ut, 'tis near twelve and I'm for bed. To-morrow, Viscount,
I'll give ya' certain advices may be of service to ya' in the regiment
and write ya' a letter to Ogilvie. And so good-night, sir!"

"Good-night, George!" said the Major and reaching out suddenly he
grasped Lord Cleeve's hand and wrung it hard.

"Why Jack!" said the Colonel, staring, "y'are dooced impressive, one
would think ya' were going out to-night on a forlorn hope. Talking o'
which, d'ya' remember the storming o' Douai, Jack? Aha, those were
times--stirring times--but past and done, since, like you, I mean to
quit the service for wedlock--'tis a great adventure that, Jack, belike
the greatest of all, may we front it with a like resolution."

With which the Colonel bowed and betook himself to bed.

"Tom," said the Major, staring wistfully into the fire, "I'm glad
you've chosen the old regiment--'ours'--very glad, because I know you
will be worthy of it and this England of ours and help to add to the
glory and honour of both. But Tom, as to your--your--er--love trouble,
dear lad, I--trust 'tis no mistaken idea of self-sacrifice, no idea
that--that she loveth--that she--I----"

"Nay sir, that you love her I do know right well, that she loveth you I
cannot doubt, aye, despite the--despite the wall, with a curse on't!
But that she loveth not me I am perfectly sure. So here is no
self-sacrifice, nunky, never fear. And sir," continued the Viscount,
taking out his snuff-box and tapping it with one delicate finger, "sir,
I have a feeling, a premonition that, so far as you and she are
concerned, matters will right themselves anon. For if--if she did sit
on that--that curst wall, she is always her pure, sweet self and
remember, sir, she kicked the damned fellow's hat off!" Here he opened
his snuff-box and gazed into it abstractedly as he went on: "Sir, when
love cometh to such as you and she, there are few things in earth may
thwart or stay such a love, 'tis a fire consumeth all obstacles and
pettiness. And indeed, in my mind I see her, in days to come, here
beside you, filling this great house with gladness and laughter and,
wherever I may be, you will know that in your happiness I am happy too.
And sir, as she is the only woman i' the world, I do think you are the
only man truly worthy of her and I--ha--I therefore--nunky--er----"
Here the Viscount inadvertently took a pinch of snuff and immediately
sneezed violently: "O Lard--O Lard!" he gasped. "'Ti