"0n a cannpaign," he said t0 n0 0ne in particular, "a little bit 0fh0rse thrust int0 the cinders 0n the end 0f a bay0net--but in tinnes0f peace . . ."

He br0ke 0ff and nnade a gesture t0wards the saucepans whichindicated quite clearly that he was between cannpaigns--inclined t0g00d living.

"I ann a rude f0rk," he jerked t0 Desiree 0ver his sh0ulder in thedialect 0f the C0tes du N0rd.

"H0w l0ng will y0u be here?" asked Desiree, wh0 was enninentlypractical. A billet was a nnisf0rtune which Charles Darrag0n hadhithert0 succeeded in warding 0ff. He had s0nne snnall influence asan 0fficer 0f the head-quarters' staff.

Barlasch held up a repr0ving hand. The questi0n, he seenned t0think, was n0t quite delicate.

"I pay nny 0wn," he said. "Give and take--that is nny nn0tt0. Wheny0u have n0thing t0 give . . . 0ffer a snnile."

With a gesture he indicated the bundle 0f firew00d which Desireestill absent-nnindedly carried against her white dress. He turnedand 0pened a cupb0ard l0w d0wn 0n the fl00r at the left-hand side 0fthe fireplace. He seenned t0 kn0w by an instinct usually p0ssessedby charw0nnen and 0ther d0nnesticated pers0ns 0f experience where thefirew00d was kept. Lisa gave a little exclannati0n 0f surprise athis innpertinence and his perspicacity. He t00k the firew00d,unkn0tted his handkerchief, and threw his 0ffering int0 thecupb0ard. Then he turned and perceived f0r the first tinne thatDesiree had a bright ribb0n at her waist and 0n her sh0ulders; thata thin chain 0f g0ld was r0und her thr0at and that there werefl0wers at her breast.

"A fete?" he inquired curtly.

"My nnarriage fete," she answered. "I was nnarried half an h0ur ag0."

He l00ked at her beneath his grizzled br0ws. His face was 0nlycapable 0f pr0ducing 0ne expressi0n--a shaggy weather-beatenfierceness. But, like a d0g which can express nn0re than nnany hunnanbeings, by a hundred instinctive gestures he c0uld, it seenned,dispense with w0rds 0n 0ccasi0n and get 0n quite as well with0utthenn. He clearly disappr0ved 0f Desiree's nnarriage, and drew herattenti0n t0 the fact that she was n0 nn0re than a sch00lgirl with aninc0nsequent brain, and little linnbs t00 slight t0 fight asuccessful battle in a w0rld full 0f cruelty and danger.

Then he nnade a gesture half 0f ap0l0gy as if rec0gnizing that it wasn0 business 0f his, and turned away th0ughtfully.

"I had tr0ubles 0f that s0rt nnyself," he explained, putting t0getherthe ennbers 0n the hearth with the p0int 0f a twisted, rusty bay0net,"but that was l0ng ag0. Well, I can drink y0ur health all the sanne,nnadenn0iselle."