e, Jimmy was straining his
violet blue eyes again, staring after Ray, whom a waiter, bearing his
card, had summoned to follow him. Three or four of the laughing party at
the moment had surrounded Dwight, compelling him with their chatter, so
that he stood with a hand still extended toward the spot where Jimmy had
been standing, and did not even see that Ray had been summoned and was
gone. Question and answer were flying thick and fast, for full five
minutes before, looking about him, Dwight missed his boy. Foster,
finding the little fellow unresponsive, at least, had presently set him
down, and then, plunging eagerly into the talk over the latest newspaper
tidings of the doings of the Islands--of Otis's probable home-coming and
MacArthur's succeeding to the command, of what could be looked for at
Samar and Mindanao--he, too, had lost sight of the lad. "Hullo!" said
Dwight, "Jimmy has taken possession of Ray. Well, that's as it should
be. How was Gridley when you last saw him, Foster? And tell me about the
Gillettes. They were mighty kind to me when I was so knocked out after
Bender's trial. Fit now? I should say so! Never felt finer in my life.
I'm going back to Manila just as soon as I can place my wife and Jimmy,
no matter what the doctors say."

And so it happened that, for ten minutes or more, neither Lieutenant Ray
nor little Jim was greatly missed. But then Dwight began bethinking him
it was high time for Inez to appear. She had promised to come down and
meet his old comrades. Only a few minutes would be needed, she declared,
in which "to prink a bit." She had been looking so white, or yellow,
rather--so wan and weak, yet, after a bumper of champagne, had rallied
gallantly, had bidden him run down to meet them and keep them
entertained. She'd soon be there. That was now full twenty minutes back,
and these fellows were getting impatient for dinner. The head waiter was
even now announcing that their table was in readiness. Excusing himself
a moment, Dwight hastened from the salon and ran swiftly up to their
apartments. She was not there. He went out upon the gallery--the last
look by day over that incomparable panorama of earth and sea and sky,
for the sun was just kissing the far westward wave and throwing a glow
of ruddy gold all over the Vesuvian shore. The waiter was clearing the
table. Would the signor finish his wine? The signor needed none. Since
that heat prostration in Luzon, Dwight found that a single glass