148 The Real Charlotte. 



follow. It did not come quite in the shape in which he 

 had expected it. 



" I suppose there isn't the remotest chance of my getting 

 any leave now, is there ? " 



" No, not the faintest ; especially as you want to go away 

 for the Twelfth." 



" Yes, I'm bound to go then," acknowledged Mr. 

 Hawkins with a sigh not unmixed with relief; " I suppose 

 I've just got to stay here." 



Cursiter turned round and looked up at his young friend. 

 " What are you up to now ? " 



*' Don't be such an owl, Cursiter," responded Mr. 

 Hawkins testily; "why should there be anything up 

 because I want all the leave I can get? It's a very 

 common complaint." 



"Yes, it's a very common complaint," replied Cursiter, 

 with a certain acidity in his voice that was not lost upon 

 Hawkins ; " but what gave it to you this time ? " 



" Oh, hang it all, Cursiter ! I know what you're driving 

 at well enough ; but you're wrong. You always think you're 

 the only man in the world who has any sense about women." 



" I didn't think I had said anything about women," re- 

 turned the imperturbable Cursiter, secretly much amused at 

 the sensitiveness of Mr. Hawkins' conscience. 



*' Perhaps you didn't ; but you're always thinking about 

 them and imagining other people are doing the same," re- 

 torted Hawkins ; " and may I ask what my wanting leave 

 has to say to the question ? " 



" You're in a funk," said Cursiter ; " though mind you," 

 he added, " I don't blame you for that." 



Mr. Hawkins debated with himself for an instant, and a 

 confession as to the perturbed condition of that overworked 

 organ, his heart, trembled on his lips. He even turned 

 round to speak, but found something so discouraging to 

 confidence in the spare, brown face, with its uncompromis- 

 ingly bitten moustache and observant eyes, that the mipulse 

 was checked. 



" Since you seem to know so much about me and the 

 reasons why I want leave, and all the rest of it, I need 

 say no more." 



Captain Cursiter laughed. *'Oh ! don't on my account." 



