It was an awful nuisance, I admit, for I had intended to do something quite different.

Oh! not Gedging or anything of that sort--but--" he dived beneath his sheepskin and brought out a tattered letter case and from a mass of greasy documents (shades of superior Oxford!) selected a dirty, ragged bit of newspaper--"but," said he, handing me the fragment, "I think I've succeeded.

I don't suppose this caught your eye, but if you look closely into it, you'll see that 11003 Private R.Holmes, 1st Gordon Highlanders, a couple of months ago was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

I may be any kind of a fool or knave she likes to call me, but she can't call me a coward." I congratulated him with all my heart, which, after the first shock, was warming towards him rapidly.
"But why," I asked, still somewhat bewildered, "didn't you apply for a commission?
A year ago you could have got one easily.

Why enlist?
And the 1st Gordons--that's the regular army." He laughed and asked permission to help himself to a cigarette.