She thinks you must have met him, Val."

"Possibly," said Val.

"Was he in the Dorchesters?" asked Rowsley--much more
interested than his brother, no doubt because he was not so
hungry as Val, who was giving all his attention to his supper.

"No, in the Winchesters," said Isabel. "Do I mean the
Winchesters, Val? What was Major Clowes' old regiment?"

"Clowes was in the Wintons."

Isabel nodded. "Then so was the cousin. And Laura says he was
out there when the Wintons were in the next bit of trench north
of the Dorchesters. He was there when--when you were wounded."
Such was Val Stafford's modesty that in the family circle it was
not in etiquette to refer in other terms to that famous occasion.

"I don't remember any fellow named Clowes and I never knew
Bernard Clowes had a cousin out there," said Val, mixing himself
a salad.

"Oh, his name isn't Clowes. It's Ryde or Pride or something like
that. I'm sorry to be so vague, but Jack Bendish and Yvonne and
Mrs. Morley were all talking at once. Lawrence Pied--Fried--"

"Lawrence Hyde?"

"Yes, that's it! Then you really do remember him?"