" she went on in a whisper, with her color bright, "to make
you regret your injustice, to conquer your stubborn pride, and to
revenge myself on you for all the wrong you had done me in thoughts and
words. But, you see, I wasn't so strong as I fancied; I thought I could
fence with the buttons on, but I was mistaken, and--and--when I heard
that you had fought for me, I knew then that----" And Violet stopped
with a smile and a sigh; the sigh for the past, I suppose, and the smile
for the present.

"Well, _nous sommes quittes_, dearest," smiled Telfer. "Thank Heaven! we
no longer need reproach each other. Too many elevate the one they love
into an ideal of such superhuman excellence, that at the first shadow of
mortality they see their poor idol is shivered from its pedestal. But we
have seen the worst side of each other's character, Violet, and
henceforth love shall cover all faults, and subdue all pride between
us."

Telfer kept his word. They had had their last quarrel, and buried their
last suspicion before their marriage, and were not, like the generality,
doves first and tigers after. The governor, of course, was charmed that
a match on which he had secretly set his heart had brought itself about
so neatly without his interference. He had begun to despair of his son's
ever giving Torwood a mistress, and the diamonds he gave Violet, in the
excess of his pleasure, brought her no end of female enemies, for they
were some of the finest water in the kingdom. Seldom, indeed, has
slander been productive of such good fruits, for rarely, _very_ rarely,
does that Upas-tree put forth any but Dead Sea apples.

Violet Tressillian _was_ Violet Telfer before the Christmas recess, but
I considered the bet drawn. So Telfer and I exchanged the roan filly and
the colt, and Calceolaria in the Torwood stables, and Jockey Club in my
stalls, stand witnesses to this day of OUR WAGER, AND HOW THE MAJOR LOST
AND WON.

OUR COUNTRY QUARTERS.

OUR COUNTRY QUARTERS.

I remember well the day that we (that is the 110th Lancers) were ordered
down to Layton Rise. Savage enough we all were to quit P---- for that
detestable country place. Many and miserable were the tales we raked up
of the _ennui_ we had experienced at other provincial quarters; sadly we
dressed for Lady Dashwood's ball, the last _soiree_ before our
departure. And then the bills and the _billets-doux_ that rained down
upon our devoted heads!

However, by some mir