even reasonably sharp. Consequently, following an unsatisfactory
assault, he laid the knife aside and cast an anxious glance toward the
kitchen, into which his waiter had disappeared; while awaiting the aid
of this functionary, he hid his right hand under the table and gently
massaged the back of it at a point where a vivid red scar showed.

He was aware that the girl was watching him, and, with the fascination
peculiar to such a situation, he could not forbear a quick glance at
her. Interest and concern showed in the brown eyes, and she smiled
frankly, as she said:

"I very much fear, Mr. Ex-First Sergeant, that your steak constitutes
an order you are unable to execute. Perhaps you will not mind if I
carve it for you."

"Please do not bother about me!" he exclaimed. "The waiter will be
here presently. You are very kind, but--"

"Oh, I'm quite an expert in the gentle art of mothering military men.
I commanded a hot-cake-and-doughnut brigade in France." She reached
across the little table and possessed herself of his plate.

"I'll bet my last copeck you had good discipline, too," he declared
admiringly. He could imagine the number of daring devils from whose
amorous advances even a hot-cake queen was not immune.

"The recipe was absurdly simple: No discipline, no hot-cakes. And
there were always a sufficient number of good fellows around to squelch
anybody who tried to interfere with my efficiency. By the way, I
observed how hungrily you were looking out the window this morning.