Meanwhile, I had the shock of my life, for who should appear but Jay-Jay himself. I tried to duck—it was just my damned luck to bump into him anyway, for he didn’t know where Leon was supposed to be in this camp—but he spied me and called, so I had to face him. Believe me, I did some tall trembling at that moment, although I realized that if worse came to worst and he did recognize me, I could make him see the joke of it and keep his mouth shut about me. I just waited to see what he would do. “How are you, Leon?” he asked, sticking out his hand to be shaken. “Thought you would be in Wakeham this week-end.” Well, what was I to say? I thought fast, believe me. I couldn’t say I hadn’t gone, because then later he would go home and perhaps run into Vyvy or Auntie or someone else who was at Vyvy’s party and then he’d probably learn that Leon was there. While I pondered frantically, my eye fell on his wrist watch and noted that it was just a little before two o’clock. “Why—,” I stammered, “I did go home—just got back about half an hour ago.” He looked at me kinda funny. “Your voice has changed, hasn’t it?” he inquired abruptly. I laughed. “God, yes—everything about me’s changed,” I declared. “This damned army life changes you so you hardly recognize yourself.” I grimaced as if disgusted with the whole business. “You must have had a skiddy trip down,” he observed then. “Rather rotten for driving, eh?” “Don’t mention it!” I exclaimed. “It was one hell of a trip! Leona came with me, in spite of Aunt Elinor’s objections, and she started right back. God only knows when or how she’ll get there in this weather.” “She did?” he repeated. “Dammit, I wish I had known that. I’d like to have seen her. Don’t know when I’ll get to New York again. This is the nearest I’ve been for several weeks.” “Been transferred, or something?” I asked, and offered him a cigarette, which he accepted before replying. “Got a match?” I certainly did try my best to sound matter-of-fact, despite the fact that this was the first time in my life I ever asked a man for a match. “Sure—” And he produced a box, gave me a light, served himself, and continued, “Why, no, no transfer—just a rearrangement of the work we’re doing. Means a lot of jumping around for me. Been down South the past three weeks, came over here from Washington yesterday and will be here until the middle of the week, when I move again.” “Interesting work?” I inquired. “Not very—I’m getting fed up on it. I’m even considering applying for a transfer so I can go over. After all, a man might as well be in the middle of this business.” I nodded, and smiled—this didn’t sound like Jay-Jay. I wondered if my ultimatum to him had had this effect. “I say,” he suddenly interrupted. “Why don’t we have dinner together this evening, or to-morrow evening?”