He came straight to Olga, smiling with supreme ease, lowered Peggy from her perch, and dropped into the vacant seat beside her. Daisy passed on with a smile to join the Bradlaws. Peggy remained, glued to her hero's side. "I say," said Noel, "I hope you haven't been thinking me beastly rude, Olga. I've been wishing you happiness with all my heart all the morning, but I simply couldn't get round to tell you so." It was charmingly spoken. Her hand lay in his while he said it. He did not seem to observe his brother on her other side. But Peggy observed him and clung to Noel's shoulder with wide, fascinated eyes fixed upon the stranger. "Noel," cut in the high, baby voice, "isn't that an ugly man? Who's that ugly man, Noel?" Noel squeezed Olga's hand and set it free to lift the small questioner to his knee. "That handsome gentleman, Peggy, is my brother, and he is going to marry this pretty lady--whom you know. Any more questions?" Peggy stared at Olga very seriously. "Do you want to marry him, Miss Ratcliffe?" she asked. "Of course she does," said Max. "Everyone wants to marry me. It's a sort of disease that spreads like the plague." Peggy's eyes returned to him and fixed him with grave attention. "I don't want to marry you," she announced with absolute decision. "You'd rather have the plague, eh?" suggested Noel. "No," said Peggy, and turned to him with her sweet, adoring smile. "But I'm goin' to marry you; aren't I, Noel?" "Hear, hear!" said Noel with enthusiasm. "Highly suitable," said Max. "I hope you will both be very happy," said Olga, with a touch of earnestness that she emphasized with a secret pressure of Noel's arm. "We shall be as happy as the day is long," said Noel, smiling straight into her eyes. "Now, little sweetheart," turning to Peggy, "I must be off. We've got some tough work in front of us." "I hope you'll win," said Olga. He stood up, looking very straight and handsome. His dark eyes, laughing downwards, seemed to challenge her to detect any shadow of disappointment in them. "Win! Why, of course we shall. We're going to lick Akbar & Co. into the middle of next week--for the honour of the Regiment and Badgers." He cast an impudent glance over his shoulder towards his commanding officer, with whom, however, he was a supreme favourite; smiled again at Olga while wholly over-looking Max, then swung around on his heel and departed. Peggy stood for a moment watching him go, then with sudden resolution put aside the arm Olga had passed around her and ran after him. "Highly suitable," Max said again. Olga turned to him. "That's what Nick says. But it's such a long while for him to wait, poor boy." "That wouldn't hurt him," said Max. "Do him all the good in the world, in fact. He's too much of a spoilt darling at present." "Oh, Max, how can you say so? He is so splendid." Max's mouth curved downwards. He said nothing.