Drake."

"Confounded slacker," said a masculine voice. Then came a warning
"Hush," as Derry and Jean returned.

"It is snowing," Derry told the Doctor. "I have ordered my car."

Late that night when the Doctor rode forth again alone in his own car
on an errand of mercy, he thought of the thing which he had heard.
Then came the inevitable question: why wasn't Derry Drake fighting?




CHAPTER V

THE SLACKER

It was at the Witherspoon dinner that Jean McKenzie first heard the
things that were being said about Derry.

"I can't understand," someone had remarked, "why Derry Drake is staying
out of it."

"I fancy he'll be getting in," Ralph Witherspoon had said. "Derry's no
slacker."

Ralph could afford to be generous. He was in the Naval Flying Corps.
He looked extremely well in his Ensign's uniform, and he knew it; he
was hoping, in the spring, for active service on the other side.