"And you, too, of course, Captain Griffiths," she said, smiling
pleasantly up at him. "Must you hurry away?"

"I will stay, if I may, until Miss Fairclough returns," he answered,
resuming his seat.

"Do!" Philippa begged him. "I have had such a miserable time in
town. You can't think how restful it is to be back here."

"I am afraid," he observed, "that your journey has not been
successful."

Philippa shook her head.

"It has been completely unsuccessful," she sighed. "I have not
been able to hear a word about my brother. I am so sorry for poor
Helen, too. They were only engaged, you know, a few days before he
left for the front this last time."

Captain Griffiths nodded sympathetically.

"I never met Major Felstead," he remarked, "but every one who has
seems to like him very much. He was doing so well, too, up to that
last unfortunate affair, wasn't he?"

"Dick is a dear," Philippa declared. "I never knew any one with so
many friends. He would have been commanding his battalion now, if
only he were free. His colonel wrote and told me so himself."