ling if it can be avoided!"

"No steel sir?" gasped the Sergeant. "No steel--!"

"Bludgeons will be best if it should come to fighting," continued the
Major thoughtfully, "though I hope to effect their capture without any
undue violence----" The Sergeant turned to stare:

"What, is there to be no violence now, your honour?" he sighed.

"Violent methods are ever clumsy, Zeb, I propose to use the element of
surprise."

"Ah!" exclaimed the Sergeant and smiling grimly up at the moon he
slowly closed one eye and opened it again.

After this they rode some time in silence, the Sergeant's mind
preoccupied with the "Element of Surprise" as applied to the odds of
five to two, while the Major, looking round about on the calm beauty of
the night, dreamed ever of my lady Elizabeth Carlyon as had become his
wont and custom.

In due time they reached a certain quiet bye-lane and here the Major
checked his horse.

"Sergeant," said he, "'tis a fair night for walking what with the
moon---er--the moon d'ye see and so forth----"

"Moon, sir?"

"Aye, the moon!" said the Major, dismounting. "Do you go on with the
horses, I've a mind for walking." So he handed Sergeant Zebedee the
reins of his horse and turned aside down this quiet bye-lane.

This lane that led away between blooming hedges, that wandered on,
haphazard as it were, to lose itself at last in a little wood where
nightingales sang; this bye-lane wherein he had walked with her that
never-to-be-forgotten night and stood with her to watch the world grow
bright and joyous with a new day; this leafy sheltered lane that held
for him the sweet magic of her presence and was therefore a hallowed
place.

Thus as he walked, his slow steps falling silent on soft mosses and
dewy grass, the Major took off his hat.

Bareheaded and with reverent feet he wandered on dreaming of those joys
that were to be, God willing, and turning a sharp bend in the lane
stopped all at once, smitten to sudden, breathless immobility.

She sat upon the wall, dainty foot a-swing, while below stood Mr.
Dalroyd who seized that shapely foot in irreverent hands, stooped and
covered it with kisses that grew more bold and audacious until she,
stifling laughter in her cloak, freed herself with a sudden, vigorous
kick that sent Mr. Dalroyd's hat flying--

The Major turned and hurried away looking neither right nor left;
becoming conscious of the hat in his hand, he laughed and crammed it on
his head.