ll have to alter the classification." She broke into a soft
laugh. "It's difficult to think of a term to fit; would you like to
suggest something?"

Several epithets occurred to the man, but he feared to make too rash a
venture.

"Well," he said, "would you object to--confidential friend?"

Sylvia's smile seemed to taunt him.

"Certainly; it goes too far. One doesn't become a confidential friend
in a very limited time."

"I've known it happen in a few days."

"Friendships of that kind don't last. In a little while you find you
have been deceived. But we won't talk of these things. You can't have
the book, and I'm going out."

He held up the shawl, which she draped about her shoulders, and they
strolled on to the terrace. The night was calm and pleasantly cool;
beyond the black line of hedge across the lawn, meadows and harvest
fields, with rows of sheaves that cast dark shadows behind them,
stretched away in the moonlight. After a while Sylvia stopped and
leaned upon the broad-topped wall.

"It's really pretty," she remarked.

"Yes," returned Bland; "it's more than pretty. There's something in it
that rests one. I sometimes wish I could live in such a place as this
altogether."

Sylvia was astonished, because she saw he meant it.

"After your life, you would get horribly tired of it in three months."

"After my life? Do you know what that has been?"

"Race meetings, polo matches, hilarious mess dinners."

He laughed, rather shortly.

"I suppose so; but they're not the only army duties. Some of the rest
are better, abroad; but they're frequently accompanied by
semi-starvation, scorching heat or stinging cold, and fatigue; and it
doesn't seem to be the rule that those who bear the heaviest strain are
remembered when promotion comes."

Sylvia studied him attentively. Bland was well and powerfully made,
and she liked big men--there was more satisfaction in bending them to
her will. In spite of his careless good-humor, he bore a certain stamp
of distinction; he was an excellent card-player, he could dance
exceptionally well, and she had heard him spoken of as a first-class
shot. It was unfortunate that these abilities were of less account in
a military career than she had supposed; but, when properly applied,
they carried their possessor some distance in other fields. What was
as much to the purpose, Bland appeared to be wealthy, and took a
leading part in social amusements and activities