"I had no idea you were in the habit of taking my daughter for walks, Captain Cromer. Your mother sent me to search for you, Pam. I am awaiting an explanation." "Oh—Captain Cromer—just—just——" "Yes," said my father, "I perceived it. I presume you have an explanation to make, sir? I have had the pleasure of watching you for the last ten minutes." "Yes," said my companion, "Miss Burbridge unfortunately got picked out by the searchlights, and we thought the guns——" "Pamela," said my father, "have you anything to say? If not——" "Yes," I said desperately. "Oh yes——" then the old sickening fear of my father, the terror that made me deceive and even lie in a sort of blind panic, rushed over me. "I presume there is some understanding, an engagement between you and Captain——" "Hullo! Major. Hullo! Captain Cromer. We’ve had a most entertaining time. We’ve been watching you through our glasses. If you will stand in the limelight——" came an unexpected voice behind father. It was the C.O. and his wife. "It brings back my own young days," said the C.O. with his jolly laugh. "I suppose we are the first to congratulate you young people," the C.O.’s wife said charmingly. "I couldn’t help overhearing the word ’engagement.’" I looked at father. "Yes," I answered desperately. "You are—thank you very much." _Later_. I threw this on the top of the chest of drawers because mother came in to say "good night!" She has never done such a thing before. "What a dreadfully old-fashioned nighty you are wearing, Pam," she said. "It was one of yours," I answered. "I always have yours when you have done with them." "You must have some pretty new things now, dear," she said. She stayed and chatted for a few minutes, and then strayed out again, leaving an atmosphere of elegance and jasmine scent. I really am numbed mentally. My brain keeps taking records to-night, like a camera. It’s a sort of human sensitised plate, but I don’t feel anything, not even that it is really happening to me. When the C.O. and his wife made their appearance, we all turned and walked up the hill together; father and the Colonel and his wife walked on in front, and the man and I walked behind. The man bent his head quite close to my head and laughed. It was rather a beastly laugh, not villainy, just as if he didn’t care whether an earthquake or the millennium started next minute. "Well," he said, "you seem to have had your innings, Miss Burbridge. Now I want mine." "I’ll tell dad when I get home," I babbled foolishly. "I’ll explain fully all about the searchlights and everything." I felt absolutely the same as I did when I sat down at my "maths." paper when I tried to matric., after having been awake all night with raging toothache. I felt I couldn’t be decisive or adequate or even sensible, I couldn’t deal efficiently with a fly that settled on my own nose.