orry that little Emile
was off to finish his foreign education in Germany. His English was
pretty good, thanks to Matey. He went away, promising to remember Old
England, saying he was French first, and a Briton next. He had lots of
plunk; which accounted for Matey's choice of him as a friend among the
juniors.

CHAPTER II.

LADY CHARLOTTE

Love-passages at a school must produce a ringing crisis if they are to
leave the rosy impression which spans the gap of holidays. Neither Matey
nor Browny returned to their yoke, and Cuper's boys recollected the
couple chiefly on Sundays. They remembered several of Matey's doings and
sayings: his running and high leaping, his bowling, a maxim or two of
his, and the tight strong fellow he was; also that the damsel's colour
distinctly counted for dark. She became nearly black in their minds.
Well, and Englishmen have been known to marry Indian princesses: some
have a liking for negresses. There are Nubians rather pretty in pictures,
if you can stand thick lips. Her colour does not matter, provided the
girl is of the right sort. The exchange of letters between the lovers was
mentioned. The discovery by Miss Vincent of their cool habit of
corresponding passed for an incident; and there it remained, stiff as a
poet, not being heated by a story to run. So the foregone excitement lost
warmth, and went out like a winter sun at noon or a match lighted before
the candle is handy.

Lord Ormont continued to be a subject of discussion from time to time,
for he was a name in the newspapers; and Mr. Shalders had been worked by
Matey Weyburn into a state of raw antagonism at the mention of the
gallant General; he could not avoid sitting in judgement on him.

According to Mr. Shalders, the opinion of all thoughtful people in
England was with John Company and the better part of the Press to condemn
Lord Ormont in his quarrel with the Commissioner of one of the Indian
provinces, who had the support of the Governor of his Presidency and of
the Viceroy; the latter not unreservedly, yet ostensibly inclined to
condemn a too prompt military hand. The Gordian knot of a difficulty cut
is agreeable in the contemplation of an official chief hesitating to use
the sword and benefiting by having it done for him. Lord Ormont certainly
cut the knot.

Mr. Shalders was cornered by the boys, coming at him one after another
without a stop, vowing it was the exercise of a military judgement upon a
military q