I listened, fascinated, to his tale, which he told with a true soldier's impersonal modesty.
"I was glad," said I, after a while, "to see you twice mentioned in dispatches." Mrs.Boyce turned on me triumphantly.

"He is going to get his D.S.

O." "By Jove!" said I.
Leonard laughed, threw one gaitered leg over the other and held up his hands at her.
"Oh, you feminine person!" He smiled at me.

"I told my dear old mother as a dead and solemn secret." "But it will be gazetted in a few days, dear." "One can never be absolutely sure of these things until they're in black and white.

A pretty ass I'd look if there was a hitch--say through some fool of a copying clerk--and I didn't get it after all.
It's only dear, silly understanding things like mothers that would understand.