There is nothing whatever secretive about that.

The fare was plain, and the meal a perfunctory affair. The general
and his guests were there for other reason than to eat food, and
only the man who happened to seat himself next to King--a major
by the name of Hyde--spoke to him at all.

"Why aren't you with your regiment?" he asked.

"Because the general asked me to lunch, sir!"

"I suppose you've been pestering him for an appointment!"

King, with his mouth full of curr did not answer, but his eyes smiled.

"It's astonishing to me," said the major, "that a captain should
leave his company when war has begun! When I was captain I'd have
been driven out of the service if I'd asked for leave of absence
at such a time!"

King made no comment, but his expression denoted belief.

"Are you bound for the front, sir?" he asked presently. But Hyde
did not answer. They finished the meal in silence.

After lunch he was closeted with the general again for twenty minutes.
Then one of the general's carriages took him to the station; and
it did not appear to trouble him at all that the other occupant of
the carriage was the self-same Major Hyde who had sat next him at
lunch. In fact, he smiled so pleasantly that Hyde grew exasperated.