She smiled from the wisdom of her superior age—his frankness had the disarming quality of a child. “What do you know of women, Godfrey Baltazar?” He wrinkled his brow whimsically and rubbed his hair. “Not much. What man does? Do you know,” he asked with the air of a pioneer of thought, “you are all damnably perplexing?” At this she laughed outright. “Isn’t she kind?” “She—who—oh, yes. How did you guess?” “The way of Nature varies very little. What about her?” “She would be all right, if it weren’t for my brother——” “Your brother? Oh, of course——” She had to reach back into unimportant memories. “Your mother was a widow when she married—with an only son.” “That’s it. Seven or eight years older than I am. Name of Doon. Christened Leopold. We never hit it off. I’ve loathed the beggar all my life; but he’s a damn fine soldier. Major. D.S.O. Doing splendid work. But the brute has the whole of himself left and isn’t a dot and carry one, like me.” “And the lady?” “I’ll tell you another time—in one of our many talks. At present it doesn’t seem to amount to a row of pins compared with my meeting you. My hat!” he exclaimed after a pause. “It’s a funny little world.” He thrust his hands into his pockets and stretched out his legs, the end of the maimed one supported on the crutch. The afternoon peace of the beech wood enfolded them in their contemplation of the funny little world. She looked at him, young, strong, full of the delight of physical and intellectual life, reckoning as of no account the sacrifice to his country of much that made that physical existence full of precious meaning; hiding deep in his English soul all the significance of his familiar contempt for death; a son whom any mother might be proud to have brought into the world. And tears were very near her eyes when she thought of what might have been. And all her heart went out to him suddenly in a great gush of emotion, as though she had found her own son, and the tears started. She laid rather a timid hand on his shoulder. “My dear,” she said, “let us be great friends for the sake of the bond between us.” He started at her touch, and plucking both hands from his pockets, imprisoned hers in them. “Friends! You’re a dear. The dearest thing in the world. You’re going to be the only woman I’ve ever loved. Why, you’re crying!” Her wet eyes glistened. “We’re all hopelessly perplexing, aren’t we?” “You’re not. Not a little bit.” He kissed her hand and let it go. “You’re straight and adorable. But what can I call you?” “Call me?” The question was a little shock. “You can call me by my name, if you like—when we are alone—Marcelle.” “Splendid!” he cried. “The long-felt want. I’ve had as many Sisters as my young life can stand.” She rose, helped him to rise. “I hope,” she said, “you will remain the boy that you are for a very long time.” CHAPTER II