E-text prepared by Stephen Hope, Jen Haines, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) Transcribers note: All inconsistent, unusual and unorthodox spelling has been left as as it was in the original book. CAPTAIN DESMOND, V.C. by MAUD DIVER Author of 'The Great Amulet,' 'Candles in the Wind,' Etc. "One who never turned his back, but marched breast forward, Never doubted clouds would break; Never dreamed, though right were worsted, wrong would triumph; Held, we fall to rise, are baffled to fight better, Sleep--to wake." --ROBERT BROWNING. Revised Edition, in Large Part Rewritten William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London MCMXVII All Rights reserved _THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO_ _MY SON CYRIL,_ _AND TO_ _Mrs ALAN BATTEN_ _IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ALL THAT IT OWES_ _TO HER GENEROUS HELP AND INTEREST._ _M. D._ AUTHOR'S NOTE. In revising and partially rewriting my novel, 'Captain Desmond, V.C.,' I have been glad to make good the opportunity afforded me of bringing the Aftermath nearer to my original conception than it was in its first form. The three short chapters now substituted for the one final scene are therefore, in essence, no innovation. They represent more or less what I conceived at the time, but suppressed through fear of making my book too long; and thereby risked upsetting the balance of sympathy, which I hope the fresh chapters may tend to restore. M. D. CONTENTS. BOOK I. CHAP. PAGE I. JUDGE FOR YOURSELF 3 II. I WANT TO BE FIRST 13 III. THE BIG CHAPS 21 IV. ESPECIALLY WOMEN 30 V. AN EXPURGATED EDITION 39 VI. GENIUS OF CHARACTER 46 VII. BRIGHT EYES OF DANGER 55 VIII. STICK TO THE FRONTIER 66 IX. WE'LL JUST FORGET 80 X. A SQUARE BARGAIN 94 XI. YOU DON'T KNOW DESMOND 108 XII. NOW IT'S DIFFERENT 119 XIII. IT ISN'T FAIR 129 XIV. I SIMPLY INSIST 140 XV. GOOD ENOUGH, ISN'T IT? 151 XVI. SIGNED AND SEALED 156 BOOK II. XVII. YOU WANT TO GO! 167 XVIII. LOVE THAT IS LIFE! 177 XIX. IT'S NOT MAJOR WYNDHAM 182 XX. THE DEVIL'S PECULIARITY? 196 XXI. I AM YOURS 207 XXII. THE CHEAPER MAN 213 XXIII. YOU GO ALONE 228 XXIV. I WANT LADYBIRD 234 XXV. THE MOONLIGHT SONATA 242