a curse on't!"

"God--bless--my--soul!" exclaimed the Major, staring harder than ever.

"'Fore Gad, man Jack, it came on me like a charge o' cavalry. Like you
I meant to live and die a free man and now--O Gad! 'Tis her eyes, I
think, I see 'em everywhere--blue, you'll mind, Jack, blue
as--as--well, blue."

"Aye, they're blue!" nodded the Major, all grave attention at last.

"Well, 'tis her eyes, Jack, or else her dooced demure airs, or her
languishing graces, or her feet, or her shape, or the way she smiles,
or--O damme! Howbeit I'm smitten, Jack--through and through--done for
and be curst to it!"

"You too!" sighed the Major and stared into the fire again.

"Aye--and why not i' faith? I'm a man sound in wind and limb and but
few years ya' senior--why the devil not? She's free to wed and if
she's willing and I've a mind for't who the devil's going to stay
me--ha?" The Major sighed and shook his head. "Save us, Jack, but
ya're curst gloomy, I think!"

"Why as to that, as to that, George, I fear I am. Perhaps if we crack
a bottle before we go to bed--how say you?"

"With all my heart!" So the Major brought bottle and glasses and,
having filled to each other, they sat awhile each staring into the
fire. "And now," continued the Colonel, "what's to stop me a-marrying,
Jack, if I'm so minded, come?"

"Is she likely to--to make you happy, George?"

"Rabbit me--and why not?"

"Well," said the Major hesitatingly, "her age----"

"Dooce take me, she's none so old----"

"Old!" repeated the Major, "nay indeed I----"

"She's no filly I'll allow, Jack, but then I shed my colt's teeth long
ago. Nay, she's rather in her blooming prime, summer--er--languishing
to autumn----"

"Autumn!" murmured the Major, staring.

"No--I see nought against it unless--O smite me, Jack!" The Colonel
set down his glass and stared at the Major who stared back at him.

"Unless what, George?"

"Unless y'are bitten too." The Major frowned into the fire again. "If
y'are, Jack, if y'are, why then damme I'll not come athwart ya'--no,
no--old friends--Gad, no! I'll ride away to-morrow and give you a
clear field."

"I shall never marry--never, George!" said the Major and sighed deeper
than ever. The Colonel refilled his glass, raised it to his lips,
sighed in turn and put it down again.

"Love's a plaguy business!" he groaned. "How old are ye, Jack?"

"Forty-two, almost."

"And I'm forty-five--quite. And i' faith, Jack