for Val that the sporting instinct ran
strong in Captain Hyde. He was irritated by Val's grave superior
dignity, and deep and unacknowledged there was working in him the
instinct of the bully, the love of cruelty, overlaid by layer on
layer of civilization, of chivalry, of decency, yet native to the
human heart and quick to reassert itself at any age: in the boy
who thrashes a smaller boy, in the young man who takes advantage
of a woman, in the fighter who hounds down surrendered men.

He settled himself in a chair close to the piano. "Val, I'm very
glad to have met you. Having taken so much upon me," he was
smiling into Val's eyes, "I've often wondered what had become of
you. This," he lightly touched Val's arm, "was a cruel handicap.
I had to disable you, but it need not have been permanent."

"Do you mind moving? you're in my light."

He shifted his chair by an inch or so. "After all, what's a single
failure of nerve? Physical causes--wet, cold, indigestion, tight
puttees--account for nine out of ten of these queer breakdowns.
At all events you've paid, Val, paid twice over: when I read your
name in the Honours List I laughed, but I was sorry for you. The
sword-and-epaulets business would have been mild compared to that."

"Cat and mouse, is it?" said Val, resting his hands on the keys.

"What?"

"I'm not going to stand this sort of thing, Hyde, not for a
minute."

"I don't know what you mean," said Lawrence, reddening slowly to
his forehead. But it was a lie: he was not one of those who can
overstep limits with impunity. The streak of vulgarity again!
and worse than vulgarity: Andrew Hyde's sardonic old voice was
ringing in his ears, "Lawrence, you'll never be a gentleman."

"All right, we'll leave it at that. Only don't do it again."
Lawrence was dumb. "Here's Mrs. Clowes."

Val rose as Laura came in, released at length from attendance on
her husband. "I heard you playing," she said, giving him her hand
with her sweet, friendly smile. "So you've introduced yourself to
Captain Hyde? I hope you were nice to him, for my gratitude to
him is boundless. I haven't seen Bernard looking so fit or so
bright for months and months! Now sit down, both of you, and
we'll have cigarettes and coffee. Ring, Val, will you--? it's
barely half past ten.

"I can only stay for one cigarette, Laura: I must get home to
bed."

"But, my dear boy, how tired you look!" exclaimed Laura. "You do
too much--I'm sure