ng his reins on his wrist he grasped my hand and
shook it with all his heart. 'I knew you were here, and I exerted all
my interest to get quartered near you. This is my regiment--eh?--not
fellows to be ashamed of, Jack? But come along with us; we mustn't part
company now.'

Amid the wildest cries of rejoicing and frantic demonstrations of
gratitude from the crowd, the regiment moved on to the little square
of the village. Here the billets were speedily arranged; the men betook
themselves to their quarters, the officers broke into small parties,
and O'Grady and myself retired to the inn, where, having dined
_tete-a-tete_, we began the interchange of our various adventures since
we parted.

CHAPTER LV. THE FOUR-IN-HAND

My old friend, save in the deeper brown upon his cheek and some scars
from French sabres, was nothing altered from the hour in which we
parted; the same bold, generous temperament, the same blending of
recklessness and deep feeling, the wild spirit of adventure, and the
gentle tenderness of a child were all mixed up in his complex nature,
for he was every inch an Irishman. While the breast of his uniform
glittered with many a cross and decoration, he scarcely ever alluded to
his own feats in the campaign; nor did he more than passingly mention
the actions where his own conduct had been most conspicuous. Indeed,
there was a reserve in his whole manner while speaking of the Peninsular
battles which I soon discovered proceeded from delicacy towards me,
knowing how little I had seen of service owing to my imprisonment, and
fearing lest in the detail of the glorious career of our armies he might
be inflicting fresh wounds on one whose fortune forbade him to share
in it. He often asked me about my father, and seemed to feel deeply the
kindness he had received from him when in London. Of my mother, too, he
sometimes spoke, but never even alluded to Lady Julia; and when once I
spoke of her as the protector of Corny, he fidgeted for a second or two,
seemed uneasy and uncomfortable, and gave me the impression that he felt
sorry to be reduced to accept a favour for his servant, where he himself
had been treated with coldness and distance.

Apart from this--and it was a topic we mutually avoided--O'Grady's
spirits were as high as ever. Mixing much with the officers of his
corps, he was actually beloved by them. He joined in all their schemes
of pleasure and amusement with the zest of his own buoyant nature;