And she looked up into White's face with an air of grave enthusiasm
which made him drop his eye-glass.

"Oh yes," he answered, rather vaguely.

Cornish had already seated himself at the table, and was folding the
addressed newspaper wrappers over circulars printed on thick
note-paper. This seemed a busy world into which White had stepped. He
looked rather longingly at the newspaper wrappers and the circulars,
and then lapsed into the contemplation of Joan's neat fingers as she
too fell to the work.

"We saw all about you," said the girl, in her bright, decisive way, "in
the newspapers. Papa read it aloud. He is always reading things aloud
now, out of the _Times_. He thinks it is good practice for the
platform, I am sure. We were all"--she paused and banged her energetic
fist down upon a pile of folded circulars which seemed to require
further pressure--"very proud, you know, to know you."

"Good Lord!" ejaculated White, fervently.

"Well, why not?" asked Miss Ferriby, looking up. She had expressive
eyes, and they now flashed almost angrily. "All English people----" she
began, and broke off suddenly, throwing aside the papers and rising
quickly to her feet. Her eyes were fixed on White's tunic. "Is that a
medal?" she asked, hurrying towards him. "Oh, how splendid! Look, Tony,
look! A medal! Is it"--she paused, looking at it closely--"is it--the
Victoria Cross?" she asked, and stood looking from one man to the
other, her eyes glistening with something more than excitement.