted pair fished, shot pigeon with a lady's "22," and cooked what they killed, with laughter and song, over the camp fire. From the very divergence of their experience and upbringing they found each other entertaining to a degree. The girl, Mr. Desmond soon discovered, knew rather less of the ways of the world—especially his world—than the average cage-bird. At times her innocence almost frightened him. It always awed him. ”

“ It would have been interesting to hear the South Sea Islands' opinion of Bill Santon; but only a land-crab saw him at that moment, and retired, seemingly quite unimpressed by the vision of a Cockney in blue clothes, a rakish Panama hat, an impervious collar, and pointed boots, enthroned on a palm trunk in the primeval jungle of Sonomo. ”

“ Desmond?"
"Thirty-second London," he answered promptly.
"Good old Londoners!" mused the girl. "I've read about them, and read about them, until I could almost see them—and now I can see one," she added, turning her frankly admiring gaze on Mr. Desmond, who studied the toe of a waterlogged but pointed boot. "You mustn't mind," she laughed, "and you'll have to go through a lot more with father. We don't often get a chance of seeing the men who have done things, here on Sonomo. Won't you come up to the bungalow for breakfast, and get it over?"
Mr. Desmond dug his heels into the sand. ”

“ Also he was aware that the girl had been present, though in a filmy dress that somehow transformed her from his companion of the lagoon into an ethereal being, infinitely remote. His host was Mr. Desmond's only doubt. His main impressions of the lethargic gentleman at the head of the table were his penetrating eyes and an uncanny ability to draw others without saying anything himself. However, Mr. Desmond retraced his steps down the croton avenue with the air of one who has left a good impression in a desirable quarter. ”

“ The girl returned to his side frankly triumphant.
"I thought I could do it," she said. "Selini makes such a tremendous fuss about it, you'd think it was difficult. It's only a matter of the right place, and——"
She broke off abruptly, seemingly just aware of the other's presence. Her frank grey eyes passed over him in rapid but all-embracing review—the homely, good-natured face, the viciously-striped shirt with sleeves rolled back over a muscular forearm.
"You must be very strong," she said admiringly. ”

“ The far-off hoot of a ship's siren filtered through the trees. Bill stirred uneasily, then smiled and lit a cigarette. Twice it was repeated at long intervals; then Bill lay back against the reed-brake, tilted his Panama over his eyes, and chuckled aloud in the ecstasy of his content. The Dynamic had sailed—sailed with the same old pyramids of plates in the galley, the same old steam and clatter and smell, but with a new entry in the ship's books—
And the Army? ”

“ No Man's Land was a marsh of shell-'oles, covered with mist. And they was sending some over, too, I give yer my word. But we went on, smoking and chatting, just like I am now. Some of us was dribbling a football, just to keep our minds orf it, like."
"I remember reading about that," murmured the girl.
Mr. Desmond paused and gazed out over the lagoon with the expression of one who recalls painful memories. The girl sat motionless, with wide eyes and parted lips. ”

“ You can't be serious. A guttersnipe! My dear child, he's never been in the Service in his life. Most likely running away from it. Allow me to judge. And you've been hobnobbing with him for over a week! ”