character, Zeb----"

"Character!" quoth the Sergeant. "Sir, his character worries him to
that degree he's a-talking of it constant. Says he to me, old Betty
a-sobbing over her bits o' furniture as was a-lying there in the road,
'no rent no roof!' says he, ''tis my dooty to look arter Squire's
interests,' says he, 'and dooty's part o' my character. I was born
with a irreproachable character,' says he, 'and such I'll keep same,'
he says. 'Why then,' says I, 'since I can't kick your character, I'll
kick you instead,' I says, which I did forthwith, wherefore complaint
to you as aforesaid, sir."

"Ha!" said the Major, frowning. "'Twas wrong in you to assault my
agent, Zeb, very wrong, but----I must enquire into the matter of the
eviction. You should have told me before." Saying which, he gave his
mare the rein and they began to descend the hill.

"They call old Betty a witch, sir," continued the Sergeant, his keen
gaze roving expectantly among the scattered cottages, "aye, a witch,
sir, and now owing to Mr. Jennings' character d'ye see she do live in
the veriest pigsty of a place which is the reason as my Lady Carlyon
has took to riding over and a-visiting of her constant----"

"Has she, Zeb, has she?" said the Major, his voice very gentle.

"Aye sir, folks hereabouts know her well--she stays wi' 'em hours
sometimes and--Zounds, there she is!"

"Where?" demanded the Major, reining his mare upon its haunches.

"Yonder, sir, see, she's a-going into old Bet's cottage now and----"

But the Major had wheeled about and was already half-way back up the
hill.

"Sir," cried the Sergeant as they reached the brow of the hill, "what
about that there Mr. Jennings as is a-waiting----"

"He must wait awhile---we'll come back later, Zeb."

"No manner o' use, sir, my lady'll stop a couple of hours and by that
time he'll be drunk, d'ye see. Best get home, sir----"

"Why?"

"Well first there's your great History o' Fortification in ten vollums
a-waiting to be wrote, and secondly you can come here another day----"

"So I can, Zeb, so I can!" agreed the Major and straightway fell into a
profound meditation while Sergeant Zebedee began to turn over in his
mind various ways and means of achieving the second part of my lady
Betty's so urgent request, pondering the problem chin in hand, his
fierce black brows close-knit in painful thought. Suddenly he smiled
and slapped hand to thigh.

"What now?" enquired the Major, start