Part 15 (1/2)
”Have ye room enough?” with solicitude inquired the soldier, placing himself beside her.
”Plenty, thanks. Have you?”
”Too much,” he protested, ”on the wrong side.” The bench having no back, he gallantly supplied the lack. ”Allow me to make ye an arm-chair.”
Evelyn properly edged away. ”Sergeant, are these your company manners?”
”Surely, since two's company.”
”Come, come, I can't permit you so much lat.i.tude!”
”If you knew your map ye'd know that the further north ye go the closer the lines of lat.i.tude are drawn.”
”Speaking of maps, I wish you'd tell me exactly where we are?”
”Faith, where I am is exactly what I'm trying to find out--how far I've gone with you.”
”Do be sensible, if you can, and tell me where we are sitting, geographically speaking.”
”Geographically speaking, we are sitting on the provisional boundary between our respective nations.”
”Oh! Please don't add it is called provisional because one stops here for provisions.”
”At any rate, provisions don't stop here long. Here, I've saved ye the last bean.”
”Thanks. I take my bean wherever I find it.”
”Good! Now will ye poach on my preserves?”
”With pleasure!” Evelyn held out her tin plate. ”I love peaches.”
”Ah, I'm more exclusive. I only love a peach!”
”One at a time, no doubt, you mean. And for the sake of your taste, I hope, fresh ones, not canned. By the way, you, I believe, would write them tinned?”
”But we both p.r.o.nounce them excellent.” Scarlett divided with her the last spoonful of the fruit.
”A century ago you taxed my tea.” Leaning over, Evelyn took the extra lump of sugar from the young man's saucer. ”So now, to even things, I steal your sugar.”
”Quite right,” he acquiesced, ”since revenge is sweet.”
”How silly this climate makes one, though I wish all international differences could be so bloodlessly adjusted,” remarked Evelyn.
”Suppose, instead of war, we had spelling matches! That, indeed, would bring peace with honor.”
”Sure and there'd be fighting over peace,” the soldier told her, ”since you would spell it H-O-N-O-R, while I should insert a U.”
”Naturally,” replied Evelyn. ”Your nation's honor always will include U.”
”A pretty compliment,” conceded Scarlett, ”but I feel as if I had been spelling for it.” As they had finished he put aside the dinner-tray. ”I wonder if I shall ever persuade you to cross the line in earnest?”