"DEAR JACK,--So sorry for you that you couldn't pass the doctor. Have
just heard from Leo for the first time. He left ---- on the ----, and
after a satisfactory passage arrived at ----. They entrained soon after
and are now in the neighbourhood of ----. What do you think? The ----s
have occupied ----. Captain ---- sends his regards to you.
"Yours, with love,
"PHYLLIS."
I only know one man in the regiment that Phyllis's brother adorns, and
his name is Captain Nares. Even supposing that the name had been
censored in Leo's letter, there could be no doubt as to the identity of
the person to whom the writer referred.
So far as I could see there was one of two possibilities. Either Phyllis
was involuntarily developing the Censor habit, or she was treating the
exigencies of correspondence in war-time with a levity that in a future
wife I firmly deprecated. Humour of this kind is all very well in its
place; but these are not days in which we must smile without a serious
reason. I determined to teach her a lesson.
"DEAR PHYLLIS," I wrote,--"Many thanks for Captain ----'s regards. I
don't remember the name, but possibly we are acquainted. By the way, you
remember that bracelet you so much admired in the window in ---- Street?
I really could not let you go on breaking the Covet Commandment for
ever, so I bought it yesterday. I don't like sending it through the post
at this critical time, so if you will meet me at the corner of ----
Circus and ---- Street at ---- o'clock, on ---- night, I will bring it
along.
"Yours ever,
"JACK."
Knowing her as I do, I thought that this, if anything, would bring
Phyllis to her senses. On the other hand, she appeared to look on it as
a kind of challenge, and sent me the following reply:--
"DEAR JACK,--Thanks very much for your nice thought. But you must have
mistaken the shop. I'll tell you why. Only this morning I was gazing at
the very bracelet, when who should come up but ----. He's an awfully nice
fellow, and very determined. When I told him what I was looking at, he
actually suggested buying me the bracelet. Of course I said that no lady
would dream of accepting a present like that, but he wouldn't hear of a
refusal and simply pushed the darling thing into my hand. I am meeting
him at the ----'s at luncheon on Friday. So sorry you won't be there.
"Yours ever,
"PHYLLIS."