"And now?"

"I am Chief Inspector of Field Hospitals," he replied.

"You are home on leave?"

"Not exactly," he told her, a shade of stiffness in his manner.
"I have to come over very often on details connected with the
administration of my work."

"I should have known quite well that you were a surgeon," she
observed.

"You are a physiognomist, then?"

"More or less," she admitted. "You see, I love people. I love
having people around me. My friends find me a perfect nuisance, for I
am always wanting to give parties. You have the still, cold face of a
surgeon--and the hands, too," she added, glancing at them.

"You are very observant," he remarked laconically.

"I am also curious," she laughed, "as you are about to discover.
Tell me why you are so interested in Ronnie Granet? You hadn't met
him before, had you?"

Almost for the first time he turned and looked directly at his
neighbour. She was a woman whose fair hair was turning grey,
well-dressed, sprightly, agreeable. She had a humorous mouth and an