A couple came by. The man peered frowningly at the foursome and then smiled and saluted; a most amiable and friendly smile. It was the Howards. As they passed on, Mrs. Howard was heard to say: “I never saw so many dogs and children in my life, my god.”

While her husband talked, Billie Hauman seemed indifferent, even bored. She listened with a vague smile, and though her eyes constantly sought her husband’s, it was clear that her mind was not on him. She was languorous, indolent, all but drowsy; which was hardly to be wondered at if last night had been her wedding night. It turned out that this was what she was thinking of.

“We had such a lovely wedding,” she said to Ethel, with a sigh very like homesickness. “The bridesmaids wore yellow. Weren’t they nice, Cliff? Didn’t you think Marion looked just darling?” Her smile was more lazy and languorous than ever, her eyes half closed. “Queer to think of it now. Just last month I had my room done over at home. And now I’m going to move out. Really it looks awful nice, doesn’t it Cliff. I just love it. . . .”

“Seems funny to be sitting on a steamer like this,” Hauman said, “without plane cover or protection. Not a plane in sight.”

“Really, that’s all they can talk about,” Billie said. “They all the time have to talk about the war.”

“Well gee, Billie honey, there is a war on.”

“Still, other people have other things to talk about, occasionally.”

Hauman smiled pleasantly. “Billie seems to think the war is something that’s happening on the front page of the papers and nowhere else. I almost think she doesn’t believe it.”

“I believe it all right. Why wouldn’t I, with you in uniform, and wounded—maybe even going back one of these days. But honestly,” she said to Ethel, “Cliff follows the war like my brothers and dad follow sports. He knows who all the generals are on all the fronts, in Africa and Alaska and I don’t know where-­all.”

“Are you going back?” Ethel asked.

“Yes, ma’am, you bet I am. Just as soon as I can.”

“When will that be?”

“Well, I’m not sure, ma’am. But as soon as this honeymoon’s over, I report in Brooklyn for another physical. They’ll check me over to see if I can get back in. Oh, I can, all right. They don’t think so, but I’m just as good as anyone else.”

“You do look it,” Ethel said; and her husband could not but agree. He believed he had never seen such a strikingly fit physical specimen in his life.

“Cliff could get an honorable discharge just like that,” Billie said. “But he won’t take it. Sometimes I think—well . . .”