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Show 97 "The papers're in your file, sir." And Sid gestured toward the basket. The Major took them out, ran his eye down the sheet, and laid them down. "Damn if I know. He ain't got the sense of a retarded jackass." Sid tipped his head. "He's young, sir." "So are other officers young. That don't mean they get promoted." "Actually, sir, he does his job. Even Bain - - and nobody could be farther from Jennings - - grants that. At Taira he's okay." Sid paused and stared out the window, subliminally auare that something needed to be said that hadn't. A brief ferreting turned it up. "Yosh was right: I think it's his looks." THne Major sat silent, toying with his swagger-stick, torn between decisions. "Bain's satisfied?" "Yes sir." As the Major pondered, a cloud, that had momentarily blocked the sun, moved aside and a shaft of light entered the room. Another beautiful day, fine time to go fishing. "Okay," he said. "Send it in. If we promoted on looks, Gawd help us." Louise had warned Sid that she might not return from the train in time for lunch, so he walked to the Officers Mess. Enroute he met *-aptain Bain. "MORNING," said the latter. "LOVELY DAY." Bain had been a missionary for seventeen years before the war; ha had belonged to a vigorously proselytizing sect, and either because of preaching or age, spoke at seventy decibels. "EATING WITH US?N% |