He took her arm and started toward the rear door. Some steps led down to a court with a fountain in the center and natural palms around it. There were dim lights, and a hostess to make everyone welcome. Brad found a seat at the far end where the lights were dimmed enough for them to catch a glimpse of the stars. Kitty glanced around to be sure that no one else was within hearing distance. “Brad, did you notice anything odd yesterday when I introduced Nurse Dawson to Lieutenant Cary?” “Plenty!” He spoke the word with significance. “They seemed to have an innate animosity for each other when obviously they had never met before.” “If you ask me, Kitty, it was a blow to Lieutenant Cary to discover Ensign Dawson on her way to Bernard Hospital.” “But why?” “Well, I hardly know how to tell you. It seems so intangible—sort of hunch.” “It must be a mighty big hunch, for I have the same sort of feeling that something’s wrong somewhere. Miss Dawson looked so sort of burdened.” “Guess she has enough to make her feel depressed and definitely self-conscious at being sent to this hospital of all places.” “Why?” “Something happened while her brother was here. He left under a sort of shadow. Was shipped off to Santiago.” “You mean he almost got a bob-tail?” “Well, not quite. But I heard things were terribly mixed up in his work. He was Chief Pharmacist’s Mate like your dad.” “I wonder what was wrong?” “That’s what I haven’t been able to find out. But on several occasions I heard him and Lieutenant Cary having rather hot arguments. I could never get to the root of their trouble.” “Then you think Lieutenant Cary had something to do with Dawson’s leaving the hospital?” “I’m convinced of it.” “Did you know him very well?” “I wasn’t there long before he left, but I liked him an awful lot.” “Naturally Lieutenant Cary would resent Nurse Dawson being sent to the same base.” “And he didn’t make any bones about showing it,” said Brad in disgust. Kitty watched some couples go back to the dance hall as the band struck up again. After an interval she said, “Brad, I believe Dad knows something about all this.” “He ought to, if anyone does. They put him in the position Dawson had filled.” “He shut up like a clam when I told him what happened in the launch yesterday.” Kitty sat turning the opal ring on her third finger, as she puzzled over the complications. “You have nice hands—capable,” Brad told her. “That’s from all the years of piano practice. You have to have piano, you know, along with voice training.” “Some time will you sing for me?” She smiled up into his eager eyes. “I’d love to. But right now, Brad, I can’t think of anything but this queer business we’ve stumbled on. I have a queer feeling it may mean real trouble at the hospital.”