It  happened  to  be  the  only  one  vacant.  He


39


CAPTAIN  WARDLAW’S  KITBAGS

bobbed  and  smiled  at  everyone.  There  was
an  exaggerated  quirk  to  his  eyes  that  made
one  suspect  that  the  owner  saw  the  world  only
as  a  huge  joke,  never  laughing  out  loud  at  it,
but  always  on  the  verge.  A  little  investiga¬
tion,  however,  might  have  disclosed  the  fact
that  they  were  singularly  humorless  eyes.
Shortly  after  the  three  Englishmen  who
were  the  other  occupants  of  the  compartment
— officers  returning  to  their  posts  in  India —
and  Wardlaw  opened  their  newspapers.  When
he  reached  the  fashion-news,  Wardlaw  low¬
ered  his  sheet.  The  jap  was  vainly  endeavor¬
ing  to  roll  a  cigarette  the  American  way,  and
his  knees  were  peppered  with  golden  flake.
Wardlaw  smiled  amiably.  “Let  me  show
you  how  to  do  that.”

The  Jap  smiled  gratefully  and  passed  the
paper  and  tobacco.  Wardlaw  laid  a  paper
on  his  left  palm,  sprinkled  some  tobacco  on  it
and  with  a  few  manipulations — so  rapid  that
they  were  almost  sleight-of-hand — rolled  a
perfect  cigarette,  which  he  extended.
